激活介质热效应对振荡模式的影响研究

理论分析了激活介质热效应对端面泵浦固体激光器激光振荡模式分布的影响,并以光纤耦合半导体激光器端面泵浦Nd∶YAG激光器实验研究了激活介质热效应对激光振荡模式的影响。实验结果表明：由于热效应,基模的模体积随泵浦功率的增加而变大,基模在模式竞争中占优;在泵浦光轴线偏离几何腔轴时,基模光斑中心位置朝泵浦光轴线所在位置移动,偏离量与泵浦光轴线的偏离量近似成线性关系。利用实验结果指导腔调节,可使泵浦光轴线与几何腔轴精确重合,获得了椭圆率为0.98、M2因子为1.01的基模输出。     

脉冲内腔光学参变振荡器的研究

对于腔内含有KTP光学参变振荡器的调Q Nd:YAG激光振荡器,利用简单的内腔光学参变振荡器动力学模型,用瞬态耦合波方程求解了抽运激光介质反转粒子数,抽运动率和信号光功率的时间演变特性,结果显示对于不同的抽运水平和光学参变振荡谐振腔结构,内腔光学参变振荡器可以产生一个或者多个信号光脉冲,实验中,通过改变谐振腔输出镜的反射率,得到了单个和多个信号光脉冲,实验结果与理论分析相吻合,最后还分析了内腔光学参变振荡器输出的能量和调谐特性。     

脉冲式2 μm KTiOAsO4光参变振荡器

为了验证KTiOAsO4(KTA)晶体用于光参变振荡产生2μm激光的可行性,设计了脉冲式2μm KTA光参变振荡器,采用θ=49°切割的KTA晶体作为光参变振荡晶体,实现了2μm激光的输出;计算了该系统在双谐振情况下的起振阈值,在实验中测得输出的信号光、闲频光波长在2.16μm和2.09μm附近,与理论计算基本吻合,并测量了脉冲宽度。同时选用了对信闲光透过率分别为60%、70%、90%的镜片作为光参变振荡器(OPO)输出镜,测得了三种情况下的输出能量及电光效率的数值;测得了在380 V电压下,输出镜透过率一定时输出能量与光参变振荡器腔长之间的关系曲线,从而验证了KTA晶体用于光参变振荡产生2μm激光的可行性,为下一步的研究工作打下了基础。     

CsLiB6O10晶体光学参变振荡器的光学特性

根据三波耦合过程中的能量和动量守恒、晶体的塞耳迈耶尔色散方程,通过数值模拟计算了213nm作CLBO光学参变振荡抽运源时,分别得到了在Ⅰ类和Ⅱ类相位匹配时参量光调谐范围为237～289nm、807～2793nm和404～2800nm。获得了在Ⅰ类匹配时的单谐振或双谐振腔的CLBO光学参变振荡转换效率都大于同等条件下的BBO光学参变振荡,Ⅱ类匹配时,CLBO晶体的转换效率略小于BBO晶体,但是CLBO光学参变振荡转换效率的最大值较BBO光学参变振荡出现于更短的紫外波段。从理论上证明了CLBO晶体是优质的深紫外透光波段非线性光学晶体。     

降低热不稳定性的激光二极管泵浦固体激光器

通过谐振腔腔结构理论研究了在端面泵浦固体激光器中,等效热反射镜曲率半径变化时,振荡光半径的变化速率理论和实验都表明,通过调整谐振腔的参量,使得该变化速率接近零,可以有效地抑制热效应导致的激光功率不稳定性。     

偏频技术锁定压缩光产生中的光学参量振荡腔

为了解决机械振动、空气流动等外界因素引起的光学参量振荡腔的不稳定问题,利用偏频锁定技术稳定光学参量振荡腔.首先从理论上分析偏频锁定点的选取与压缩度的关系,得出透射峰值一半的位置为最佳锁定点.然后在实验上实现了光学参量振荡腔的锁定,并对锁定后的光学参量振荡腔进行了稳定性测量.实验结果表明,光学参量振荡腔的腔长在2h以内的锁定精度为7.27nm,最长稳定时间可达3.8h,能够满足对压缩光的探测需要.     

基于准相位匹配产生近中红外波段的特性分析

基于周期极化晶体的Sellmeier方程和准相位匹配理论,对准相位匹配光参变振荡器的调谐特性进行了理论分析.通过数值模拟计算,得到了PPRTA晶体光参变振荡的调谐特性与极化反转光栅周期、晶体温度和抽运光波长等参量的关系曲线.并且与PPKTP晶体和PPLN晶体光参变振荡器的调谐特性进行了比较,研究了三者的不同之处,得出了PPRTA晶体的参量调谐特性优于PPKTP晶体和PPLN晶体的结论,与国外已报道的实验数据相吻合.证实了PPRTA晶体是一种可以产生可调谐近中红外光的理想准相位匹配非线性光学晶体.     

LD泵浦Nd∶YVO_4晶体GaAs被动调Q激光理论和实验研究

考虑LD泵浦光强和腔内振荡光强的空间高斯分布以及晶体热效应的影响,给出了$山东大学信息科学与工程学院!山东济南250100晶体GaAs被动调Q 1. 06μm激光的耦合速率方程组,数值求解该方程组获得了输出激光的平均输出功率、脉冲宽度、重复率随泵浦功率的变化特性,所得理论值与实验结果相符.     

LD泵浦Nd∶YVO4晶体GaAs被动调Q激光理论和实验研究

考虑LD泵浦光强和腔内振荡光强的空间高斯分布以及晶体热效应的影响，给出了Nd∶YVO₄晶体GaAs被动调Q1.06 μm激光的耦合速率方程组，数值求解该方程组获得了输出激光的平均输出功率、脉冲宽度、重复率随泵浦功率的变化特性，所得理论值与实验结果相符.     

高功率全固态绿光激光技术研究进展

 报道了高功率全固态腔内和腔外倍频两种绿光激光器研究进展。腔内倍频绿光激光器采用L型腔双棒串接结构,在重复频率10 kHz时,用三硼酸锂晶体倍频获得绿光功率186 W,光-光效率达15.8%。腔外倍频绿光激光器采用主振荡和功率放大器,在重复频率400 Hz时,获得基频激光单脉冲能量1.2 J,采用Ⅱ类相位匹配KTP晶体腔外倍频,获得525 mJ的绿光输出,倍频效率为43.7%。采用偏振合成技术获得了单脉冲能量大于1 J的绿光输出。在该激光放大器实验装置上,进行了双模块热效应补偿技术和受激布里渊散射相位共轭技术实验研究,改善了激光光束质量。     

Thermal effects in singly resonant continuous-wave optical parametric oscillators

Stability and tuning characteristics of continuous-wave optical parametric oscillators (CW OPOs) are affected by various thermal effects arising from optical absorption in nonlinear crystals. In this paper, we present an experimental study of such effects in a singly resonant CW OPO. The OPO operates in the 3-μm mid-infrared region and it is based on a MgO-doped periodically poled lithium niobate crystal. We focus our study on two thermally induced phenomena that have been recently reported to exist in singly resonant CW OPOs: optical bi-stability and thermal self-locking. Thermal self-locking effect, which is known to alter the stability and tuning properties of doubly and triply resonant CW OPOs, is shown to be also of importance in singly resonant OPOs. We report the stability and tuning characteristics of a thermally loaded OPO and discuss a simple temperature-tuning method that can be used to scan the OPO idler frequency continuously over several THz.     

Thermal self-frequency locking of a doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator

The increase in the circulating signal and idler fields that occurs in a high- Q doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) as it approaches resonance results in a small increase in the crystal temperature owing to absorption of the generated fields. The temperature change affects the refractive index of the crystal and alters the optical path length of the cavity. This effect may lead to self-frequency locking of the OPO to a specific resonance of the signal and idler fields, and it also results in peculiarities in the transient response of the system as it is scanned through resonance. We show that the experimentally observed effects are consistent with the results of a numerical model of the OPO.     

Low-threshold, self-frequency-stabilized AgGaS(2) continuous-wave subharmonic optical parametric oscillator

We report the demonstration of a cw AgGaS(2) optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The subharmonic (3omega ? 2omega + omega) OPO is configured as a doubly resonant oscillator with weak pump enhancement. The temperature-tuned, noncritically phase-matched crystal is pumped by a diode laser at lambda(p) approximately 845 nm . Oscillation at lambda(s) approximately 1267 nm and lambda(i) approximately 2535 nm is observed at an input threshold power of 60 mW. Crystal thermal loading induces a robust passive self-frequency stabilization of any single-axial-mode pair to the OPO cavity resonance. The conversion efficiency is limited by thermal effects to 2% for a 200-mW pump input.     

Self-guided operation of singly resonant continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator based on bulk MgO-doped PPLN

We report on a self-guided operation of a green-pumped singly resonant continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator with a bulk MgO-doped PPLN crystal. It is achieved by increasing the OPO cavity length beyond the stability boundary so that the OPO can only oscillate with formation of a thermally induced waveguide inside the crystal. The effects of the thermal waveguide on the OPO performance are studied by measuring output power characteristics at different cavity lengths. Improvement of spatial mode quality and stability of output power by self-guiding is demonstrated. Measurement of temporal characteristics proves that formation of the waveguide originates from the photo-thermal effect in the nonlinear crystal by absorption of pump power.     

Effect of resonator length on a doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator pumped by a multilongitudinal-mode beam

The resonator length of an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is normally made a short as possible to minimize the signal-buildup time and maximize the output energy. We have found that, when a doubly resonant OPO is pumped by a multilongitudinal-mode beam, its output energy has a significant maximum when its optical length matches that of the pump source, even if this length is much greater than the shortest possible for the OPO. We have observed this effect in a ZnGeP>(2)-based OPO and reproduced it in numerical simulations.     

High-power eye-safe KTA-OPO driven by YVO4/Nd:YVO4 composite laser

We present a high-power 1.53 μm laser based on intracavity KTA-OPO driven by diode-end-pumped acousto-optical Q-switched YVO₄/Nd:YVO₄ composite. The composite crystal was utilized for reducing the thermal effect, and the mode mismatch compensating OPO cavity was designed for efficient OPO conversion. The output power of eye-safe laser at 1535 nm was up to 4.4 W with the pump power of 27 W, corresponding to a diode-to-signal conversion efficiency of 16.3%. To our knowledge, this is the highest output power in diode-end-pumped circumstances. In the experiment, the strong yellow light generated by Raman conversion and frequency doubling in the KTA crystal was observed.     

Frequency-stable operation of a diode-pumped continuous-wave RbTiOAsO(4) optical parametric oscillator

Frequency-stable operation of a diode-pumped continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator (OPO) of RbTiOAsO(4) is demonstrated. Piezoelectric and fast electro-optic control of the optical length of the two-mirror OPO cavity (resonant for the pump and the idler waves) compensates for thermal changes in the refractive index of the OPO crystal (induced by absorption of pump light) and acoustic perturbations of the cavity length. Pumped by 405mW of the 810-nm output of a GaAlAs masterf-oscillator-tapered-amplifier diode laser system, the OPO generates a power-stable single-frequency signal wave at 1.24microm with an output of 84mW and a spectral bandwidth of less than 10MHz.     

An investigation on the improved performance of shared cavity optical parametric oscillators

It has been demonstrated that shared cavity optical parametric oscillator (OPO) could improve power stability in comparison with that of coupled cavity OPO. By theoretically calculating the spectral transmissions induced by the etalon effect, it has been found that the shared cavity OPO had much wider transmission bandwidth than that of coupled OPO. The corresponding experimental results agreed with the theoretical analysis. Furthermore, the OPO and fundamental laser resonator have nearly the same longitudinal mode spacing in the shared cavity configuration. The above two factors can account for the improved performance of the shared OPO operation.     

Continuous-wave singly resonant optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled RbTiOAsO(4)

We report a continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled RbTiOAsO(4) (PPRTA). The singly resonant OPO, which is located within a Ti:sapphire laser, has a high-finesse signal cavity and delivers a maximum output power of 270 mW to the nonresonant idler wave at 2.92mum , through a 4.5-mm PPRTA crystal. For room-temperature operation and a crystal with a 30-mu;m grating period, pump tuning over 838-848 nm results in OPO tuning over 1.13-1.27mum (signal) and 2.53-3.26mum (idler), limited by the bandwidth of optical coatings. PPRTA exhibits thermal properties superior to those of periodically poled LiNbO(3) .     

Low-threshold singly-resonant continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator based on MgO-doped PPLN

We present a 532 nm-pumped singly-resonant cw optical parametric oscillator based on MgO-doped PPLN with a minimum threshold pump power of 0.3 W. The OPO with a two-mirror standing-wave cavity is optimized by using a tunable diode laser on the path of the resonant signal beam. The maximum output power is 200 mW at an idler wavelength near 1330 nm at a pump power of 2 W. We report the degradation of the output power and beam characteristics at high pump power indicating a strong thermal lensing in the crystal. The continuous tuning range of the OPO is measured to be 800 MHz which is close to 90% of the free spectral range of the OPO cavity.