Side-wall emitting ZnSe/AlN waveguide CO2 laser

A side-wall emitting ZnSe/AlN waveguide CO₂ laser, which is able to extract the output power from the waveguide wall, is proposed. In the proposed scheme, four polished AlN plates are cemented to form a 16 cm long waveguide with 1.9×1.9 mm² cross section. One of the AlN plates is partially replaced by the ZnSe plate. This part is used as an output window. To confirm the workability of the proposed scheme, a trial laser was constructed and tested. The output power of several milliwatts was observed from the ZnSe waveguide wall.     

Mathematical modelling of gain-switched RF-excited CO2 waveguide laser

The detailed mathematical models for the evolution of light pulses in RF-excited CO2 waveguide lasers are derived. Explicit expressions for the pulse characteristics in RF-excited CO2 waveguide lasers are obtained. The effects of losses and unsaturated gain on output power are calculated.     

Infrared and far-infrared laser emissions from a TE CO2 laser pumped NH3 gas

In this paper, infrared (IR) and far-infrared (FIR) laser emissions from a TE CO₂ laser pumped NH₃ gas are reported. 8 IR laser emissions near the wavelength of 12 μm were observed by using 4 different CO₂ laser lines for the pumping. 3 IR laser emissions in P-branch of vibrational-rotational band (ν₂ → G) oscillated simultaneously in two pumping cases, i.e. pumping with the R(30) or R(16) line of 9.4 μm band from the CO₂ laser. 26 FIR laser emissions (26.45 μm ～ 281.0 μm) were observed by using 12 different CO₂ laser lines, and the 10 FIR emissions of them may be new laser emissions as far as we know.     

Saturated absorption of C2H4 with a CO2 waveguide laser

Saturated spectroscopy of C₂H₄ was performed with a CO₂ waveguide laser. Seventeen lines were measured with a precision of the order of 200 kHz. On the basis of these data and of a new highly accurate determination of the ground-state rotational constants a better analysis of the ν₄, ν₇, and ν₁₀ levels was achieved.     

Characteristics of a far-infrared molecular laser optically pumped by a high-power CO2 laser

A molecular far-infrared (FIR) laser optically pumped by a high-power CO₂ laser, which is a powerful source for testing detectors and mixers and for FIR spectroscopy, is constructed and the performance is examined through experiments. At frequencies between 580GHz and 4.25THz, FIR output power is more than 2030m W by pumping power of 3581W. Amplitude stability of ±3% is obtained at 100m W output at 2.52THz for over 30 minutes when the FIR tube is cooled at 5°C by a chiller.As an application to testing mixers, FIR laser lines up to 4.25 THz are detected by Schottky barrier diodes (SBD). Further, using a SBD, performance of absolute frequency stability at 693GHz of HCOOH oscillation is measured by harmonic mixing with a 115.5GHz millimeter wave from a phase-locked Gunn oscillator. The resultant center-frequency stability is 100kHz per 10 minutes.     

A tunable waveguide CO2 laser with expanded tuning range

A method of expanding the tuning range of the CW CO₂ waveguide laser making use of a Fabry-Perot type light modulator is proposed. A preliminary experiment has been done to confirm the workability of the proposed scheme.     

An efficient,RF excited,waveguide CO2 laser

A CW waveguide CO₂ laser excited by a transverse radiofrequency discharge is described. An efficiency of 8.5% (laser power/RF power from supply) has been achieved and an output power of up to 4.6 W.     

A high-power far-infrared NH3 laser pumped in a three-mirror CO2 laser cavity with optically-switched cavity-dumping

Results are reported of cavity-dumping a submillimeter radiation high-Q, zig-zag optically-pumped resonator which utilizes a silicon optical switch photo-excited by a NdYAG laser. Peak powers at 152 m approaching 10 kW in temporally smooth pulses of 5 ns (FWHM) duration have been obtained at a pulse repetition rate of 12 Hz. The far-infrared laser radiation, as measured with a scanning metal-mesh Fabry-Perot interferometer and averaged over many pulses, is, upon deconvolution of the 125 MHz instrumental linewidth, found to oscillate in a predominantly single longitudinal mode of width 250 MHz. Theoretical investigations of the transient far-infrared reflectivity of the silicon optical switch predict a rise in the Brewster-angle reflectivity from 0% to nearly 80% in 1 ns, when activated by a Q-switched, frequency-doubled NdYAG laser providing an incident energy density of 50 mJ/cm² in a pulsewidth of 10 ns.     

Infrared spectroscopy of OCS,SO2, O3 with a CO2 waveguide laser

Infrared spectroscopy of OCS, SO₂, and O₃ has been performed with a CO₂ waveguide laser. The spectra observed were analyzed with data available and assignments are proposed.     

A waveguide CO2 laser operating in a Gaussian mode: Experimental analysis

An experimental analysis of the dielectric waveguide laser modes has been carried out and it has been shown that the maximum power output is related to the EH₁₁ or TEM₀₀ mode oscillation. Gaussian mode operation is discussed and practical consequences of this type of operation are demonstrated.     

High repetition-rate and quasi-cw operation of a waveguide CO2 TE laser

We report operation of a waveguide CO₂ TE laser at excitation pulse repetition frequencies as high as 40 kHz. Quasi-continuous laser output was obtained yielding an average output power of 1.5 W from an active volume of 0.1 cc. Details of laser construction and excitation circuitry are given.     

Generation of far-infrared pulses by use of a passively mode-locked high-pressure CO2 laser

Summary Our present study demonstrates for the first time generation of frequency-tunable intense infrared radiation pulses in the nanosecond time regime by mode-locking a high pressure CO₂ laser using p-doped germanium as a saturable absorber. These pulses were transferred into the FIR region via stimulated Raman scattering of the CO₂ laser radiation in CH₃F resulting in subnanosecond FIR laser pulses.     

Current CO2 laser surgery

With the development of suitable instrumentation, human-engineered to fulfil the requirements of the clinical surgeon and designed to fit in with the physical conditions prevailing in the operating theatre, laser surgery has advanced rapidly in the past few years. It shows signs of even more rapid progress and general acceptance as its application and advantages in more and more fields of surgery are demonstrated.     

Advanced CO2 laser rangefinders

Factors affecting the design of compact heterodyne- and direct-detection systems are contrasted. Recent UK achievements are placed in context: a TEA laser direct-detection rangefinder and a chirp-pulse-comparison rangefinder-velocimeter are described.     

Absolute frequencies of CO2 laser transitions by multiplication of CO2 laser difference frequencies

Frequencies of CO₂ laser transitions have been compared to the Cs standard by a four-step frequency chain using difference-frequencies from five CO₂ isotope lasers. A tungsten-nickel diode generates the differences and their harmonics. Measurement of the 10.71 μm R(6) transition of ¹³C¹⁸O₂ is described. The absolute frequency was found to be 27 979 469.512(65) MHz. Simultaneously, the four other CO₂ frequencies in the chain were also determined.     

Tunable electrooptically Q-switched RF excited CO2 waveguide laser with two channels

A tunable electrooptically Q-switched RF excited waveguide CO₂ laser with two channels is presented. Q-switched pulses have been obtained from one of the channels. The peak power is 300 W and the pulse width is 140 ns. CW laser output has been obtained from the other channel, which can been tuned by a PZT. The short-term heterodyne stability can be up to 10⁻⁹.     

Output mode characteristics of an in-phase locked gain waveguide array CO2 laser

In this paper,experimental and theoretical studies of the output mode characteristics of an in-phase locked gain waveguide array CO 2 laser are reported.The experimental results of the optical oscillation mode frequency,the far-field intensity distribution and the burnt pattern of the sliced waveguide array laser are obtained.A revised mode expression of the rectangle waveguide,which is suited for this waveguide array CO 2 laser,is proposed.The theoretical simulation results based on the revised mode expression are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Use of a beam expanding telescope in a grating-tuned waveguide CO2 laser

A Galilean telescope is used as a beam expander in a grating tuned CO₂ waveguide laser to improve line selection while minimizing cavity length to maximise the frequency tuning range. The laser has been used in optoacoustic measurements of saturation of absorption on the transition pumping the 891 m CH₂CF₂ laser.     

CO2 laser cutting of slate

Slate is a natural stone which has the characteristic that shows a well-developed defoliation plane, allowing to easily split it in plates parallel to that plane which are particularly used as tiles for roof building. At present, the manufacturing of slate is mostly manual, being noisy, powdery and unsafe for the worker. Thus, there is a need to introduce new processing methods in order to improve both the working conditions and the quality of the products made of slate.Following the previous work focused on the drilling and cutting of slate tiles using a Nd : YAG laser, we present in this paper the results of the work carried out to explore the possibilities to cut slate plates by using a CO₂ laser. A 1.5 kW CO₂ laser was used to perform different experiments in which, the influence of some processing parameters (average power, assist gas pressure) on the geometry and quality of the cut was studied. The results obtained show that the CO₂ laser is a feasible tool for a successful cutting of slate.