Low‐wavelength emission of Nd‐doped lasers

This paper gives an overview of the results obtained with diode‐pumped Neodymium‐doped crystals operating below 900 nm. Operation at such low wavelengths requires considering the strong thermal population of the lower level of the laser transition. Based on a theoretical study and simulations, the paper presents the challenges related to the design of these three‐level lasers. Experimental results are given with Nd:YAG and Nd:vanadate crystals. It is explained how to deal with the line competition with emission at 946 nm or 912 nm. Finally, intracavity second‐harmonic generation is presented. The output powers reach a few hundred mW at wavelengths below 450 nm. Hence, the paper demonstrates the potential of Nd‐doped diode‐pumped solid‐state lasers for applications in the blue range, in replacement of gas lasers such as helium‐cadmium lasers.     

In‐band pumped Ti:Tm:LiNbO3 waveguide amplifier and low threshold laser

The fabrication by diffusion doping and a detailed optical investigation of a Ti:Tm:LiNbO₃ waveguide amplifier and of a Fabry‐Pérot type Ti:Tm:LiNbO₃ laser are reported. Both devices are in‐band pumped by a laser diode at 1650 nm. The wave‐guide amplifier shows broad‐band optical gain in the wavelength range 1750 nm < λ < 1900 nm. The laser emits at 1890 nm, the longest emission wavelength of a Tm:LiNbO₃ laser reported so far; also 1850 nm emission could be demonstrated. Laser threshold (1890 nm) is at 4 mW coupled pump power; the slope efficiency is ∼13.3%. Properties and potential of both devices are analyzed by extensive modeling.     

Optical‐fiber microcoil waveguides and resonators and their applications for interferometry and sensing

In this work, recent progress in the theoretical and experimental studies of optical‐fiber microcoil waveguides and resonators, as well as their various applications are reviewed. In particular, the focus is set on sensing and interferometry applications. It is shown that due to its inherently low propagation and fiber‐coupling losses, fiber‐microcoil based sensors and interferometers offer substantial enhancement of sensitivity and compactness compared to other types of devices. Recent progress in the realization and experimental characterization of such structures is presented and the theoretical tools to analyze the impact of real‐world nonuniformities on the characteristics of fiber‐microcoil structures are provided.     

Q‐switched and modelocked all‐fiber lasers based on advanced acousto‐optic devices

The interest in all‐fiber lasers is stimulated by the inherent advantages they have over bulk lasers in aspects such as heat dissipation and robustness. The performance of Q‐switched and modelocked fiber lasers can benefit enormously from the development of all‐fiber configurations. A fiber laser with strictly all‐fiber components can fulfil the requirements of mechanical stability, low maintenance, enhanced power efficiency, simplified assembly process, and low cost. In this framework, recent developments infiber acousto‐optic devices are reviewed that have demonstrated new possibilities for actively Q‐switched distributed feedback fiber lasers, modelocking lasers and doubly active Q‐switched modelocked lasers. The aim is to demonstrate the great potential of infiber devices for the active control of different types of fiber lasers.     

Control of the pulse duration in one- and two-axis passively Q-switched solid-state lasers

We study theoretically and experimentally different methods to control the pulses emitted by solid-state lasers passively Q-switched by a saturable absorber. We explore one- and two-axis laser schemes allowing to control the pulse duration, which is ruled by the saturation powers of the transitions in the absorber and in the gain medium. In one-axis lasers, it is shown that the adjustment of the pump and laser beam sizes in the active medium and in the absorber provides an efficient means to control the pulse temporal shape and duration. Furthermore, a two-axis laser cavity supporting so-called forked-eigenstate operation permits to freely adjust the parts of the mode power which circulate in the gain medium and in the absorber. In this case, a lengthening of the pulse duration up to 500 ns is obtained with an increase of the average output power. The theoretical results obtained by using rate equations adapted to each cavity geometry are in close agreement with experiments performed on a diode-pumped Nd³⁺:YAG laser Q-switched by a Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber. The relevance of the different techniques to control the pulse durations in the framework of potential applications is discussed. Received 3 December 2001     

Photodissociation and photoionization of sodium coated C $_\mathsf{60}$ clusters

At the Prague Asterix Laser System Center (PALS) the Asterix iodine laser delivering up to 700 J/0.5 ns is used as a pump source for X-ray laser experiments and applications. The prepulse technique was applied which is known to improve the neon-like X-ray laser output at the J = 0-1 transition dramatically. Since Zn slab targets were used the operating wavelength was 21.2 nm. A prepulse having up to 20 J precedes the main pulse by 10 ns. The main beam and the prepulse beam are focussed by two different optical systems separately and their foci are superimposed at the target surface. By implementing a half-cavity set-up for double-pass amplification using a Mo/Si multilayer mirror - which can be used for more than 100 shots - the X-ray laser output was more than 10 times stronger than at the single pass in a 30 mm long plasma. Double-pass amplification was observed to be most efficient when the pump pulse duration was at least 150 ps longer than the round trip time ( ≈ 260 ps) in the half-cavity. Under this fundamental condition the X-ray laser reached saturation in the double-pass regime containing approx. 4 mJ energy which has been proved to be enough for future applications. In this contribution, the X-ray laser features like divergence in two dimensions, the beam quality (symmetry), the pointing angle and the integrated intensity giving an estimation of the output energy are investigated over 110 shots. To characterize the stability of the X-ray laser the shot distribution, the mean value and the standard deviation for these parameters are evaluated. For 18 shots in a series - what was achievable during one day - the corresponding values are given, and a statistical analysis carrying out a chi-squared test characterize the Zn X-ray laser as a robust tool suitable for applications. In the future it is planned to allocate X-ray laser beam time to external research groups. Received 17 May 2002 / Received in final form 10 September 2002 Published online 6 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: praeg@fzu.cz