Sample records for average power laser

  1. High average power scaleable thin-disk laser

    DOEpatents

    Beach, Raymond J.; Honea, Eric C.; Bibeau, Camille; Payne, Stephen A.; Powell, Howard; Krupke, William F.; Sutton, Steven B.

    2002-01-01

    Using a thin disk laser gain element with an undoped cap layer enables the scaling of lasers to extremely high average output power values. Ordinarily, the power scaling of such thin disk lasers is limited by the deleterious effects of amplified spontaneous emission. By using an undoped cap layer diffusion bonded to the thin disk, the onset of amplified spontaneous emission does not occur as readily as if no cap layer is used, and much larger transverse thin disks can be effectively used as laser gain elements. This invention can be used as a high average power laser for material processing applications as well as for weapon and air defense applications.

  2. Multi-Watt Average Power Nanosecond Microchip Laser and Power Scalability Estimates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Konoplev, Oleg A.; Vasilyev, Alexey A.; Seas, Antonios A.; Yu, Anthony W.; Li, Steven X.; Shaw, George B.; Stephen, Mark A.; Krainak, Michael A.

    2011-01-01

    We demonstrated up to 2 W average power, CW-pumped, passively- Q-switched, 1.5 ns monolithic MCL with single-longitudinal mode-operation. We discuss laser design issues to bring the average power to 5-1 OW and beyond.

  3. High-power picosecond laser with 400W average power for large scale applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Du, Keming; Brüning, Stephan; Gillner, Arnold

    2012-03-01

    Laser processing is generally known for low thermal influence, precise energy processing and the possibility to ablate every type of material independent on hardness and vaporisation temperature. The use of ultra-short pulsed lasers offers new possibilities in the manufacturing of high end products with extra high processing qualities. For achieving a sufficient and economical processing speed, high average power is needed. To scale the power for industrial uses the picosecond laser system has been developed, which consists of a seeder, a preamplifier and an end amplifier. With the oscillator/amplifier system more than 400W average power and maximum pulse energy 1mJ was obtained. For study of high speed processing of large embossing metal roller two different ps laser systems have been integrated into a cylinder engraving machine. One of the ps lasers has an average power of 80W while the other has 300W. With this high power ps laser fluencies of up to 30 J/cm2 at pulse repetition rates in the multi MHz range have been achieved. Different materials (Cu, Ni, Al, steel) have been explored for parameters like ablation rate per pulse, ablation geometry, surface roughness, influence of pulse overlap and number of loops. An enhanced ablation quality and an effective ablation rate of 4mm3/min have been achieved by using different scanning systems and an optimized processing strategy. The max. achieved volume rate is 20mm3/min.

  4. Active cooling of pulse compression diffraction gratings for high energy, high average power ultrafast lasers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alessi, David A.; Rosso, Paul A.; Nguyen, Hoang T.

    Laser energy absorption and subsequent heat removal from diffraction gratings in chirped pulse compressors poses a significant challenge in high repetition rate, high peak power laser development. In order to understand the average power limitations, we have modeled the time-resolved thermo-mechanical properties of current and advanced diffraction gratings. We have also developed and demonstrated a technique of actively cooling Petawatt scale, gold compressor gratings to operate at 600W of average power - a 15x increase over the highest average power petawatt laser currently in operation. As a result, combining this technique with low absorption multilayer dielectric gratings developed in ourmore » group would enable pulse compressors for petawatt peak power lasers operating at average powers well above 40kW.« less

  5. Active cooling of pulse compression diffraction gratings for high energy, high average power ultrafast lasers

    DOE PAGES

    Alessi, David A.; Rosso, Paul A.; Nguyen, Hoang T.; ...

    2016-12-26

    Laser energy absorption and subsequent heat removal from diffraction gratings in chirped pulse compressors poses a significant challenge in high repetition rate, high peak power laser development. In order to understand the average power limitations, we have modeled the time-resolved thermo-mechanical properties of current and advanced diffraction gratings. We have also developed and demonstrated a technique of actively cooling Petawatt scale, gold compressor gratings to operate at 600W of average power - a 15x increase over the highest average power petawatt laser currently in operation. As a result, combining this technique with low absorption multilayer dielectric gratings developed in ourmore » group would enable pulse compressors for petawatt peak power lasers operating at average powers well above 40kW.« less

  6. Average power scaling of UV excimer lasers drives flat panel display and lidar applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herbst, Ludolf; Delmdahl, Ralph F.; Paetzel, Rainer

    2012-03-01

    Average power scaling of 308nm excimer lasers has followed an evolutionary path over the last two decades driven by diverse industrial UV laser microprocessing markets. Recently, a new dual-oscillator and beam management concept for high-average power upscaling of excimer lasers has been realized, for the first time enabling as much as 1.2kW of stabilized UV-laser average output power at a UV wavelength of 308nm. The new dual-oscillator concept enables low temperature polysilicon (LTPS) fabrication to be extended to generation six glass substrates. This is essential in terms of a more economic high-volume manufacturing of flat panel displays for the soaring smartphone and tablet PC markets. Similarly, the cost-effective production of flexible displays is driven by 308nm excimer laser power scaling. Flexible displays have enormous commercial potential and can largely use the same production equipment as is used for rigid display manufacturing. Moreover, higher average output power of 308nm excimer lasers aids reducing measurement time and improving the signal-to-noise ratio in the worldwide network of high altitude Raman lidar stations. The availability of kW-class 308nm excimer lasers has the potential to take LIDAR backscattering signal strength and achievable altitude to new levels.

  7. High-Average-Power Diffraction Pulse-Compression Gratings Enabling Next-Generation Ultrafast Laser Systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Alessi, D.

    Pulse compressors for ultrafast lasers have been identified as a technology gap in the push towards high peak power systems with high average powers for industrial and scientific applications. Gratings for ultrashort (sub-150fs) pulse compressors are metallic and can absorb a significant percentage of laser energy resulting in up to 40% loss as well as thermal issues which degrade on-target performance. We have developed a next generation gold grating technology which we have scaled to the petawatt-size. This resulted in improvements in efficiency, uniformity and processing as compared to previous substrate etched gratings for high average power. This new designmore » has a deposited dielectric material for the grating ridge rather than etching directly into the glass substrate. It has been observed that average powers as low as 1W in a compressor can cause distortions in the on-target beam. We have developed and tested a method of actively cooling diffraction gratings which, in the case of gold gratings, can support a petawatt peak power laser with up to 600W average power. We demonstrated thermo-mechanical modeling of a grating in its use environment and benchmarked with experimental measurement. Multilayer dielectric (MLD) gratings are not yet used for these high peak power, ultrashort pulse durations due to their design challenges. We have designed and fabricated broad bandwidth, low dispersion MLD gratings suitable for delivering 30 fs pulses at high average power. This new grating design requires the use of a novel Out Of Plane (OOP) compressor, which we have modeled, designed, built and tested. This prototype compressor yielded a transmission of 90% for a pulse with 45 nm bandwidth, and free of spatial and angular chirp. In order to evaluate gratings and compressors built in this project we have commissioned a joule-class ultrafast Ti:Sapphire laser system. Combining the grating cooling and MLD technologies developed here could enable petawatt laser

  8. A new Faraday rotator for high average power lasers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Khazanov, E A

    2001-04-30

    The new design of a Faraday rotator is proposed which allows one to compensate partially the radiation depolarisation in magneto-optical elements induced by heating due to the laser radiation absorption. The new design is compared analytically and numerically with a conventional design for the cases of glass and crystal magneto-optical media. It is shown that a rotator, which provides the compensation for birefringence in active elements with the accuracy up to 1 % at the average laser radiation power of 1 kW in the rotator, can be created. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

  9. Kilohertz Pulse Repetition Frequency Slab Ti:sapphire Lasers with High Average Power (10 W)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wadsworth, William J.; Coutts, David W.; Webb, Colin E.

    1999-11-01

    High-average-power broadband 780-nm slab Ti:sapphire lasers, pumped by a kilohertz pulse repetition frequency copper vapor laser (CVL), were demonstrated. These lasers are designed for damage-free power scaling when pumped by CVL s configured for maximum output power (of order 100 W) but with poor beam quality ( M 2 300 ). A simple Brewster-angled slab laser side pumped by a CVL produced 10-W average power (1.25-mJ pulses at 8 kHz) with 4.2-ns FWHM pulse duration at an absolute efficiency of 15% (68-W pump power). Thermal lensing in the Brewster slab laser resulted in multitransverse mode output, and pump absorption was limited to 72% by the maximum doping level for commercially available Ti:sapphire (0.25%). A slab laser with a multiply folded zigzag path was therefore designed and implemented that produced high-beam-quality (TEM 00 -mode) output when operated with cryogenic cooling and provided a longer absorption path for the pump. Excessive scattering of the Ti:sapphire beam at the crystal surfaces limited the efficiency of operation for the zigzag laser, but fluorescence diagnostic techniques, gain measurement, and modeling suggest that efficient power extraction ( 15 W TEM 00 , 23% efficiency) from this laser would be possible for crystals with an optical quality surface polish.

  10. High-average-power laser medium based on silica glass

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujimoto, Yasushi; Nakatsuka, Masahiro

    2000-01-01

    Silica glass is one of the most attractive materials for a high-average-power laser. We have developed a new laser material base don silica glass with zeolite method which is effective for uniform dispersion of rare earth ions in silica glass. High quality medium, which is bubbleless and quite low refractive index distortion, must be required for realization of laser action. As the main reason of bubbling is due to hydroxy species remained in the gelation same, we carefully choose colloidal silica particles, pH value of hydrochloric acid for hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate on sol-gel process, and temperature and atmosphere control during sintering process, and then we get a bubble less transparent rare earth doped silica glass. The refractive index distortion of the sample also discussed.

  11. Thermooptics of magnetoactive media: Faraday isolators for high average power lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khazanov, E. A.

    2016-09-01

    The Faraday isolator, one of the key high-power laser elements, provides optical isolation between a master oscillator and a power amplifier or between a laser and its target, for example, a gravitational wave detector interferometer. However, the absorbed radiation inevitably heats the magnetoactive medium and leads to thermally induced polarization and phase distortions in the laser beam. This self-action process limits the use of Faraday isolators in high average power lasers. A unique property of magnetoactive medium thermooptics is that parasitic thermal effects arise on the background of circular birefringence rather than in an isotropic medium. Also, even insignificant polarization distortions of the radiation result in a worse isolation ratio, which is the key characteristic of the Faraday isolator. All possible laser beam distortions are analyzed for their deteriorating effect on the Faraday isolator parameters. The mechanisms responsible for and key physical parameters associated with different kinds of distortions are identified and discussed. Methods for compensating and suppressing parasitic thermal effects are described in detail, the published experimental data are systematized, and avenues for further research are discussed based on the results achieved.

  12. 22 W average power multiterawatt femtosecond laser chain enabling 1019 W/cm2 at 100 Hz

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clady, R.; Azamoum, Y.; Charmasson, L.; Ferré, A.; Utéza, O.; Sentis, M.

    2018-05-01

    We measure the wavefront distortions of a high peak power ultrashort (23 fs) laser system under high average power load. After 6 min—100 Hz operation of the laser at full average power (> 22 W after compression), the thermally induced wavefront distortions reach a steady state and the far-field profile of the laser beam no longer changes. By means of a deformable mirror located after the vacuum compressor, we apply a static pre-compensation to correct those aberrations allowing us to demonstrate a dramatic improvement of the far-field profile at 100 Hz with the reduction of the residual wavefront distortions below λ/16 before focusing. The applied technique provides 100 Hz operation of the femtosecond laser chain with stable pulse characteristics, corresponding to peak intensity above 1019 W/cm2 and average power of 19 W on target, which enables the study of relativistic optics at high repetition rate using a moderate f-number focusing optics ( f/4.5).

  13. High average power diode pumped solid state laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Yue; Wang, Yanjie; Chan, Amy; Dawson, Murray; Greene, Ben

    2017-03-01

    A new generation of high average power pulsed multi-joule solid state laser system has been developed at EOS Space Systems for various space related tracking applications. It is a completely diode pumped, fully automated multi-stage system consisting of a pulsed single longitudinal mode oscillator, three stages of pre-amplifiers, two stages of power amplifiers, completely sealed phase conjugate mirror or stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) cell and imaging relay optics with spatial filters in vacuum cells. It is capable of generating pulse energy up to 4.7 J, a beam quality M 2 ~ 3, pulse width between 10-20 ns, and a pulse repetition rate between 100-200 Hz. The system has been in service for more than two years with excellent performance and reliability.

  14. Industrial applications of high-average power high-peak power nanosecond pulse duration Nd:YAG lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harrison, Paul M.; Ellwi, Samir

    2009-02-01

    Within the vast range of laser materials processing applications, every type of successful commercial laser has been driven by a major industrial process. For high average power, high peak power, nanosecond pulse duration Nd:YAG DPSS lasers, the enabling process is high speed surface engineering. This includes applications such as thin film patterning and selective coating removal in markets such as the flat panel displays (FPD), solar and automotive industries. Applications such as these tend to require working spots that have uniform intensity distribution using specific shapes and dimensions, so a range of innovative beam delivery systems have been developed that convert the gaussian beam shape produced by the laser into a range of rectangular and/or shaped spots, as required by demands of each project. In this paper the authors will discuss the key parameters of this type of laser and examine why they are important for high speed surface engineering projects, and how they affect the underlying laser-material interaction and the removal mechanism. Several case studies will be considered in the FPD and solar markets, exploring the close link between the application, the key laser characteristics and the beam delivery system that link these together.

  15. Green-diode-pumped femtosecond Ti:Sapphire laser with up to 450 mW average power.

    PubMed

    Gürel, K; Wittwer, V J; Hoffmann, M; Saraceno, C J; Hakobyan, S; Resan, B; Rohrbacher, A; Weingarten, K; Schilt, S; Südmeyer, T

    2015-11-16

    We investigate power-scaling of green-diode-pumped Ti:Sapphire lasers in continuous-wave (CW) and mode-locked operation. In a first configuration with a total pump power of up to 2 W incident onto the crystal, we achieved a CW power of up to 440 mW and self-starting mode-locking with up to 200 mW average power in 68-fs pulses using semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) as saturable absorber. In a second configuration with up to 3 W of pump power incident onto the crystal, we achieved up to 650 mW in CW operation and up to 450 mW in 58-fs pulses using Kerr-lens mode-locking (KLM). The shortest pulse duration was 39 fs, which was achieved at 350 mW average power using KLM. The mode-locked laser generates a pulse train at repetition rates around 400 MHz. No complex cooling system is required: neither the SESAM nor the Ti:Sapphire crystal is actively cooled, only air cooling is applied to the pump diodes using a small fan. Because of mass production for laser displays, we expect that prices for green laser diodes will become very favorable in the near future, opening the door for low-cost Ti:Sapphire lasers. This will be highly attractive for potential mass applications such as biomedical imaging and sensing.

  16. High-throughput machining using high average power ultrashort pulse lasers and ultrafast polygon scanner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schille, Joerg; Schneider, Lutz; Streek, André; Kloetzer, Sascha; Loeschner, Udo

    2016-03-01

    In this paper, high-throughput ultrashort pulse laser machining is investigated on various industrial grade metals (Aluminium, Copper, Stainless steel) and Al2O3 ceramic at unprecedented processing speeds. This is achieved by using a high pulse repetition frequency picosecond laser with maximum average output power of 270 W in conjunction with a unique, in-house developed two-axis polygon scanner. Initially, different concepts of polygon scanners are engineered and tested to find out the optimal architecture for ultrafast and precision laser beam scanning. Remarkable 1,000 m/s scan speed is achieved on the substrate, and thanks to the resulting low pulse overlap, thermal accumulation and plasma absorption effects are avoided at up to 20 MHz pulse repetition frequencies. In order to identify optimum processing conditions for efficient high-average power laser machining, the depths of cavities produced under varied parameter settings are analyzed and, from the results obtained, the characteristic removal values are specified. The maximum removal rate is achieved as high as 27.8 mm3/min for Aluminium, 21.4 mm3/min for Copper, 15.3 mm3/min for Stainless steel and 129.1 mm3/min for Al2O3 when full available laser power is irradiated at optimum pulse repetition frequency.

  17. Method and system for modulation of gain suppression in high average power laser systems

    DOEpatents

    Bayramian, Andrew James [Manteca, CA

    2012-07-31

    A high average power laser system with modulated gain suppression includes an input aperture associated with a first laser beam extraction path and an output aperture associated with the first laser beam extraction path. The system also includes a pinhole creation laser having an optical output directed along a pinhole creation path and an absorbing material positioned along both the first laser beam extraction path and the pinhole creation path. The system further includes a mechanism operable to translate the absorbing material in a direction crossing the first laser beam extraction laser path and a controller operable to modulate the second laser beam.

  18. High-throughput machining using a high-average power ultrashort pulse laser and high-speed polygon scanner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schille, Joerg; Schneider, Lutz; Streek, André; Kloetzer, Sascha; Loeschner, Udo

    2016-09-01

    High-throughput ultrashort pulse laser machining is investigated on various industrial grade metals (aluminum, copper, and stainless steel) and Al2O3 ceramic at unprecedented processing speeds. This is achieved by using a high-average power picosecond laser in conjunction with a unique, in-house developed polygon mirror-based biaxial scanning system. Therefore, different concepts of polygon scanners are engineered and tested to find the best architecture for high-speed and precision laser beam scanning. In order to identify the optimum conditions for efficient processing when using high-average laser powers, the depths of cavities made in the samples by varying the processing parameter settings are analyzed and, from the results obtained, the characteristic removal values are specified. For overlapping pulses of optimum fluence, the removal rate is as high as 27.8 mm3/min for aluminum, 21.4 mm3/min for copper, 15.3 mm3/min for stainless steel, and 129.1 mm3/min for Al2O3, when a laser beam of 187 W average laser powers irradiates. On stainless steel, it is demonstrated that the removal rate increases to 23.3 mm3/min when the laser beam is very fast moving. This is thanks to the low pulse overlap as achieved with 800 m/s beam deflection speed; thus, laser beam shielding can be avoided even when irradiating high-repetitive 20-MHz pulses.

  19. Edge-facet pumped, multi-aperture, thin-disk laser geometry for very high average power output scaling

    DOEpatents

    Zapata, Luis E.

    2004-12-21

    The average power output of a laser is scaled, to first order, by increasing the transverse dimension of the gain medium while increasing the thickness of an index matched light guide proportionately. Strategic facets cut at the edges of the laminated gain medium provide a method by which the pump light introduced through edges of the composite structure is trapped and passes through the gain medium repeatedly. Spontaneous emission escapes the laser volume via these facets. A multi-faceted disk geometry with grooves cut into the thickness of the gain medium is optimized to passively reject spontaneous emission generated within the laser material, which would otherwise be trapped and amplified within the high index composite disk. Such geometry allows the useful size of the laser aperture to be increased, enabling the average laser output power to be scaled.

  20. Characterization and optimization of a new high-average power laser glass

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bayramian, A.

    A new High-Average Power laser glass with favorable thermal-mechanical properties was recently developed by Schott Glass Technologies. We refer to this glass as APG-2, although it does not have an official designation. Fracture studies were conducted which verified the thermomechanical utility of the glass. Consequently, the glass was a promising candidate for a variety of applications such as a Kerr-lens mode-locked short-pulse laser. As a result, cavity designs and optical parameters were calculated to test this hypothesis, and characterization of the lasing properties began. The glass was lased for the first time, and laser slope efficiencies were measured at variousmore » output couplings. Laser efficiencies were observed to drop radically when the pump light duty cycle was increased from 10% to unity. When the new laser glass was compared to commercially available laser glasses LG-750 and APG-1, something appeared to be inhibiting smooth laser action. Further investigations indicated that the thermal lens in the new glass was much larger than in the other glasses making the laser resonator unstable. This thermal lens was then modeled and quantified in a separate experiment.« less

  1. High sustained average power cw and ultrafast Yb:YAG near-diffraction-limited cryogenic solid-state laser.

    PubMed

    Brown, David C; Singley, Joseph M; Kowalewski, Katie; Guelzow, James; Vitali, Victoria

    2010-11-22

    We report what we believe to be record performance for a high average power Yb:YAG cryogenic laser system with sustained output power. In a CW oscillator-single-pass amplifier configuration, 963 W of output power was measured. In a second configuration, a two amplifier Yb:YAG cryogenic system was driven with a fiber laser picosecond ultrafast oscillator at a 50 MHz repetition rate, double-passed through the first amplifier and single-passed through the second, resulting in 758 W of average power output. Pulses exiting the system have a FWHM pulsewidth of 12.4 ps, an energy/pulse of 15.2 μJ, and a peak power of 1.23 MW. Both systems are force convection-cooled with liquid nitrogen and have been demonstrated to run reliably over long time periods.

  2. A High-Average-Power Free Electron Laser for Microfabrication and Surface Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dylla, H. F.; Benson, S.; Bisognano, J.; Bohn, C. L.; Cardman, L.; Engwall, D.; Fugitt, J.; Jordan, K.; Kehne, D.; Li, Z.; hide

    1995-01-01

    CEBAF has developed a comprehensive conceptual design of an industrial user facility based on a kilowatt ultraviolet (UV) (160-1000 mm) and infrared (IR) (2-25 micron) free electron laser (FEL) driven by a recirculating, energy recovering 200 MeV superconducting radio frequency (SRF) accelerator. FEL users, CEBAF's partners in the Lase Processing Consortium, including AT&T, DuPont, IBM, Northrop Grumman, 3M, and Xerox, are developing applications such as metal, ceramic, and electronic material micro-fabrication and polymer and metal surface processing, with the overall effort leading to later scale-up to industrial systems at 50-100 kW. Representative applications are described. The proposed high-average-power FEL overcomes limitations of conventional laser sources in available power, cost-effectiveness, tunability, and pulse structure.

  3. Picosecond laser system with 30-W average power via cavity dumping and amplifying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, J.; Pang, Q. S.; Chang, L.; Bai, Z. A.; Ai, Q. K.; Chen, L. Y.; Chen, M.; Li, G.; Ma, Y. F.; Fan, Z. W.; Niu, G.; Yu, J.; Liu, Y.; Zhang, X.; Kang, W. Y.; He, K.

    2011-06-01

    We present a picosecond laser system with high energy by technologies of cavity dumping and amplifying. Firstly, pulses with 10 ps and ˜520 nJ were obtained by cavity-dumped mode-locked laser at 10 kHz repetition rate. Secondly those pulses were seeded into a side-pumped regenerative amplifier (RA). Then pulses output from the regenerative amplifier were amplified by two four-pass post amplifiers. From the laser system pulses with an average power of 30 W corresponding to 3 mJ pulse energy were achieved with the pulse-width of 25.4 ps at repetition rate of 10 kHz.

  4. Thermally induced distortion of high average power laser system by an optical transport system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ault, L; Chow, R; Taylor, Jedlovec, D

    1999-03-31

    The atomic vapor laser isotope separation process uses high-average power lasers that have the commercial potential to enrich uranium for the electric power utilities. The transport of the laser beam through the laser system to the separation chambers requires high performance optical components, most of which have either fused silica or Zerodur as the substrate material. One of the requirements of the optical components is to preserve the wavefront quality of the laser beam that propagate over long distances. Full aperture tests with the high power process lasers and finite element analysis (FEA) have been performed on the transport optics.more » The wavefront distortions of the various sections of the transport path were measured with diagnostic Hartmann sensor packages. The FEA results were derived from an in-house thermal-structural-optical code which is linked to the commercially available CodeV program. In comparing the measured and predicted results, the bulk absorptance of fused silica was estimated to about 50 ppm/cm in the visible wavelength regime. Wavefront distortions are reported on optics made from fused silica and Zerodur substrate materials.« less

  5. 53 W average power few-cycle fiber laser system generating soft x rays up to the water window.

    PubMed

    Rothhardt, Jan; Hädrich, Steffen; Klenke, Arno; Demmler, Stefan; Hoffmann, Armin; Gotschall, Thomas; Eidam, Tino; Krebs, Manuel; Limpert, Jens; Tünnermann, Andreas

    2014-09-01

    We report on a few-cycle laser system delivering sub-8-fs pulses with 353 μJ pulse energy and 25 GW of peak power at up to 150 kHz repetition rate. The corresponding average output power is as high as 53 W, which represents the highest average power obtained from any few-cycle laser architecture so far. The combination of both high average and high peak power provides unique opportunities for applications. We demonstrate high harmonic generation up to the water window and record-high photon flux in the soft x-ray spectral region. This tabletop source of high-photon flux soft x rays will, for example, enable coherent diffractive imaging with sub-10-nm resolution in the near future.

  6. Thermally induced distortion of a high-average-power laser system by an optical transport system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chow, Robert; Ault, Linda E.; Taylor, John R.; Jedlovec, Don

    1999-11-01

    The atomic vapor laser isotope separation process uses high- average power lasers that have the commercial potential to enrich uranium for the electric power utilities. The transport of the laser beam through the laser system to the separation chambers requires high performance optical components, most of which have either fused silica or Zerodur as the substrate material. One of the requirements of the optical components is to preserve the wavefront quality of the laser beam that propagate over long distances. Full aperture tests with the high power process lasers and finite element analysis (FEA) have been performed on the transport optics. The wavefront distortions of the various sections of the transport path were measured with diagnostic Hartmann sensor packages. The FEA results were derived from an in-house thermal-structural- optical code which is linked to the commercially available CodeV program. In comparing the measured and predicted results, the bulk absorptance of fused silica was estimated to about 50 ppm/cm in the visible wavelength regime. Wavefront distortions will be reported on optics made from fused silica and Zerodur substrate materials.

  7. High average power pockels cell

    DOEpatents

    Daly, Thomas P.

    1991-01-01

    A high average power pockels cell is disclosed which reduces the effect of thermally induced strains in high average power laser technology. The pockels cell includes an elongated, substantially rectangular crystalline structure formed from a KDP-type material to eliminate shear strains. The X- and Y-axes are oriented substantially perpendicular to the edges of the crystal cross-section and to the C-axis direction of propagation to eliminate shear strains.

  8. High average power, diode pumped petawatt laser systems: a new generation of lasers enabling precision science and commercial applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haefner, C. L.; Bayramian, A.; Betts, S.; Bopp, R.; Buck, S.; Cupal, J.; Drouin, M.; Erlandson, A.; Horáček, J.; Horner, J.; Jarboe, J.; Kasl, K.; Kim, D.; Koh, E.; Koubíková, L.; Maranville, W.; Marshall, C.; Mason, D.; Menapace, J.; Miller, P.; Mazurek, P.; Naylon, A.; Novák, J.; Peceli, D.; Rosso, P.; Schaffers, K.; Sistrunk, E.; Smith, D.; Spinka, T.; Stanley, J.; Steele, R.; Stolz, C.; Suratwala, T.; Telford, S.; Thoma, J.; VanBlarcom, D.; Weiss, J.; Wegner, P.

    2017-05-01

    Large laser systems that deliver optical pulses with peak powers exceeding one Petawatt (PW) have been constructed at dozens of research facilities worldwide and have fostered research in High-Energy-Density (HED) Science, High-Field and nonlinear physics [1]. Furthermore, the high intensities exceeding 1018W/cm2 allow for efficiently driving secondary sources that inherit some of the properties of the laser pulse, e.g. pulse duration, spatial and/or divergence characteristics. In the intervening decades since that first PW laser, single-shot proof-of-principle experiments have been successful in demonstrating new high-intensity laser-matter interactions and subsequent secondary particle and photon sources. These secondary sources include generation and acceleration of charged-particle (electron, proton, ion) and neutron beams, and x-ray and gamma-ray sources, generation of radioisotopes for positron emission tomography (PET), targeted cancer therapy, medical imaging, and the transmutation of radioactive waste [2, 3]. Each of these promising applications requires lasers with peak power of hundreds of terawatt (TW) to petawatt (PW) and with average power of tens to hundreds of kW to achieve the required secondary source flux.

  9. HiLASE: development of fully diode pumped disk lasers with high average power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Divoky, M.; Smrz, M.; Chyla, M.; Sikocinski, P.; Severova, P.; Novák, O.; Huynh, J.; Nagisetty, S. S.; Miura, T.; Liberatore, C.; Pilař, J.; Slezak, O.; Sawicka, M.; Jambunathan, V.; Gemini, L.; Vanda, J.; Svabek, R.; Endo, A.; Lucianetti, A.; Rostohar, D.; Mason, P. D.; Phillips, P. J.; Ertel, K.; Banerjee, S.; Hernandez-Gomez, C.; Collier, J. L.; Mocek, T.

    2015-02-01

    An overview of Czech national R&D project HiLASE (High average power pulsed LASEr) is presented. The HiLASE project aims at development of pulsed DPSSL for hi-tech industrial applications. HiLASE will be a user oriented facility with several laser systems with output parameters ranging from a few picosecond pulses with energy of 5 mJ to 0.5 J and repetition rate of 1-100 kHz (based on thin disk technology) to systems with 100 J output energy in nanosecond pulses with repetition rate of 10 Hz (based on multi-slab technology).

  10. Development of high-average-power DPSSL with high beam quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakai, Sadao; Kanabe, Tadashi; Kawashima, Toshiyuki; Yamanaka, Masanobu; Izawa, Yasukazu; Nakatuka, Masahiro; Kandasamy, Ranganathan; Kan, Hirofumi; Hiruma, Teruo; Niino, Masayuki

    2000-08-01

    The recent progress of high power diode laser is opening new fields of laser and its application. We are developing high average power diode pumped solid state laser DPSSL for laser fusion power plant, for space propulsion and for various applications in industry. The common features or requirements of our High Average-power Laser for Nuclear-fusion Application (HALNA) are large pulse energy with relatively low repetition of few tens Hz, good beam quality of order of diffraction limit and high efficiency more than 10%. We constructed HALNA 10 (10J X 10 Hz) and tested the performance to clarify the scalability to higher power system. We have obtained in a preliminary experiment a 8.5 J output energy at 0.5 Hz with beam quality of 2 times diffraction limited far-field pattern.

  11. High Average Power Laser Gain Medium With Low Optical Distortion Using A Transverse Flowing Liquid Host

    DOEpatents

    Comaskey, Brian J.; Ault, Earl R.; Kuklo, Thomas C.

    2005-07-05

    A high average power, low optical distortion laser gain media is based on a flowing liquid media. A diode laser pumping device with tailored irradiance excites the laser active atom, ion or molecule within the liquid media. A laser active component of the liquid media exhibits energy storage times longer than or comparable to the thermal optical response time of the liquid. A circulation system that provides a closed loop for mixing and circulating the lasing liquid into and out of the optical cavity includes a pump, a diffuser, and a heat exchanger. A liquid flow gain cell includes flow straighteners and flow channel compression.

  12. Cooling options for high-average-power laser mirrors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vojna, D.; Slezak, O.; Lucianetti, A.; Mocek, T.

    2015-01-01

    Thermally-induced deformations of steering mirrors reflecting 100 J/10 Hz laser pulses in vacuum have been analyzed. This deformation is caused by the thermal stress arisen due to parasitic absorption of 1 kW square-shaped flat-top laser beam in the dielectric multi-layer structure. Deformation depends on amount of absorbed power and geometry of the mirror as well as on the heat removal scheme. In our calculations, the following percentages of absorption of the incident power have been used: 1%, 0.5% and 0.1%. The absorbed power has been considered to be much higher than that expected in reality to assess the worst case scenario. Rectangular and circular mirrors made of zerodur (low thermal expansion glass) were considered for these simulations. The effect of coating layers on induced deformations has been neglected. Induced deformation of the mirror surface can significantly degrade the quality of the laser beam in the beam delivery system. Therefore, the proper design of the cooling scheme for the mirror in order to minimize the deformations is needed. Three possible cooling schemes of the mirror have been investigated. The first one takes advantage of a radiation cooling of the mirror and a copper heatsink fixed to the rear face of the mirror, the second scheme is based on additional heat conduction provided by flexible copper wires connected to the mirror holder, and the last scheme combines two above mentioned methods.

  13. High-efficiency high-reliability optical components for a large, high-average-power visible laser system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, John R.; Stolz, Christopher J.

    1993-08-01

    Laser system performance and reliability depends on the related performance and reliability of the optical components which define the cavity and transport subsystems. High-average-power and long transport lengths impose specific requirements on component performance. The complexity of the manufacturing process for optical components requires a high degree of process control and verification. Qualification has proven effective in ensuring confidence in the procurement process for these optical components. Issues related to component reliability have been studied and provide useful information to better understand the long term performance and reliability of the laser system.

  14. High-efficiency high-reliability optical components for a large, high-average-power visible laser system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, J. R.; Stolz, C. J.

    1992-12-01

    Laser system performance and reliability depends on the related performance and reliability of the optical components which define the cavity and transport subsystems. High-average-power and long transport lengths impose specific requirements on component performance. The complexity of the manufacturing process for optical components requires a high degree of process control and verification. Qualification has proven effective in ensuring confidence in the procurement process for these optical components. Issues related to component reliability have been studied and provide useful information to better understand the long term performance and reliability of the laser system.

  15. Applications of high average power nonlinear optics

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Velsko, S.P.; Krupke, W.F.

    1996-02-05

    Nonlinear optical frequency convertors (harmonic generators and optical parametric oscillators are reviewed with an emphasis on high average power performance and limitations. NLO materials issues and NLO device designs are discussed in reference to several emerging scientific, military and industrial commercial applications requiring {approx} 100 watt average power level in the visible and infrared spectral regions. Research efforts required to enable practical {approx} 100 watt class NLO based laser systems are identified.

  16. 1.5-μm high-average power laser amplifier using a Er,Yb:glass planar waveguide for coherent Doppler lidar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakimura, Takeshi; Watanabe, Yojiro; Ando, Toshiyuki; Kameyama, Shumpei; Asaka, Kimio; Tanaka, Hisamichi; Yanagisawa, Takayuki; Hirano, Yoshihito; Inokuchi, Hamaki

    2012-11-01

    We have developed a 1.5-μm eye-safe wavelength high average power laser amplifier using an Er,Yb:glass planar waveguide for coherent Doppler LIDAR. Large cooling surface of the planar waveguide enabled high average power pumping for Er,Yb:glass which has low thermal fracture limit. Nonlinear effects are suppressed by the large beam size which is designed by the waveguide thickness and the beam width of the planar direction. Multi-bounce optical path configuration and high-intensity pumping provide high-gain and high-efficient operation using three-level laser material. With pulsed operation, the maximum pulse energy of 1.9 mJ was achieved at the repetition rate of 4 kHz. Output average power of the amplified signal was 7.6W with the amplified gain of more than 20dB. This amplifier is suitable for coherent Doppler LIDAR to enhance the measurable range.

  17. High-energy, high-average-power laser with Nd:YLF rods corrected by magnetorheological finishing.

    PubMed

    Bagnoud, Vincent; Guardalben, Mark J; Puth, Jason; Zuegel, Jonathan D; Mooney, Ted; Dumas, Paul

    2005-01-10

    A high-energy, high-average-power laser system, optimized to efficiently pump a high-performance optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier at 527 nm, has been demonstrated. The crystal large-aperture ring amplifier employs two flash-lamp-pumped, 25.4-mm-diameter Nd:YLF rods. The transmitted wave front of these rods is corrected by magnetorheological finishing to achieve nearly diffraction-limited output performance with frequency-doubled pulse energies up to 1.8 J at 5 Hz.

  18. Development of on-line laser power monitoring system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ding, Chien-Fang; Lee, Meng-Shiou; Li, Kuan-Ming

    2016-03-01

    Since the laser was invented, laser has been applied in many fields such as material processing, communication, measurement, biomedical engineering, defense industries and etc. Laser power is an important parameter in laser material processing, i.e. laser cutting, and laser drilling. However, the laser power is easily affected by the environment temperature, we tend to monitor the laser power status, ensuring there is an effective material processing. Besides, the response time of current laser power meters is too long, they cannot measure laser power accurately in a short time. To be more precisely, we can know the status of laser power and help us to achieve an effective material processing at the same time. To monitor the laser power, this study utilize a CMOS (Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) camera to develop an on-line laser power monitoring system. The CMOS camera captures images of incident laser beam after it is split and attenuated by beam splitter and neutral density filter. By comparing the average brightness of the beam spots and measurement results from laser power meter, laser power can be estimated. Under continuous measuring mode, the average measuring error is about 3%, and the response time is at least 3.6 second shorter than thermopile power meters; under trigger measuring mode which enables the CMOS camera to synchronize with intermittent laser output, the average measuring error is less than 3%, and the shortest response time is 20 millisecond.

  19. The Mercury Project: A High Average Power, Gas-Cooled Laser For Inertial Fusion Energy Development

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bayramian, A; Armstrong, P; Ault, E

    Hundred-joule, kilowatt-class lasers based on diode-pumped solid-state technologies, are being developed worldwide for laser-plasma interactions and as prototypes for fusion energy drivers. The goal of the Mercury Laser Project is to develop key technologies within an architectural framework that demonstrates basic building blocks for scaling to larger multi-kilojoule systems for inertial fusion energy (IFE) applications. Mercury has requirements that include: scalability to IFE beamlines, 10 Hz repetition rate, high efficiency, and 10{sup 9} shot reliability. The Mercury laser has operated continuously for several hours at 55 J and 10 Hz with fourteen 4 x 6 cm{sup 2} ytterbium doped strontiummore » fluoroapatite (Yb:S-FAP) amplifier slabs pumped by eight 100 kW diode arrays. The 1047 nm fundamental wavelength was converted to 523 nm at 160 W average power with 73% conversion efficiency using yttrium calcium oxy-borate (YCOB).« less

  20. High-average-power CTH:YAG for the medical environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wright, Sidney P.; Adamkiewicz, Edward J.; Moulton, Peter F.

    1992-06-01

    Medical procedures such as arthroscopy have placed increasing demands on the output performance of the CTH:YAG laser at 2.1 micrometers . Intensive research has been conducted to improve the average power, pulse energies, and rep rates while reducing any failure mechanisms. The results of this work is reported along with a discussion of the important engineering parameters concerning the design of a high power medical CTH:YAG laser.

  1. Performance study of highly efficient 520 W average power long pulse ceramic Nd:YAG rod laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choubey, Ambar; Vishwakarma, S. C.; Ali, Sabir; Jain, R. K.; Upadhyaya, B. N.; Oak, S. M.

    2013-10-01

    We report the performance study of a 2% atomic doped ceramic Nd:YAG rod for long pulse laser operation in the millisecond regime with pulse duration in the range of 0.5-20 ms. A maximum average output power of 520 W with 180 J maximum pulse energy has been achieved with a slope efficiency of 5.4% using a dual rod configuration, which is the highest for typical lamp pumped ceramic Nd:YAG lasers. The laser output characteristics of the ceramic Nd:YAG rod were revealed to be nearly equivalent or superior to those of high-quality single crystal Nd:YAG rod. The laser pump chamber and resonator were designed and optimized to achieve a high efficiency and good beam quality with a beam parameter product of 16 mm mrad (M2˜47). The laser output beam was efficiently coupled through a 400 μm core diameter optical fiber with 90% overall transmission efficiency. This ceramic Nd:YAG laser will be useful for various material processing applications in industry.

  2. NEO-LISP: Deflecting near-Earth objects using high average power, repetitively pulsed lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phipps, C. R.; Michaelis, M. M.

    Several kinds of Near-Earth objects exist for which one would like to cause modest orbit perturbations, but which are inaccessible to normal means of interception because of their number, distance or the lack of early warning. For these objects, LISP (Laser Impulse Space Propulsion) is an appropriate technique for rapidly applying the required mechanical impulse from a ground-based station. In order of increasing laser energy required, examples are: (1) repositioning specially prepared geosynchronous satellites for an enhanced lifetime; (2) causing selected items of space junk to re-enter and burn up in the atmosphere on a computed trajectory; and (3) safely deflecting Earth-directed comet nuclei and earth-crossing asteroids (ECA's) a few tens of meters in size (the most hazardous size). They will discuss each of these problems in turn and show that each application is best matched by its own matrix of LISP laser pulse width, pulse repetition rate, wavelength and average power. The latter ranges from 100W to 3GW for the cases considered. They will also discuss means of achieving the active beam phase error correction during passage through the atmosphere and very large exit pupil in the optical system which are required in each of these cases.

  3. Diode-side-pumped intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YAG/BaWO4 Raman laser generating average output power of 3.14 W at 590 nm.

    PubMed

    Li, Shutao; Zhang, Xingyu; Wang, Qingpu; Zhang, Xiaolei; Cong, Zhenhua; Zhang, Huaijin; Wang, Jiyang

    2007-10-15

    We report a linear-cavity high-power all-solid-state Q-switched yellow laser. The laser source comprises a diode-side-pumped Nd:YAG module that produces 1064 nm fundamental radiation, an intracavity BaWO(4) Raman crystal that generates a first-Stokes laser at 1180 nm, and a KTP crystal that frequency doubles the first-Stokes laser to 590 nm. A convex-plane cavity is employed in this configuration to counteract some of the thermal effect caused by high pump power. An average output power of 3.14 W at 590 nm is obtained at a pulse repetition frequency of 10 kHz.

  4. Diode-pumped continuous-wave and femtosecond Cr:LiCAF lasers with high average power in the near infrared, visible and near ultraviolet.

    PubMed

    Demirbas, Umit; Baali, Ilyes; Acar, Durmus Alp Emre; Leitenstorfer, Alfred

    2015-04-06

    We demonstrate continuous-wave (cw), cw frequency-doubled, cw mode-locked and Q-switched mode-locked operation of multimode diode-pumped Cr:LiCAF lasers with record average powers. Up to 2.54 W of cw output is obtained around 805 nm at an absorbed pump power of 5.5 W. Using intracavity frequency doubling with a BBO crystal, 0.9 W are generated around 402 nm, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 12%. With an intracavity birefringent tuning plate, the fundamental and frequency-doubled laser output is tuned continuously in a broad wavelength range from 745 nm to 885 nm and from 375 to 440 nm, respectively. A saturable Bragg reflector is used to initiate and sustain mode locking. In the cw mode-locked regime, the Cr:LiCAF laser produces 105-fs long pulses near 810 nm with an average power of 0.75 W. The repetition rate is 96.4 MHz, resulting in pulse energies of 7.7 nJ and peak powers of 65 kW. In Q-switched mode-locked operation, pulses with energies above 150 nJ are generated.

  5. High average power magnetic modulator for metal vapor lasers

    DOEpatents

    Ball, Don G.; Birx, Daniel L.; Cook, Edward G.; Miller, John L.

    1994-01-01

    A three-stage magnetic modulator utilizing magnetic pulse compression designed to provide a 60 kV pulse to a copper vapor laser at a 4.5 kHz repetition rate is disclosed. This modulator operates at 34 kW input power. The circuit includes a step up auto transformer and utilizes a rod and plate stack construction technique to achieve a high packing factor.

  6. High Average Power Raman Conversion in Diamond: ’Eyesafe’ Output and Fiber Laser Conversion

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-19

    Eyesafe’ output and fiber laser conversion 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA2386-12-1-4055 5b. GRANT NUMBER Grant 12RSZ077_124055 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT...generating 380 W was demonstrated using a 630 W Ybdoped fiber laser system. In each case the performance was unsaturated and limited by the available pump...converter for conventional high power laser technologies including Nd doped lasers and Yb-doped fiber lasers. Diamond’s power handling capability now

  7. High power gas laser - Applications and future developments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hertzberg, A.

    1977-01-01

    Fast flow can be used to create the population inversion required for lasing action, or can be used to improve laser operation, for example by the removal of waste heat. It is pointed out that at the present time all lasers which are capable of continuous high-average power employ flow as an indispensable aspect of operation. High power laser systems are discussed, taking into account the gasdynamic laser, the HF supersonic diffusion laser, and electric discharge lasers. Aerodynamics and high power lasers are considered, giving attention to flow effects in high-power gas lasers, aerodynamic windows and beam manipulation, and the Venus machine. Applications of high-power laser technology reported are related to laser material working, the employment of the laser in controlled fusion machines, laser isotope separation and photochemistry, and laser power transmission.

  8. 1047 nm laser diode master oscillator Nd:YLF power amplifier laser system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yu, A. W.; Krainak, M. A.; Unger, G. L.

    1993-01-01

    A master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) laser transmitter system at 1047 nm wavelength using a semiconductor laser diode and a diode pumped solid state (Nd:YLF) laser (DPSSL) amplifier is described. A small signal gain of 23 dB, a near diffraction limited beam, 1 Gbit/s modulation rates and greater than 0.6 W average power are achieved. This MOPA laser has the advantage of amplifying the modulation signal from the laser diode master oscillator (MO) with no signal degradation.

  9. Micro-scanning mirrors for high-power laser applications in laser surgery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sandner, Thilo; Kimme, Simon; Grasshoff, Thomas; Todt, Ulrich; Graf, Alexander; Tulea, Cristian; Lenenbach, Achim; Schenk, Harald

    2014-03-01

    We present two novel micro scanning mirrors with large aperture and HR dielectric coatings suitable for high power laser applications in a miniaturized laser-surgical instrument for neurosurgery to cut skull tissue. An electrostatic driven 2D-raster scanning mirror with 5x7.1mm aperture is used for dynamic steering of a ps-laser beam of the laser cutting process. A second magnetic 2D-beam steering mirror enables a static beam correction of a hand guided laser instrument. Optimizations of a magnetic gimbal micro mirror with 6 mm x 8 mm mirror plate are presented; here static deflections of 3° were reached. Both MEMS devices were successfully tested with a high power ps-laser at 532nm up to 20W average laser power.

  10. A high-average-power FEL for industrial applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dylla, H.F.; Benson, S.; Bisognano, J.

    1995-12-31

    CEBAF has developed a comprehensive conceptual design of an industrial user facility based on a kilowatt UV (150-1000 nm) and IR (2-25 micron) FEL driven by a recirculating, energy-recovering 200 MeV superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) accelerator. FEL users{endash}CEBAF`s partners in the Laser Processing Consortium, including AT&T, DuPont, IBM, Northrop-Grumman, 3M, and Xerox{endash}plan to develop applications such as polymer surface processing, metals and ceramics micromachining, and metal surface processing, with the overall effort leading to later scale-up to industrial systems at 50-100 kW. Representative applications are described. The proposed high-average-power FEL overcomes limitations of conventional laser sources in available power, cost-effectiveness, tunabilitymore » and pulse structure. 4 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.« less

  11. Investigation of the thermal and optical performance of a spatial light modulator with high average power picosecond laser exposure for materials processing applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, G.; Whitehead, D.; Perrie, W.; Allegre, O. J.; Olle, V.; Li, Q.; Tang, Y.; Dawson, K.; Jin, Y.; Edwardson, S. P.; Li, L.; Dearden, G.

    2018-03-01

    Spatial light modulators (SLMs) addressed with computer generated holograms (CGHs) can create structured light fields on demand when an incident laser beam is diffracted by a phase CGH. The power handling limitations of these devices based on a liquid crystal layer has always been of some concern. With careful engineering of chip thermal management, we report the detailed optical phase and temperature response of a liquid cooled SLM exposed to picosecond laser powers up to 〈P〉  =  220 W at 1064 nm. This information is critical for determining device performance at high laser powers. SLM chip temperature rose linearly with incident laser exposure, increasing by only 5 °C at 〈P〉  =  220 W incident power, measured with a thermal imaging camera. Thermal response time with continuous exposure was 1-2 s. The optical phase response with incident power approaches 2π radians with average power up to 〈P〉  =  130 W, hence the operational limit, while above this power, liquid crystal thickness variations limit phase response to just over π radians. Modelling of the thermal and phase response with exposure is also presented, supporting experimental observations well. These remarkable performance characteristics show that liquid crystal based SLM technology is highly robust when efficiently cooled. High speed, multi-beam plasmonic surface micro-structuring at a rate R  =  8 cm2 s-1 is achieved on polished metal surfaces at 〈P〉  =  25 W exposure while diffractive, multi-beam surface ablation with average power 〈P〉  =100 W on stainless steel is demonstrated with ablation rate of ~4 mm3 min-1. However, above 130 W, first order diffraction efficiency drops significantly in accord with the observed operational limit. Continuous exposure for a period of 45 min at a laser power of 〈P〉  =  160 W did not result in any detectable drop in diffraction efficiency, confirmed afterwards by the efficient

  12. Heat input and accumulation for ultrashort pulse processing with high average power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Finger, Johannes; Bornschlegel, Benedikt; Reininghaus, Martin; Dohrn, Andreas; Nießen, Markus; Gillner, Arnold; Poprawe, Reinhart

    2018-05-01

    Materials processing using ultrashort pulsed laser radiation with pulse durations <10 ps is known to enable very precise processing with negligible thermal load. However, even for the application of picosecond and femtosecond laser radiation, not the full amount of the absorbed energy is converted into ablation products and a distinct fraction of the absorbed energy remains as residual heat in the processed workpiece. For low average power and power densities, this heat is usually not relevant for the processing results and dissipates into the workpiece. In contrast, when higher average powers and repetition rates are applied to increase the throughput and upscale ultrashort pulse processing, this heat input becomes relevant and significantly affects the achieved processing results. In this paper, we outline the relevance of heat input for ultrashort pulse processing, starting with the heat input of a single ultrashort laser pulse. Heat accumulation during ultrashort pulse processing with high repetition rate is discussed as well as heat accumulation for materials processing using pulse bursts. In addition, the relevance of heat accumulation with multiple scanning passes and processing with multiple laser spots is shown.

  13. Development of high-power CO2 lasers and laser material processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nath, Ashish K.; Choudhary, Praveen; Kumar, Manoj; Kaul, R.

    2000-02-01

    Scaling laws to determine the physical dimensions of the active medium and optical resonator parameters for designing convective cooled CO2 lasers have been established. High power CW CO2 lasers upto 5 kW output power and a high repetition rate TEA CO2 laser of 500 Hz and 500 W average power incorporated with a novel scheme for uniform UV pre- ionization have been developed for material processing applications. Technical viability of laser processing of several engineering components, for example laser surface hardening of fine teeth of files, laser welding of martensitic steel shroud and titanium alloy under-strap of turbine, laser cladding of Ni super-alloy with stellite for refurbishing turbine blades were established using these lasers. Laser alloying of pre-placed SiC coating on different types of aluminum alloy, commercially pure titanium and Ti-6Al-4V alloy, and laser curing of thermosetting powder coating have been also studied. Development of these lasers and results of some of the processing studies are briefly presented here.

  14. Advances in high power linearly polarized fiber laser and its application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Pu; Huang, Long; Ma, Pengfei; Xu, Jiangming; Su, Rongtao; Wang, Xiaolin

    2017-10-01

    Fiber lasers are now attracting more and more research interest due to their advantages in efficiency, beam quality and flexible operation. Up to now, most of the high power fiber lasers have random distributed polarization state. Linearlypolarized (LP) fiber lasers, which could find wide application potential in coherent detection, coherent/spectral beam combining, nonlinear frequency conversion, have been a research focus in recent years. In this paper, we will present a general review on the achievements of various kinds of high power linear-polarized fiber laser and its application. The recent progress in our group, including power scaling by using power amplifier with different mechanism, high power linearly polarized fiber laser with diversified properties, and various applications of high power linear-polarized fiber laser, are summarized. We have achieved 100 Watt level random distributed feedback fiber laser, kilowatt level continuous-wave (CW) all-fiber polarization-maintained fiber amplifier, 600 watt level average power picosecond polarization-maintained fiber amplifier and 300 watt level average power femtosecond polarization-maintained fiber amplifier. In addition, high power linearly polarized fiber lasers have been successfully applied in 5 kilowatt level coherent beam combining, structured light field and ultrasonic generation.

  15. Laser power conversion system analysis, volume 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, W. S.; Morgan, L. L.; Forsyth, J. B.; Skratt, J. P.

    1979-01-01

    The orbit-to-orbit laser energy conversion system analysis established a mission model of satellites with various orbital parameters and average electrical power requirements ranging from 1 to 300 kW. The system analysis evaluated various conversion techniques, power system deployment parameters, power system electrical supplies and other critical supplies and other critical subsystems relative to various combinations of the mission model. The analysis show that the laser power system would not be competitive with current satellite power systems from weight, cost and development risk standpoints.

  16. Low-power-laser therapy used in tendon damage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strupinska, Ewa

    1996-03-01

    The following paper covers evaluation of low-power laser therapy results in chronic Achilles tendon damage and external Epicondylalia (tennis elbow). Fifty patients with Achilles damage (18 women and 32 men, age average 30, 24 plus or minus 10, 39 years) and fifty patients having external Epicondyalgiae (31 women and 19 men, age average 44, 36 plus or minus 10, 88 years) have been examined. The patients were irradiated by semiconductor infrared laser wavelength 904 nm separately or together with helium-neon laser wavelength 632.8 nm. The results of therapy have been based on the patient's interviews and examinations of patients as well as on the Laitinen pain questionnaire. The results prove analgesic effects in usage of low- power laser radiation therapy can be obtained.

  17. Average Power and Brightness Scaling of Diamond Raman Lasers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-01-07

    was also reported [16] for Brewster angled surfaces (63.7 degrees from [110]) at rates similar to the present study when taking into consideration the... Brewster   cut  crystals were investigated.      The  output  power,  conversion  efficiency  and  beam  properties  of  the  DRL  were  investigated as...efficiency are likely to be achieved without the use of thermal  lens  or birefringence compensation.          By using an upgraded 50 W pump laser we have

  18. Generation of 180 W average green power from a frequency-doubled picosecond rod fiber amplifier

    DOE PAGES

    Zhao, Zhi; Sheehy, Brian; Minty, Michiko

    2017-03-29

    Here, we report on the generation of 180 W average green power from a frequency-doubled picosecond rod fiber amplifier. In an Yb-doped fiber master-oscillator-power-amplifier system, 2.3-ps 704 MHz pulses are first amplified in small-core fibers and then in large-mode-area rod fibers to produce 270 W average infrared power with a high polarization extinction ratio and diffraction-limited beam quality. By carrying out frequency doubling in a lithium triborate (LBO) crystal, 180 W average green power is generated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average green power achieved in fiber-based laser systems.

  19. High average-power 2 μm radiation generated by intracavity KTP OPO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Guangyuan; Guo, Jing; Jiao, Zhongxing; Wang, Biao

    2015-09-01

    A high average-power 2 μm laser with good beam quality based on an intracavity potassium titanium oxide phosphate (KTP) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is demonstrated. A concave lens is used in the 1064 nm Nd:YAG pumped laser cavity to compensate for the thermal lensing of the laser rod. The cavity length of the KTP OPO is enlarged to improve the 2 μm beam quality. The maximum average output of the 2 μm laser is up to 18 W at 7 kHz with M 2 less than 6 and pulse width of 70 ns. The FWHM of the signal and idle lights are both less than 3 nm.

  20. The Mercury Laser System: An Average power, gas-cooled, Yb:S-FAP based system with frequency conversion and wavefront correction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bibeau, C; Bayramian, A; Armstrong, P

    We report on the operation of the Mercury laser with fourteen 4 x 6 cm{sup 2} Yb:S-FAP amplifier slabs pumped by eight 100 kW peak power diode arrays. The system was continuously run at 55 J and 10 Hz for several hours, (2 x 10{sup 5} cumulative shots) with over 80% of the energy in a 6 times diffraction limited spot at 1.047 um. Improved optical quality was achieved in Yb:S-FAP amplifiers with magneto-rheological finishing, a deterministic polishing method. In addition, average power frequency conversion employing YCOB was demonstrated at 50% conversion efficiency or 22.6 J at 10 Hz.

  1. Advantages offered by high average power picosecond lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moorhouse, C.

    2011-03-01

    As electronic devices shrink in size to reduce material costs, device size and weight, thinner material thicknesses are also utilized. Feature sizes are also decreasing, which is pushing manufacturers towards single step laser direct write process as an attractive alternative to conventional, multiple step photolithography processes by eliminating process steps and the cost of chemicals. The fragile nature of these thin materials makes them difficult to machine either mechanically or with conventional nanosecond pulsewidth, Diode Pumped Solids State (DPSS) lasers. Picosecond laser pulses can cut materials with reduced damage regions and selectively remove thin films due to the reduced thermal effects of the shorter pulsewidth. Also, the high repetition rate allows high speed processing for industrial applications. Selective removal of thin films for OLED patterning, silicon solar cells and flat panel displays is discussed, as well as laser cutting of transparent materials with low melting point such as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). For many of these thin film applications, where low pulse energy and high repetition rate are required, throughput can be increased by the use of a novel technique to using multiple beams from a single laser source is outlined.

  2. High-power highly stable passively Q-switched fiber laser based on monolayer graphene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Hanshuo; Song, Jiaxin; Wu, Jian; Xu, Jiangming; Xiao, Hu; Leng, Jinyong; Zhou, Pu

    2018-03-01

    We demonstrate a monolayer graphene-based passively Q-switched fiber laser with three-stage amplifiers that can deliver an average power of over 80 W at 1064 nm. The highest average power achieved is 84.1 W, with a pulse energy of 1.67 mJ. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of a high-power passively Q-switched fiber laser in the 1 µm range. More importantly, the Q-switched fiber laser operated stably during a week of tests for a few hours per day, which proves the stability and practical application potential of graphene in high-power pulsed fiber lasers.

  3. High-average-power 2-kHz laser for generation of ultrashort x-ray pulses.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Yan; Lee, Taewoo; Li, Wei; Ketwaroo, Gyanprakash; Rose-Petruck, Christoph G

    2002-06-01

    We describe a Ti:sapphire-based laser-x-ray system specifically designed for generation of ultrafast x-ray pulses in the tenths-of-nanometers spectral range at a 2-kHz repetition rate. To obtain high-contrast laser pulses we divide the laser system into a section for generation of microjoule, high-contrast pulses with pulse cleaning and a subsequent section for chirped-pulse amplification and pulse compression. This laser section operates in conjunction with an x-ray-generation section based on a moving copper wire in a He atmosphere. The high reliability of the entire system permits maintenance-free production of x-ray pulses over tens of hours. Average x-ray fluxes of 10(13) photons/(s 4pi sr 1 keV) at 3 keV and 10(9) photons/(s 4pi sr) above 5 keV of photon energy are produced.

  4. Coherent beam combiner for a high power laser

    DOEpatents

    Dane, C. Brent; Hackel, Lloyd A.

    2002-01-01

    A phase conjugate laser mirror employing Brillouin-enhanced four wave mixing allows multiple independent laser apertures to be phase locked producing an array of diffraction-limited beams with no piston phase errors. The beam combiner has application in laser and optical systems requiring high average power, high pulse energy, and low beam divergence. A broad range of applications exist in laser systems for industrial processing, especially in the field of metal surface treatment and laser shot peening.

  5. High energy, high average power solid state green or UV laser

    DOEpatents

    Hackel, Lloyd A.; Norton, Mary; Dane, C. Brent

    2004-03-02

    A system for producing a green or UV output beam for illuminating a large area with relatively high beam fluence. A Nd:glass laser produces a near-infrared output by means of an oscillator that generates a high quality but low power output and then multi-pass through and amplification in a zig-zag slab amplifier and wavefront correction in a phase conjugator at the midway point of the multi-pass amplification. The green or UV output is generated by means of conversion crystals that follow final propagation through the zig-zag slab amplifier.

  6. Research and development of neodymium phosphate laser glass for high power laser application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Lili; He, Dongbing; Chen, Huiyu; Wang, Xin; Meng, Tao; Wen, Lei; Hu, Junjiang; Xu, Yongchun; Li, Shunguang; Chen, Youkuo; Chen, Wei; Chen, Shubin; Tang, Jingping; Wang, Biao

    2017-01-01

    Neodymium phosphate laser glass is a key optical element for high-power laser facility. In this work, the latest research and development of neodymium phosphate laser glass at the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM), China, is addressed. Neodymium phosphate laser glasses, N31, N41, NAP2, and NAP4, for high peak power and high average power applications have been developed. The properties of these glasses are presented and compared to those of other commercial neodymium phosphate laser glass from the Schott and Hoya companies and the Vavilov State Optical Institute (GOI), Russia. Continuous melting and edge cladding are the two key fabrication techniques that are used for the mass production of neodymium phosphate laser glass slabs. These techniques for the fabrication of large-aperture N31 neodymium phosphate laser glass slabs with low stress birefringence and residual reflectivity have been developed by us The effect of acid etching on the microstructure, optical transmission, and mechanical properties of NAP2 glass is also discussed.

  7. Research and development of neodymium phosphate laser glass for high power laser application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Lili; He, Dongbing; Chen, Huiyu; Wang, Xin; Meng, Tao; Wen, Lei; Hu, Junjiang; Xu, Yongchun; Li, Shunguang; Chen, Youkuo; Chen, Wei; Chen, Shubin; Tang, Jingping; Wang, Biao

    2016-12-01

    Neodymium phosphate laser glass is a key optical element for high-power laser facility. In this work, the latest research and development of neodymium phosphate laser glass at the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM), China, is addressed. Neodymium phosphate laser glasses, N31, N41, NAP2, and NAP4, for high peak power and high average power applications have been developed. The properties of these glasses are presented and compared to those of other commercial neodymium phosphate laser glass from the Schott and Hoya companies and the Vavilov State Optical Institute (GOI), Russia. Continuous melting and edge cladding are the two key fabrication techniques that are used for the mass production of neodymium phosphate laser glass slabs. These techniques for the fabrication of large-aperture N31 neodymium phosphate laser glass slabs with low stress birefringence and residual reflectivity have been developed by us The effect of acid etching on the microstructure, optical transmission, and mechanical properties of NAP2 glass is also discussed.

  8. Ultra-short pulse delivery at high average power with low-loss hollow core fibers coupled to TRUMPF's TruMicro laser platforms for industrial applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baumbach, S.; Pricking, S.; Overbuschmann, J.; Nutsch, S.; Kleinbauer, J.; Gebs, R.; Tan, C.; Scelle, R.; Kahmann, M.; Budnicki, A.; Sutter, D. H.; Killi, A.

    2017-02-01

    Multi-megawatt ultrafast laser systems at micrometer wavelength are commonly used for material processing applications, including ablation, cutting and drilling of various materials or cleaving of display glass with excellent quality. There is a need for flexible and efficient beam guidance, avoiding free space propagation of light between the laser head and the processing unit. Solid core step index fibers are only feasible for delivering laser pulses with peak powers in the kW-regime due to the optical damage threshold in bulk silica. In contrast, hollow core fibers are capable of guiding ultra-short laser pulses with orders of magnitude higher peak powers. This is possible since a micro-structured cladding confines the light within the hollow core and therefore minimizes the spatial overlap between silica and the electro-magnetic field. We report on recent results of single-mode ultra-short pulse delivery over several meters in a lowloss hollow core fiber packaged with industrial connectors. TRUMPF's ultrafast TruMicro laser platforms equipped with advanced temperature control and precisely engineered opto-mechanical components provide excellent position and pointing stability. They are thus perfectly suited for passive coupling of ultra-short laser pulses into hollow core fibers. Neither active beam launching components nor beam trackers are necessary for a reliable beam delivery in a space and cost saving packaging. Long term tests with weeks of stable operation, excellent beam quality and an overall transmission efficiency of above 85 percent even at high average power confirm the reliability for industrial applications.

  9. Technical options for high average power free electron milimeter-wave and laser devices

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swingle, James C.

    1989-01-01

    Many of the potential space power beaming applications require the generation of directed energy beams with respectable amounts of average power (MWs). A tutorial summary is provided here on recent advances in the laboratory aimed at producing direct conversion of electrical energy to electromagnetic radiation over a wide spectral regime from microwaves to the ultraviolet.

  10. Green laser pointers for visual astronomy: how much power is enough?

    PubMed

    Bará, Salvador; Robles, Marisol; Tejelo, Isabel; Marzoa, Ramón I; González, Héctor

    2010-02-01

    Green laser pointers with output powers in the tens to hundreds of milliwatt (mW) range, clearly exceeding the limiting 5 mW of American National Standards Institute class 3a (International Electrotechnical Commission class 3R), are now easily available in the global market. They are increasingly being used in public sky observations and other nighttime outreach activities by educators and science communicators in countries where their use is not well regulated, despite the fact that such high power levels may represent a potential threat to visual health. The purpose of this study was to determine the output power reasonably required to perform satisfactorily this kind of activities. Twenty-three observers were asked to vary continuously the output power of a green laser source (wavelength 532 nm) until clearly seeing the laser beam propagating skyward through the atmosphere in a heavily light-polluted urban setting. Measurements were conducted with observers of a wide range of ages (9 to 56 years), refractions (spherical equivalents -8.50 to +1.50 diopters), and previous expertise in using lasers as pointing devices outdoors (from no experience to professional astronomers). Two measurement runs were made in different nights under different meteorological conditions. The output power chosen by observers in the first run (11 observers) averaged to 1.84 mW (+/-0.68 mW, 1 SD). The second run (17 observers) averaged to 2.91 mW (+/-1.54 mW). The global average was 2.38 mW (+/-1.30 mW). Only one observer scored 5.6 mW, just above the class 3a limit. The power chosen by the remaining 22 observers ranged from 1.37 to 3.53 mW. Green laser pointers with output powers below 5 mW (laser classes American National Standards Institute 3a or International Electrotechnical Commission 3R) appear to be sufficient for use in educational nighttime outdoors activities, providing enough bright beams at reasonable safety levels.

  11. Simulations of thermal lensing of a Ti:Sapphire crystal end-pumped with high average power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wagner, Gerd; Shiler, Max; Wulfmeyer, Volker

    2005-10-01

    A detailed 3-dimensional calculation of the temperature field of a laser crystal pumped with high average power is presented. The pump configuration, the anisotropy of a Brewster-angle-cut Ti:Sapphire crystal, and the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity are taken into account. The corresponding focal length of the thermal lens is calculated for pump levels up to 100 W. This refined thermal model is the basis for a optimized resonator design of a high-average power differential absorption lidar system transmitter.

  12. Simulations of thermal lensing of a Ti:Sapphire crystal end-pumped with high average power.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Gerd; Shiler, Max; Wulfmeyer, Volker

    2005-10-03

    A detailed 3-dimensional calculation of the temperature field of a laser crystal pumped with high average power is presented. The pump configuration, the anisotropy of a Brewster-angle-cut Ti:Sapphire crystal, and the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity are taken into account. The corresponding focal length of the thermal lens is calculated for pump levels up to 100 W. This refined thermal model is the basis for a optimized resonator design of a high-average power differential absorption lidar system transmitter.

  13. Laser power meters as an X-ray power diagnostic for LCLS-II

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Heimann, Philip; Moeller, Stefan; Carbajo, Sergio

    For the LCLS-II X-ray instruments, laser power meters are being developed as compact X-ray power diagnostics to operate at soft and tender X-ray photon energies. These diagnostics can be installed at various locations along an X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) beamline in order to monitor the transmission of X-ray optics along the beam path. In addition, the power meters will be used to determine the absolute X-ray power at the endstations. Here, thermopile power meters, which measure average power, and have been chosen primarily for their compatibility with the high repetition rates at LCLS-II, are evaluated. Here, a number of characteristicsmore » in the soft X-ray range are presented including linearity, calibrations conducted with a photodiode and a gas monitor detector as well as ultra-high-vacuum compatibility tests using residual gas analysis. The application of these power meters for LCLS-II and other X-ray FEL sources is discussed.« less

  14. Laser power meters as an X-ray power diagnostic for LCLS-II.

    PubMed

    Heimann, Philip; Moeller, Stefan; Carbajo, Sergio; Song, Sanghoon; Dakovski, Georgi; Nordlund, Dennis; Fritz, David

    2018-01-01

    For the LCLS-II X-ray instruments, laser power meters are being developed as compact X-ray power diagnostics to operate at soft and tender X-ray photon energies. These diagnostics can be installed at various locations along an X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) beamline in order to monitor the transmission of X-ray optics along the beam path. In addition, the power meters will be used to determine the absolute X-ray power at the endstations. Here, thermopile power meters, which measure average power, and have been chosen primarily for their compatibility with the high repetition rates at LCLS-II, are evaluated. A number of characteristics in the soft X-ray range are presented including linearity, calibrations conducted with a photodiode and a gas monitor detector as well as ultra-high-vacuum compatibility tests using residual gas analysis. The application of these power meters for LCLS-II and other X-ray FEL sources is discussed.

  15. Laser power meters as an X-ray power diagnostic for LCLS-II

    DOE PAGES

    Heimann, Philip; Moeller, Stefan; Carbajo, Sergio; ...

    2018-01-01

    For the LCLS-II X-ray instruments, laser power meters are being developed as compact X-ray power diagnostics to operate at soft and tender X-ray photon energies. These diagnostics can be installed at various locations along an X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) beamline in order to monitor the transmission of X-ray optics along the beam path. In addition, the power meters will be used to determine the absolute X-ray power at the endstations. Here, thermopile power meters, which measure average power, and have been chosen primarily for their compatibility with the high repetition rates at LCLS-II, are evaluated. Here, a number of characteristicsmore » in the soft X-ray range are presented including linearity, calibrations conducted with a photodiode and a gas monitor detector as well as ultra-high-vacuum compatibility tests using residual gas analysis. The application of these power meters for LCLS-II and other X-ray FEL sources is discussed.« less

  16. Laser power transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Conway, Edmund J.

    1992-01-01

    An overview of previous studies related to laser power transmission is presented. Particular attention is given to the use of solar pumped lasers for space power applications. Three general laser mechanisms are addressed: photodissociation lasing driven by sunlight, photoexcitation lasing driven directly by sunlight, and photoexcitation lasing driven by thermal radiation.

  17. Green lasers are beyond power limits mandated by safety standards.

    PubMed

    Lee, M H; Fox, K; Goldwasser, S; Lau, D W M; Aliahmad, B; Sarossy, M

    2016-08-01

    There has been an increasing number of reports of people losing vision from laser exposure from pocket laser pointers despite the safety limit of 1 milliwatt (1mW) imposed by the Australian government. We hypothesize that this is because commercially available red and green laser pointers are exceeding their labeled power outputs. We tested the power outputs of 4 red and 4 green lasers which were purchased for less than AUD$30 each. The average of 10 measurements was recorded for each laser. We found that 3 out of 4 red lasers conformed to the 1mW safety standard; in contrast, all of the green lasers exceeded this limit, with one of the lasers recording an output of 127.9 mW. This contrast in compliance is explained by the construction of these lasers - green lasers are typically Diode Pumped Solid State (DPSS) lasers that can emit excessive infrared (IR) radiation with poor workmanship or inconsistent adherence to practices of safe design and quality control; red lasers are diode lasers which have limited power outputs due to `Catastrophic Optical Damage' (COD). Relevant professional bodies ought to advocate more strongly for stringent testing, quality control and licensing of DPSS lasers with a view towards government intervention to banning green laser pointer use.

  18. Efficient high-power narrow-linewidth all-fibred linearly polarized ytterbium laser source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bertrand, Anthony; Liégeois, Flavien; Hernandez, Yves; Giannone, Domenico

    2012-06-01

    We report on experimental results on a high power, all-fibred, linearly polarized, mode-locked laser at 1.03 μm. The laser generates pulses of 40 ps wide at a repetition rate of 52 MHz, exhibiting 12 kW peak power. Dispersion in optical fibres is controlled to obtain both high power and narrow spectral linewidth. The average output power reached is 25 W with a spectral linewidth of 380 pm and a near diffraction limit beam (M2 < 1.2). This laser is an ideal candidate for applications like IR spectroscopy, where high peak power and narrow linewidth are required for subsequent wavelength conversion.

  19. High power high repetition rate diode side-pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG rod laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lebiush, E.; Lavi, R.; Tzuk, Y.; Jackel, S.; Lallouz, R.; Tsadka, S.

    1998-01-01

    A Q-switched diode side-pumped Nd:YAG rod laser is presented. The design is based on close coupled diodes which are mounted side by side to a laser rod cut at Brewster angle. No intra-cavity optics are needed to compensate for the induced thermal lensing of the rod. This laser produces 10 W average power with 30 ns pulse width and beam quality of 1.3 times diffraction limited at 10 kHz repetition rate. The light to light conversion efficiency is 12%. The same average power and beam quality is kept while operating the laser at repetition rates up to 50 kHz.

  20. High-Power Fiber Lasers Using Photonic Band Gap Materials

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    DiDomenico, Leo; Dowling, Jonathan

    2005-01-01

    High-power fiber lasers (HPFLs) would be made from photonic band gap (PBG) materials, according to the proposal. Such lasers would be scalable in the sense that a large number of fiber lasers could be arranged in an array or bundle and then operated in phase-locked condition to generate a superposition and highly directed high-power laser beam. It has been estimated that an average power level as high as 1,000 W per fiber could be achieved in such an array. Examples of potential applications for the proposed single-fiber lasers include welding and laser surgery. Additionally, the bundled fibers have applications in beaming power through free space for autonomous vehicles, laser weapons, free-space communications, and inducing photochemical reactions in large-scale industrial processes. The proposal has been inspired in part by recent improvements in the capabilities of single-mode fiber amplifiers and lasers to produce continuous high-power radiation. In particular, it has been found that the average output power of a single strand of a fiber laser can be increased by suitably changing the doping profile of active ions in its gain medium to optimize the spatial overlap of the electromagnetic field with the distribution of active ions. Such optimization minimizes pump power losses and increases the gain in the fiber laser system. The proposal would expand the basic concept of this type of optimization to incorporate exploitation of the properties (including, in some cases, nonlinearities) of PBG materials to obtain power levels and efficiencies higher than are now possible. Another element of the proposal is to enable pumping by concentrated sunlight. Somewhat more specifically, the proposal calls for exploitation of the properties of PBG materials to overcome a number of stubborn adverse phenomena that have impeded prior efforts to perfect HPFLs. The most relevant of those phenomena is amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), which causes saturation of gain and power

  1. High-power narrow-linewidth quasi-CW diode-pumped TEM00 1064 nm Nd:YAG ring laser.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yuan; Wang, Bao-shan; Xie, Shi-yong; Bo, Yong; Wang, Peng-yuan; Zuo, Jun-wei; Xu, Yi-ting; Xu, Jia-lin; Peng, Qin-jun; Cui, Da-fu; Xu, Zu-yan

    2012-04-01

    We demonstrated a high average power, narrow-linewidth, quasi-CW diode-pumped Nd:YAG 1064 nm laser with near-diffraction-limited beam quality. A symmetrical three-mirror ring cavity with unidirectional operation elements and an etalon was employed to realize the narrow-linewidth laser output. Two highly efficient laser modules and a 90° quartz rotator for birefringence compensation were used for the high output power. The maximum average output power of 62.5 W with the beam quality factor M(2) of 1.15 was achieved under a pump power of 216 W at a repetition rate of 500 Hz, corresponding to the optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 28.9%. The linewidth of the laser at the maximum output power was measured to be less than 0.2 GHz.

  2. High-power ultrashort fiber laser for solar cells micromachining

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lecourt, J.-B.; Duterte, C.; Liegeois, F.; Lekime, D.; Hernandez, Y.; Giannone, D.

    2012-02-01

    We report on a high-power ultra-short fiber laser for thin film solar cells micromachining. The laser is based on Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) scheme. The pulses are stretched to hundreds of picoseconds prior to amplification and can be compressed down to picosecond at high energy. The repetition rate is adjustable from 100 kHz to 1 MHz and the optical average output power is close to 13 W (before compression). The whole setup is fully fibred, except the compressor achieved with bulk gratings, resulting on a compact and reliable solution for cold ablation.

  3. Solar Pumped Solid State Lasers for Space Solar Power: Experimental Path

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fork, Richard L.; Carrington, Connie K.; Walker, Wesley W.; Cole, Spencer T.; Green, Jason J. A.; Laycock, Rustin L.

    2003-01-01

    We outline an experimentally based strategy designed to lead to solar pumped solid state laser oscillators useful for space solar power. Our method involves solar pumping a novel solid state gain element specifically designed to provide efficient conversion of sunlight in space to coherent laser light. Kilowatt and higher average power is sought from each gain element. Multiple such modular gain elements can be used to accumulate total average power of interest for power beaming in space, e.g., 100 kilowatts and more. Where desirable the high average power can also be produced as a train of pulses having high peak power (e.g., greater than 10(exp 10 watts). The modular nature of the basic gain element supports an experimental strategy in which the core technology can be validated by experiments on a single gain element. We propose to do this experimental validation both in terrestrial locations and also on a smaller scale in space. We describe a terrestrial experiment that includes diagnostics and the option of locating the laser beam path in vacuum environment. We describe a space based experiment designed to be compatible with the Japanese Experimental Module (JEM) on the International Space Station (ISS). We anticipate the gain elements will be based on low temperature (approx. 100 degrees Kelvin) operation of high thermal conductivity (k approx. 100 W/cm-K) diamond and sapphire (k approx. 4 W/cm-K). The basic gain element will be formed by sequences of thin alternating layers of diamond and Ti:sapphire with special attention given to the material interfaces. We anticipate this strategy will lead to a particularly simple, robust, and easily maintained low mass modelocked multi-element laser oscillator useful for space solar power.

  4. Waveform agile high-power fiber laser illuminators for directed-energy weapon systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Engin, Doruk; Lu, Wei; Kimpel, Frank; Gupta, Shantanu

    2012-06-01

    A kW-class fiber-amplifier based laser illuminator system at 1030nm is demonstrated. At 125 kHz pulse repetition rate, 1.9mJ energy per pulse (235W average power) is achieved for 100nsec pulses with >72% optical conversion efficiency, and at 250kHz repetition, >350W average power is demonstrated, limited by the available pumps. Excellent agreement is established between the experimental results and dynamic fiber amplifier simulation, for predicting the pulse shape, spectrum and ASE accumulation throughout the fiber-amplifier chain. High pulse-energy, high power fiber-amplifier operation requires careful engineering - minimize ASE content throughout the pre-amplifier stages, use of large mode area gain fiber in the final power stage for effective pulse energy extraction, and pulse pre-shaping to compensate for the laser gain-saturation induced intra-pulse and pulse-pattern dependent distortion. Such optimization using commercially available (VLMA) fibers with core size in the 30-40μm range is estimated to lead to >4mJ pulse energy for 100nsec pulse at 50kHz repetition rate. Such waveform agile high-power, high-energy pulsed fiber laser illuminators at λ=1030nm satisfies requirements for active-tracking/ranging in high-energy laser (HEL) weapon systems, and in uplink laser beacon for deep space communication.

  5. Methods for determining optical power, for power-normalizing laser measurements, and for stabilizing power of lasers via compliance voltage sensing

    DOEpatents

    Taubman, Matthew S; Phillips, Mark C

    2015-04-07

    A method is disclosed for power normalization of spectroscopic signatures obtained from laser based chemical sensors that employs the compliance voltage across a quantum cascade laser device within an external cavity laser. The method obviates the need for a dedicated optical detector used specifically for power normalization purposes. A method is also disclosed that employs the compliance voltage developed across the laser device within an external cavity semiconductor laser to power-stabilize the laser mode of the semiconductor laser by adjusting drive current to the laser such that the output optical power from the external cavity semiconductor laser remains constant.

  6. Advancements in high-power diode laser stacks for defense applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pandey, Rajiv; Merchen, David; Stapleton, Dean; Patterson, Steve; Kissel, Heiko; Fassbender, Wilhlem; Biesenbach, Jens

    2012-06-01

    This paper reports on the latest advancements in vertical high-power diode laser stacks using micro-channel coolers, which deliver the most compact footprint, power scalability and highest power/bar of any diode laser package. We present electro-optical (E-O) data on water-cooled stacks with wavelengths ranging from 7xx nm to 9xx nm and power levels of up to 5.8kW, delivered @ 200W/bar, CW mode, and a power-conversion efficiency of >60%, with both-axis collimation on a bar-to-bar pitch of 1.78mm. Also, presented is E-O data on a compact, conductively cooled, hardsoldered, stack package based on conventional CuW and AlN materials, with bar-to-bar pitch of 1.8mm, delivering average power/bar >15W operating up to 25% duty cycle, 10ms pulses @ 45C. The water-cooled stacks can be used as pump-sources for diode-pumped alkali lasers (DPALs) or for more traditional diode-pumped solid-state lasers (DPSSL). which are power/brightness scaled for directed energy weapons applications and the conductively-cooled stacks as illuminators.

  7. Optical coatings for high average power XeF lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Milam, D.; Thomas, I.; Wilder, J.; George, D.

    1988-03-01

    Porous silica, calcium and magnesium fluorides were investigated for potential use as antireflective coatings for XeF lasers. Excellent optical properties were obtained for all types, and laser damage thresholds were in the range 18 to 25 J/sq cm at 350 nm for 25 ns pulses at 25 Hz pulse repetition frequency. Studies of the effects of the XeF laser environment on these coatings were incomplete. Three oxides, ZrO2, HfO2, and Ta2O5 were investigated as the high index components to be paired with low index porous SiO2 for highly reflective dielectric coatings. Single oxide layers had indices in the 1.7 to 1.8 range and HfO2 coatings had the highest damage threshold at about 5 J/sq cm. An unexpected problem arose on attempts to prepare multilayer coatings. Stress in the coating after 6 to 8 layers had been put down, gave rise to crazing and peeling. This could not be avoided even on extending the curing process between coats.

  8. Micro-engineered first wall tungsten armor for high average power laser fusion energy systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharafat, Shahram; Ghoniem, Nasr M.; Anderson, Michael; Williams, Brian; Blanchard, Jake; Snead, Lance; HAPL Team

    2005-12-01

    The high average power laser program is developing an inertial fusion energy demonstration power reactor with a solid first wall chamber. The first wall (FW) will be subject to high energy density radiation and high doses of high energy helium implantation. Tungsten has been identified as the candidate material for a FW armor. The fundamental concern is long term thermo-mechanical survivability of the armor against the effects of high temperature pulsed operation and exfoliation due to the retention of implanted helium. Even if a solid tungsten armor coating would survive the high temperature cyclic operation with minimal failure, the high helium implantation and retention would result in unacceptable material loss rates. Micro-engineered materials, such as castellated structures, plasma sprayed nano-porous coatings and refractory foams are suggested as a first wall armor material to address these fundamental concerns. A micro-engineered FW armor would have to be designed with specific geometric features that tolerate high cyclic heating loads and recycle most of the implanted helium without any significant failure. Micro-engineered materials are briefly reviewed. In particular, plasma-sprayed nano-porous tungsten and tungsten foams are assessed for their potential to accommodate inertial fusion specific loads. Tests show that nano-porous plasma spray coatings can be manufactured with high permeability to helium gas, while retaining relatively high thermal conductivities. Tungsten foams where shown to be able to overcome thermo-mechanical loads by cell rotation and deformation. Helium implantation tests have shown, that pulsed implantation and heating releases significant levels of implanted helium. Helium implantation and release from tungsten was modeled using an expanded kinetic rate theory, to include the effects of pulsed implantations and thermal cycles. Although, significant challenges remain micro-engineered materials are shown to constitute potential

  9. High average power laser using a transverse flowing liquid host

    DOEpatents

    Ault, Earl R.; Comaskey, Brian J.; Kuklo, Thomas C.

    2003-07-29

    A laser includes an optical cavity. A diode laser pumping device is located within the optical cavity. An aprotic lasing liquid containing neodymium rare earth ions fills the optical cavity. A circulation system that provides a closed loop for circulating the aprotic lasing liquid into and out of the optical cavity includes a pump and a heat exchanger.

  10. Free-electron laser power beaming to satellites at China Lake, California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bennett, Harold E.; Rather, John D.; Montgomery, Edward E.

    1994-05-01

    Laser power beaming of energy through the atmosphere to a satellite can extend its lifetime by maintaining the satellite batteries in operating condition. An alternate propulsion system utilizing power beaming will also significantly reduce the initial insertion cost of these satellites, which now are as high as $72,000/lb for geosynchronous orbit. Elements of the power beaming system are a high-power laser, a large diameter telescope to reduce diffractive losses, an adaptive optic beam conditioning system and possibly a balloon or aerostat carrying a large mirror to redirect the laser beam to low earth orbit satellites after it has traversed most of the earth's atmosphere vertically. China Lake, California has excellent seeing, averages 260 cloud-free days/year, has the second largest geothermal plant in the United States nearby for power, groundwater from the lake for cooling water, and is at the center of one of the largest restricted airspaces in the United States. It is an ideal site for such a laser power beaming system. Technological challenges in building such a system and installing it at China Lake are discussed.

  11. Advanced space power and propulsion based on lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roth, M.; Logan, B. G.

    2015-10-01

    One of the key components for future space exploration, manned or unmanned, is the availability of propulsion systems beyond the state of the art. The rapid development in conventional propulsion systems since the middle of the 20th century has already reached the limits of chemical propulsion technology. To enhance mission radius, shorten the transit time and also extend the lifetime of a spacecraft more efficient, but still powerful propulsion system must be developed. Apart from the propulsion system a major weight contribution arises from the required energy source. Envisioning rapid development of future high average power laser systems and especially the ICAN project we review the prospect of advanced space propulsion based on laser systems.

  12. Testing of optical components to assure performance in a high-average-power environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chow, Robert; Taylor, John R.; Eickelberg, William K.; Primdahl, Keith A.

    1997-11-01

    Evaluation and testing of the optical components used in the atomic vapor laser isotope separation plant is critical for qualification of suppliers, developments of new optical multilayer designs and manufacturing processes, and assurance of performance in the production cycle. The range of specifications requires development of specialized test equipment and methods which are not routine or readily available in industry. Specifications are given on material characteristics such as index homogeneity, subsurface damage left after polishing, microscopic surface defects and contamination, coating absorption, and high average power laser damage. The approach to testing these performance characteristics and assuring the quality throughout the production cycle is described.

  13. Safety approaches for high power modular laser operation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Handren, R. T.

    1993-03-01

    Approximately 20 years ago, a program was initiated at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to study the feasibility of using lasers to separate isotopes of uranium and other materials. Of particular interest was the development of a uranium enrichment method for the production of commercial nuclear power reactor fuel to replace current more expensive methods. The Uranium Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (U-AVLIS) Program progressed to the point where a plant-scale facility to demonstrate commercial feasibility was built and is being tested. The U-AVLIS Program uses copper vapor lasers which pump frequency selective dye lasers to photoionize uranium vapor produced by an electron beam. The selectively ionized isotopes are electrostatically collected. The copper lasers are arranged in oscillator/amplifier chains. The current configuration consists of 12 chains, each with a nominal output of 800 W for a system output in excess of 9 kW. The system requirements are for continuous operation (24 h a day, 7 days a week) and high availability. To meet these requirements, the lasers are designed in a modular form allowing for rapid change-out of the lasers requiring maintenance. Since beginning operation in early 1985, the copper lasers have accumulated over 2 million unit hours at a greater than 90% availability. The dye laser system provides approximately 2.5 kW average power in the visible wavelength range. This large-scale laser system has many safety considerations, including high-power laser beams, high voltage, and large quantities (approximately 3000 gal) of ethanol dye solutions. The Laboratory's safety policy requires that safety controls be designed into any process, equipment, or apparatus in the form of engineering controls. Administrative controls further reduce the risk to an acceptable level. Selected examples of engineering and administrative controls currently being used in the U-AVLIS Program are described.

  14. Mass modeling for electrically powered space-based Yb:YAG lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fitzgerald, Kevin F.; Leshner, Richard B.; Winsor, Harry V.

    2000-05-01

    An estimate for the mass of a nominal high-energy laser system envisioned for space applications is presented. The approach features a diode pumped solid state Yb:YAG laser. The laser specifications are10 MW average output power, and periods of up to 100 seconds continuous, full-power operation without refueling. The system is powered by lithium ion batteries, which are recharged by a solar array. The power requirements for this system dominate over any fixed structural features, so the critical issues in scaling a DPSSL to high power are made transparent. When based on currently available space qualified batteries, the design mass is about 500 metric tons. Therefore, innovations are required before high power electrical lasers will be serious contenders for use in space systems. The necessary innovations must improve the rate at which lithium ion batteries can output power. Masses for systems based on batteries that should be available in the near future are presented. This analysis also finds that heating of the solid state lasing material, cooling of the diode pump lasers and duty cycle are critical issues. Features dominating the thermal control requirements are the heat capacity of garnet, the operational temperature range of the system, and the required cooling time between periods of full operation. The duty cycle is a critical factor in determining both the mass of the diode array needed, and the mass of the power supply system.

  15. Approaches to solar cell design for pulsed laser power receivers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jain, Raj K.; Landis, Geoffrey A.

    1993-01-01

    Using a laser to beam power from Earth to a photovoltaic receiver in space could be a technology with applications to many space missions. Extremely high average-power lasers would be required in a wavelength range of 700-1000 nm. However, high-power lasers inherently operate in a pulsed format. Existing solar cells are not well designed to respond to pulsed incident power. To better understand cell response to pulsed illumination at high intensity, the PC-1D finite-element computer model was used to analyze the response of solar cells to continuous and pulsed laser illumination. Over 50 percent efficiency was calculated for both InP and GaAs cells under steady-state illumination near the optimum wavelength. The time-dependent response of a high-efficiency GaAs concentrator cell to a laser pulse was modeled, and the effect of laser intensity, wavelength, and bias point was studied. Three main effects decrease the efficiency of a solar cell under pulsed laser illumination: series resistance, L-C 'ringing' with the output circuit, and current limiting due to the output inductance. The problems can be solved either by changing the pulse shape or designing a solar cell to accept the pulsed input. Cell design possibilities discussed are a high-efficiency, light-trapping silicon cell, and a monolithic, low-inductance GaAs cell.

  16. Low-power laser therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome: effective optical power

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yan; Zhao, Cheng-qiang; Ye, Gang; Liu, Can-dong; Xu, Wen-dong

    2016-01-01

    Low-power laser therapy has been used for the non-surgical treatment of mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome, although its efficacy has been a long-standing controversy. The laser parameters in low-power laser therapy are closely related to the laser effect on human tissue. To evaluate the efficacy of low-power laser therapy, laser parameters should be accurately measured and controlled, which has been ignored in previous clinical trials. Here, we report the measurement of the effective optical power of low-power laser therapy for carpal tunnel syndrome. By monitoring the backside reflection and scattering laser power from human skin at the wrist, the effective laser power can be inferred. Using clinical measurements from 30 cases, we found that the effective laser power differed significantly among cases, with the measured laser reflection coefficient ranging from 1.8% to 54%. The reflection coefficient for 36.7% of these 30 cases was in the range of 10–20%, but for 16.7% of cases, it was higher than 40%. Consequently, monitoring the effective optical power during laser irradiation is necessary for the laser therapy of carpal tunnel syndrome. PMID:27630706

  17. Pulse compression of a high-power thin disk laser using rod-type fiber amplifiers.

    PubMed

    Saraceno, C J; Heckl, O H; Baer, C R E; Südmeyer, T; Keller, U

    2011-01-17

    We report on two pulse compressors for a high-power thin disk laser oscillator using rod-type fiber amplifiers. Both systems are seeded by a standard SESAM modelocked thin disk laser that delivers 16 W of average power at a repetition rate of 10.6 MHz with a pulse energy of 1.5 μJ and a pulse duration of 1 ps. We discuss two results with different fiber parameters with different trade-offs in pulse duration, average power, damage and complexity. The first amplifier setup consists of a Yb-doped fiber amplifier with a 2200 μm2 core area and a length of 55 cm, resulting in a compressed average power of 55 W with 98-fs pulses at a repetition rate of 10.6 MHz. The second system uses a shorter 36-cm fiber with a larger core area of 4500 μm2. In a stretcher-free configuration we obtained 34 W of compressed average power and 65-fs pulses. In both cases peak powers of > 30 MW were demonstrated at several μJ pulse energies. The power scaling limitations due to damage and self-focusing are discussed.

  18. High power industrial picosecond laser from IR to UV

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saby, Julien; Sangla, Damien; Pierrot, Simonette; Deslandes, Pierre; Salin, François

    2013-02-01

    Many industrial applications such as glass cutting, ceramic micro-machining or photovoltaic processes require high average and high peak power Picosecond pulses. The main limitation for the expansion of the picosecond market is the cost of high power picosecond laser sources, which is due to the complexity of the architecture used for picosecond pulse amplification, and the difficulty to keep an excellent beam quality at high average power. Amplification with fibers is a good technology to achieve high power in picosecond regime but, because of its tight confinement over long distances, light undergoes dramatic non linearities while propagating in fibers. One way to avoid strong non linearities is to increase fiber's mode area. Nineteen missing holes fibers offering core diameter larger than 80μm have been used over the past few years [1-3] but it has been shown that mode instabilities occur at approximately 100W average output power in these fibers [4]. Recently a new fiber design has been introduced, in which HOMs are delocalized from the core to the clad, preventing from HOMs amplification [5]. In these so-called Large Pitch Fibers, threshold for mode instabilities is increased to 294W offering robust single-mode operation below this power level [6]. We have demonstrated a high power-high efficiency industrial picosecond source using single-mode Large Pitch rod-type fibers doped with Ytterbium. Large Pitch Rod type fibers can offer a unique combination of single-mode output with a very large mode area from 40 μm up to 100μm and very high gain. This enables to directly amplify a low power-low energy Mode Locked Fiber laser with a simple amplification architecture, achieving very high power together with singlemode output independent of power level or repetition rate.

  19. High power passive mode-locked L-band fiber laser based on microfiber topological insulator saturable absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Semaan, Georges; Meng, Yichang; Salhi, Mohamed; Niang, Alioune; Guesmi, Khmaies; Luo, Zhi-Chao; Sanchez, Francois

    2016-04-01

    In this communication, we demonstrate a passive mode-locked Er:Yb co-doped double-clad fiber laser using a tapered microfiber topological insulator (Bi2Se3) saturable absorber (TISA). The topological insulator is drop-casted onto the tapered fiber and optically deposited by optical tweezer effect. We use a ring laser setup including the fabricated TISA. By carefully optimizing the cavity losses and output coupling ratio, the mode-locked laser can operate in L-band with a high average output power. At a maximum pump power of 5 W, we obtain the 91st harmonic mode-locking of soliton bunches with a 3dB spectral bandwidth of 1.06nm, a repetition rate of 640.9 MHz and an average output power of 308mW. As far as we know, this is the highest output power yet reported of a mode-locked fiber laser operating with a TISA.

  20. The Multidisk Diode-Pumped High Power Yb:YAG Laser Amplifier of High-Intensity Laser System with 1 kHz Repetition Rate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuptsov, G. V.; Petrov, V. V.; Petrov, V. A.; Laptev, A. V.; Kirpichnikov, A. V.; Pestryakov, E. V.

    2018-04-01

    The source of instabilities in the multidisk diode-pumped high power Yb:YAG laser amplifier with cryogenic closed-loop cooling in the laser amplification channel of the high-intensity laser system with 1 kHz repetition rate was determined. Dissected copper mounts were designed and used to suppress instabilities and to achieve repeatability of the system. The equilibrium temperature dependency of the active elements on average power was measured. The seed laser for the multidisk amplifier was numerically simulated and designed to allow one to increase pulses output energy after the amplifier up to 500 mJ.

  1. Speckle averaging system for laser raster-scan image projection

    DOEpatents

    Tiszauer, Detlev H.; Hackel, Lloyd A.

    1998-03-17

    The viewers' perception of laser speckle in a laser-scanned image projection system is modified or eliminated by the addition of an optical deflection system that effectively presents a new speckle realization at each point on the viewing screen to each viewer for every scan across the field. The speckle averaging is accomplished without introduction of spurious imaging artifacts.

  2. Potential converter for laser-power beaming

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Walker, Gilbert H.; Williams, Michael D.; Schuster, Gregory L.; Iles, Peter A.

    1991-01-01

    Future space missions, such as those associated with the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), will require large amounts of power for operation of bases, rovers, and orbit transfer vehicles. One method for supplying this power is to beam power from a spaced based or Earth based laser power station to a receiver where laser photons can be converted to electricity. Previous research has described such laser power stations orbiting the Moon and beaming power to a receiver on the surface of the Moon by using arrays of diode lasers. Photovoltaic converters that can be efficiently used with these diode lasers are described.

  3. Method for optical pumping of thin laser media at high average power

    DOEpatents

    Zapata, Luis E [Livermore, CA; Beach, Raymond J [Livermore, CA; Honea, Eric C [Sunol, CA; Payne, Stephen A [Castro Valley, CA

    2004-07-13

    A thin, planar laser material is bonded to a light guide of an index-matched material forming a composite disk. Diode array or other pump light is introduced into the composite disk through the edges of the disk. Pump light trapped within the composite disk depletes as it multi-passes the laser medium before reaching an opposing edge of the disk. The resulting compound optical structure efficiently delivers concentrated pump light and to a laser medium of minimum thickness. The external face of the laser medium is used for cooling. A high performance cooler attached to the external face of the laser medium rejects heat. Laser beam extraction is parallel to the heat flux to minimize optical distortions.

  4. Free-electron laser power beaming to satellites at China Lake, California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bennett, Harold E.; Rather, John D.; Montgomery, Edward E.

    1994-05-01

    Laser power beaming of energy through the atmosphere to a satellite can extend its lifetime by maintaining the satellite batteries in operating condition. An alternate propulsion system utilizing power beaming will also significantly reduce the initial insertion cost of these satellites, which now are as high as $DLR72,000/lb for geosynchronous orbit. Elements of the power beaming system are a high-power laser, a large diameter telescope to reduce diffractive losses, an adaptive optic beam conditioning system and possibly a balloon or aerostat carrying a large mirror to redirect the laser beam to low earth orbit satellites after it has traversed most of the earth's atmosphere vertically. China Lake, California has excellent seeing, averages 260 cloud-free days/year, has the second largest geothermal plant in the United States nearby for power, groundwater from the lake for cooling water, and is at the center of one of the largest restricted airspaces in the United States. It is an ideal site for such a laser power beaming system. Technological challenges in building such a system and installing it at China Lake will be discussed.

  5. Development of a High-Average-Power Compton Gamma Source for Lepton Colliders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pogorelsky, Igor; Polyanskiy, Mikhail N.; Yakimenko, Vitaliy; Platonenko, Viktor T.

    2009-01-01

    Gamma- (γ-) ray beams of high average power and peak brightness are of demand for a number of applications in high-energy physics, material processing, medicine, etc. One of such examples is gamma conversion into polarized positrons and muons that is under consideration for projected lepton colliders. A γ-source based on the Compton backscattering from the relativistic electron beam is a promising candidate for this application. Our approach to the high-repetition γ-source assumes placing the Compton interaction point inside a CO2 laser cavity. A laser pulse interacts with periodical electron bunches on each round-trip inside the laser cavity producing the corresponding train of γ-pulses. The round-trip optical losses can be compensated by amplification in the active laser medium. The major challenge for this approach is in maintaining stable amplification rate for a picosecond CO2-laser pulse during multiple resonator round-trips without significant deterioration of its temporal and transverse profiles. Addressing this task, we elaborated on a computer code that allows identifying the directions and priorities in the development of such a multi-pass picosecond CO2 laser. Proof-of-principle experiments help to verify the model and show the viability of the concept. In these tests we demonstrated extended trains of picosecond CO2 laser pulses circulating inside the cavity that incorporates the Compton interaction point.

  6. High power diode lasers for solid-state laser pumps

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Linden, Kurt J.; Mcdonnell, Patrick N.

    1994-01-01

    The development and commercial application of high power diode laser arrays for use as solid-state laser pumps is described. Such solid-state laser pumps are significantly more efficient and reliable than conventional flash-lamps. This paper describes the design and fabrication of diode lasers emitting in the 780 - 900 nm spectral region, and discusses their performance and reliability. Typical measured performance parameters include electrical-to-optical power conversion efficiencies of 50 percent, narrow-band spectral emission of 2 to 3 nm FWHM, pulsed output power levels of 50 watts/bar with reliability values of over 2 billion shots to date (tests to be terminated after 10 billion shots), and reliable operation to pulse lengths of 1 ms. Pulse lengths up to 5 ms have been demonstrated at derated power levels, and CW performance at various power levels has been evaluated in a 'bar-in-groove' laser package. These high-power 1-cm stacked-bar arrays are now being manufactured for OEM use. Individual diode laser bars, ready for package-mounting by OEM customers, are being sold as commodity items. Commercial and medical applications of these laser arrays include solid-state laser pumping for metal-working, cutting, industrial measurement and control, ranging, wind-shear/atmospheric turbulence detection, X-ray generation, materials surface cleaning, microsurgery, ophthalmology, dermatology, and dental procedures.

  7. Diffusion-cooled high-power single-mode waveguide CO2 laser for transmyocardial revascularization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berishvili, I. I.; Bockeria, L. A.; Egorov, E. N.; Golubev, Vladimir S.; Galushkin, Michail G.; Kheliminsky, A. A.; Panchenko, Vladislav Y.; Roshin, A. P.; Sigaev, I. Y.; Vachromeeva, M. N.; Vasiltsov, Victor V.; Yoshina, V. I.; Zabelin, Alexandre M.; Zelenov, Evgenii V.

    1999-01-01

    The paper presents the results on investigations and development of multichannel waveguide CO2 laser with diffusion cooling of active medium excited by discharge of audio-frequency alternating current. The description of high-power single-mode CO2 laser with average beam power up to 1 kW is presented. The result of measurement of the laser basic parameters are offered, as well as the outcomes of performances of the laser head with long active zone, operating in waveguide mode. As an example of application of these laser, various capabilities a description of the developed medical system 'Genom' used in the transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR) procedure and clinical results of the possibilities of the TMLR in the surgical treatment are presented.

  8. Speckle averaging system for laser raster-scan image projection

    DOEpatents

    Tiszauer, D.H.; Hackel, L.A.

    1998-03-17

    The viewers` perception of laser speckle in a laser-scanned image projection system is modified or eliminated by the addition of an optical deflection system that effectively presents a new speckle realization at each point on the viewing screen to each viewer for every scan across the field. The speckle averaging is accomplished without introduction of spurious imaging artifacts. 5 figs.

  9. Design and comparison of laser windows for high-power lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niu, Yanxiong; Liu, Wenwen; Liu, Haixia; Wang, Caili; Niu, Haisha; Man, Da

    2014-11-01

    High-power laser systems are getting more and more widely used in industry and military affairs. It is necessary to develop a high-power laser system which can operate over long periods of time without appreciable degradation in performance. When a high-energy laser beam transmits through a laser window, it is possible that the permanent damage is caused to the window because of the energy absorption by window materials. So, when we design a high-power laser system, a suitable laser window material must be selected and the laser damage threshold of the window must be known. In this paper, a thermal analysis model of high-power laser window is established, and the relationship between the laser intensity and the thermal-stress field distribution is studied by deducing the formulas through utilizing the integral-transform method. The influence of window radius, thickness and laser intensity on the temperature and stress field distributions is analyzed. Then, the performance of K9 glass and the fused silica glass is compared, and the laser-induced damage mechanism is analyzed. Finally, the damage thresholds of laser windows are calculated. The results show that compared with K9 glass, the fused silica glass has a higher damage threshold due to its good thermodynamic properties. The presented theoretical analysis and simulation results are helpful for the design and selection of high-power laser windows.

  10. Heterodyne laser diagnostic system

    DOEpatents

    Globig, Michael A.; Johnson, Michael A.; Wyeth, Richard W.

    1990-01-01

    The heterodyne laser diagnostic system includes, in one embodiment, an average power pulsed laser optical spectrum analyzer for determining the average power of the pulsed laser. In another embodiment, the system includes a pulsed laser instantaneous optical frequency measurement for determining the instantaneous optical frequency of the pulsed laser.

  11. Efficient, High-Power Mid-Infrared Laser for National Securityand Scientific Applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kiani, Leily S.

    The LLNL fiber laser group developed a unique short-wave-infrared, high-pulse energy, highaverage- power fiber based laser. This unique laser source has been used in combination with a nonlinear frequency converter to generate wavelengths, useful for remote sensing and other applications in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR). Sources with high average power and high efficiency in this MWIR wavelength region are not yet available with the size, weight, and power requirements or energy efficiency necessary for future deployment. The LLNL developed Fiber Laser Pulsed Source (FiLPS) design was adapted to Erbium doped silica fibers for 1.55 μm pumping of Cadmium Silicon Phosphidemore » (CSP). We have demonstrated, for the first time optical parametric amplification of 2.4 μm light via difference frequency generation using CSP with an Erbium doped fiber source. In addition, for efficiency comparison purposes, we also demonstrated direct optical parametric generation (OPG) as well as optical parametric oscillation (OPO).« less

  12. Pulsed laser manipulation of an optically trapped bead: averaging thermal noise and measuring the pulsed force amplitude.

    PubMed

    Lindballe, Thue B; Kristensen, Martin V G; Berg-Sørensen, Kirstine; Keiding, Søren R; Stapelfeldt, Henrik

    2013-01-28

    An experimental strategy for post-eliminating thermal noise on position measurements of optically trapped particles is presented. Using a nanosecond pulsed laser, synchronized to the detection system, to exert a periodic driving force on an optically trapped 10 μm polystyrene bead, the laser pulse-bead interaction is repeated hundreds of times. Traces with the bead position following the prompt displacement from equilibrium, induced by each laser pulse, are averaged and reveal the underlying deterministic motion of the bead, which is not visible in a single trace due to thermal noise. The motion of the bead is analyzed from the direct time-dependent position measurements and from the power spectrum. The results show that the bead is on average displaced 208 nm from the trap center and exposed to a force amplitude of 71 nanoNewton, more than five orders of magnitude larger than the trapping forces. Our experimental method may have implications for microrheology.

  13. The ETA-II linear induction accelerator and IMP wiggler: A high-average-power millimeter-wave free-electron-laser for plasma heating

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Allen, S.L.; Scharlemann, E.T.

    1992-05-01

    We have constructed a 140-GHz free-electron laser to generate high-average-power microwaves for heating the MTX tokamak plasma. A 5.5-m steady-state wiggler (intense Microwave Prototype-IMP) has been installed at the end of the upgraded 60-cell ETA-II accelerator, and is configured as an FEL amplifier for the output of a 140-GHz long-pulse gyrotron. Improvements in the ETA-II accelerator include a multicable-feed power distribution network, better magnetic alignment using a stretched-wire alignment technique (SWAT). and a computerized tuning algorithm that directly minimizes the transverse sweep (corkscrew motion) of the electron beam. The upgrades were first tested on the 20-cell, 3-MeV front end ofmore » ETA-II and resulted in greatly improved energy flatness and reduced corkscrew motion. The upgrades were then incorporated into the full 60-cell configuration of ETA-II, along with modifications to allow operation in 50-pulse bursts at pulse repetition frequencies up to 5 kHz. The pulse power modifications were developed and tested on the High Average Power Test Stand (HAPTS), and have significantly reduced the voltage and timing jitter of the MAG 1D magnetic pulse compressors. The 2-3 kA. 6-7 MeV beam from ETA-II is transported to the IMP wiggler, which has been reconfigured as a laced wiggler, with both permanent magnets and electromagnets, for high magnetic field operation. Tapering of the wiggler magnetic field is completely computer controlled and can be optimized based on the output power. The microwaves from the FEL are transmitted to the MTX tokamak by a windowless quasi-optical microwave transmission system. Experiments at MTX are focused on studies of electron-cyclotron-resonance heating (ECRH) of the plasma. We summarize here the accelerator and pulse power modifications, and describe the status of ETA-II, IMP, and MTX operations.« less

  14. AOM optimization with ultra stable high power CO2 lasers for fast laser engraving

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bohrer, Markus

    2015-05-01

    A new ultra stable CO2 laser in carbon fibre resonator technology with an average power of more than 600W has been developed especially as basis for the use with AOMs. Stability of linear polarisation and beam pointing stability are important issues as well as appropriate shaping of the incident beam. AOMs are tested close to the laser-induced damage threshold with pulses on demand close to one megahertz. Transversal and rotational optimization of the AOMs benefits from the parallel-kinematic principle of a hexapod used for this research.

  15. Mode-locked Yb:YAG thin-disk oscillator with 41 µJ pulse energy at 145 W average infrared power and high power frequency conversion.

    PubMed

    Bauer, Dominik; Zawischa, Ivo; Sutter, Dirk H; Killi, Alexander; Dekorsy, Thomas

    2012-04-23

    We demonstrate the generation of 1.1 ps pulses containing more than 41 µJ of energy directly out of an Yb:YAG thin-disk without any additional amplification stages. The laser oscillator operates in ambient atmosphere with a 3.5 MHz repetition rate and 145 W of average output power at a fundamental wavelength of 1030 nm. An average output power of 91.5 W at 515 nm was obtained by frequency doubling with a conversion efficiency exceeding 65%. Third harmonic generation resulted in 34 W at 343 nm at 34% efficiency. © 2012 Optical Society of America

  16. PCF based high power narrow line width pulsed fiber laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, H.; Yan, P.; Xiao, Q.; Wang, Y.; Gong, M.

    2012-09-01

    Based on semiconductor diode seeded multi-stage cascaded fiber amplifiers, we have obtained 88-W average power of a 1063-nm laser with high repetition rate of up to 1.5 MHz and a constant 2-ns pulse duration. No stimulated Brillouin scattering pulse or optical damage occurred although the maximum pulse peak power has exceeded 112 kW. The output laser exhibits excellent beam quality (M2x = 1.24 and M2y = 1.18), associated with a spectral line width as narrow as 0.065 nm (FWHM). Additionally, we demonstrate high polarization extinction ratio of 18.4 dB and good pulse stabilities superior to 1.6 % (RMS).

  17. Comparisons of selected laser beam power missions to conventionally powered missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bozek, John M.; Oleson, Steven R.; Landis, Geoffrey A.; Stavnes, Mark W.

    1993-01-01

    Earth-based laser sites beaming laser power to space assets have shown benefits over competing power system concepts for specific missions. Missions analyzed in this report that show benefits of laser beam power are low Earth orbit (LEO) to geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) transfer, LEO to low lunar orbit (LLO) cargo missions, and lunar-base power. Both laser- and solar-powered orbit-transfer vehicles (OTV's) make a 'tug' concept viable, which substantially reduces cumulative initial mass to LEO in comparison to chemical propulsion concepts. Lunar cargo missions utilizing laser electric propulsion from Earth-orbit to LLO show substantial mass saving to LEO over chemical propulsion systems. Lunar-base power system options were compared on a landed-mass basis. Photovoltaics with regenerative fuel cells, reactor-based systems, and laser-based systems were sized to meet a generic lunar-base power profile. A laser-based system begins to show landed mass benefits over reactor-based systems when proposed production facilities on the Moon require power levels greater than approximately 300 kWe. Benefit/cost ratios of laser power systems for an OTV, both to GEO and LLO, and for a lunar base were calculated to be greater than 1.

  18. Far field and wavefront characterization of a high-power semiconductor laser for free space optical communications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cornwell, Donald M., Jr.; Saif, Babak N.

    1991-01-01

    The spatial pointing angle and far field beamwidth of a high-power semiconductor laser are characterized as a function of CW power and also as a function of temperature. The time-averaged spatial pointing angle and spatial lobe width were measured under intensity-modulated conditions. The measured pointing deviations are determined to be well within the pointing requirements of the NASA Laser Communications Transceiver (LCT) program. A computer-controlled Mach-Zehnder phase-shifter interferometer is used to characterize the wavefront quality of the laser. The rms phase error over the entire pupil was measured as a function of CW output power. Time-averaged measurements of the wavefront quality are also made under intensity-modulated conditions. The measured rms phase errors are determined to be well within the wavefront quality requirements of the LCT program.

  19. Optics assembly for high power laser tools

    DOEpatents

    Fraze, Jason D.; Faircloth, Brian O.; Zediker, Mark S.

    2016-06-07

    There is provided a high power laser rotational optical assembly for use with, or in high power laser tools for performing high power laser operations. In particular, the optical assembly finds applications in performing high power laser operations on, and in, remote and difficult to access locations. The optical assembly has rotational seals and bearing configurations to avoid contamination of the laser beam path and optics.

  20. Thermal Investigation of Interaction between High-power CW-laser Radiation and a Water-jet

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brecher, Christian; Janssen, Henning; Eckert, Markus; Schmidt, Florian

    The technology of a water guided laser beam has been industrially established for micro machining. Pulsed laser radiation is guided via a water jet (diameter: 25-250 μm) using total internal reflection. Due to the cylindrical jet shape the depth of field increases to above 50 mm, enabling parallel kerfs compared to conventional laser systems. However higher material thicknesses and macro geometries cannot be machined economically viable due to low average laser powers. Fraunhofer IPT has successfully combined a high-power continuous-wave (CW) fiber laser (6 kW) and water jet technology. The main challenge of guiding high-power laser radiation in water is the energy transferred to the jet by absorption, decreasing its stability. A model of laser water interaction in the water jet has been developed and validated experimentally. Based on the results an upscaling of system technology to 30 kW is discussed, enabling a high potential in cutting challenging materials at high qualities and high speeds.

  1. Power balance on a multibeam laser

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sampat, Sid; Kelly, John H.; Kosc, Tanya Z.

    Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) cryogenic experiments on the 60-beam OMEGA laser have strict requirements for the laser energy delivered on target to be power balanced in order to maximize target-irradiation uniformity. For OMEGA, this quantity (power balance) is inferred from measurements of the time-integrated energy and time-resolved, spatially integrated temporal profile of each of the 60 beams at the output of the laser. The work presented here proposes a general definition of power balance as measured at the laser output and discusses the conditions that are fundamental to achieving laser power balance. Power balance necessitates equal gain across all stagesmore » of amplification, equal net losses across each amplifier stage, equal frequency conversion (from 1053 nm to 351 nm) of all 60 beams, and equal beam path lengths (beam timing). Typical OMEGA ICF laser pulse shapes consist of one or more short (100-ps) “pickets” followed by a shaped “drive” pulse of 1 to 2 ns. For these experiments, power balance is assessed for the pickets and the drive independently, with the ultimate goal of achieving root-mean-square (rms) imbalance across all 60 beams of less than 2% rms on both. Our work presents a comprehensive summary of laser shot campaigns conducted to significantly improve laser power balance from typical rms values of 4.7% and 5.2%, respectively, to the 3% level for both features along with a discussion of future work required to further reduce the rms power imbalance of the laser system.« less

  2. Power balance on a multibeam laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sampat, S.; Kelly, J. H.; Kosc, T. Z.; Rigatti, A. L.; Kwiatkowski, J.; Donaldson, W. R.; Romanofsky, M. H.; Waxer, L. J.; Dean, R.; Moshier, R.

    2018-02-01

    Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) cryogenic experiments on the 60-beam OMEGA laser have strict requirements for the laser energy delivered on target to be power balanced in order to maximize target-irradiation uniformity. For OMEGA, this quantity (power balance) is inferred from measurements of the time-integrated energy and time-resolved, spatially integrated temporal profile of each of the 60 beams at the output of the laser. The work presented here proposes a general definition of power balance as measured at the laser output and discusses the conditions that are fundamental to achieving laser power balance. Power balance necessitates equal gain across all stages of amplification, equal net losses across each amplifier stage, equal frequency conversion (from 1053 nm to 351 nm) of all 60 beams, and equal beam path lengths (beam timing). Typical OMEGA ICF laser pulse shapes consist of one or more short (100-ps) "pickets" followed by a shaped "drive" pulse of 1 to 2 ns. For these experiments, power balance is assessed for the pickets and the drive independently, with the ultimate goal of achieving root-mean-square (rms) imbalance across all 60 beams of less than 2% rms on both. This work presents a comprehensive summary of laser shot campaigns conducted to significantly improve laser power balance from typical rms values of 4.7% and 5.2%, respectively, to the 3% level for both features along with a discussion of future work required to further reduce the rms power imbalance of the laser system.

  3. Power balance on a multibeam laser

    DOE PAGES

    Sampat, Sid; Kelly, John H.; Kosc, Tanya Z.; ...

    2018-02-15

    Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) cryogenic experiments on the 60-beam OMEGA laser have strict requirements for the laser energy delivered on target to be power balanced in order to maximize target-irradiation uniformity. For OMEGA, this quantity (power balance) is inferred from measurements of the time-integrated energy and time-resolved, spatially integrated temporal profile of each of the 60 beams at the output of the laser. The work presented here proposes a general definition of power balance as measured at the laser output and discusses the conditions that are fundamental to achieving laser power balance. Power balance necessitates equal gain across all stagesmore » of amplification, equal net losses across each amplifier stage, equal frequency conversion (from 1053 nm to 351 nm) of all 60 beams, and equal beam path lengths (beam timing). Typical OMEGA ICF laser pulse shapes consist of one or more short (100-ps) “pickets” followed by a shaped “drive” pulse of 1 to 2 ns. For these experiments, power balance is assessed for the pickets and the drive independently, with the ultimate goal of achieving root-mean-square (rms) imbalance across all 60 beams of less than 2% rms on both. Our work presents a comprehensive summary of laser shot campaigns conducted to significantly improve laser power balance from typical rms values of 4.7% and 5.2%, respectively, to the 3% level for both features along with a discussion of future work required to further reduce the rms power imbalance of the laser system.« less

  4. Laser-powered Martian rover

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harries, W. L.; Meador, W. E.; Miner, G. A.; Schuster, Gregory L.; Walker, G. H.; Williams, M. D.

    1989-01-01

    Two rover concepts were considered: an unpressurized skeleton vehicle having available 4.5 kW of electrical power and limited to a range of about 10 km from a temporary Martian base and a much larger surface exploration vehicle (SEV) operating on a maximum 75-kW power level and essentially unrestricted in range or mission. The only baseline reference system was a battery-operated skeleton vehicle with very limited mission capability and range and which would repeatedly return to its temporary base for battery recharging. It was quickly concluded that laser powering would be an uneconomical overkill for this concept. The SEV, on the other hand, is a new rover concept that is especially suited for powering by orbiting solar or electrically pumped lasers. Such vehicles are visualized as mobile habitats with full life-support systems onboard, having unlimited range over the Martian surface, and having extensive mission capability (e.g., core drilling and sampling, construction of shelters for protection from solar flares and dust storms, etc.). Laser power beaming to SEV's was shown to have the following advantages: (1) continuous energy supply by three orbiting lasers at 2000 km (no storage requirements as during Martian night with direct solar powering); (2) long-term supply without replacement; (3) very high power available (MW level possible); and (4) greatly enhanced mission enabling capability beyond anything currently conceived.

  5. Laser-powered Martian rover

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harries, W. L.; Meador, W. E.; Miner, G. A.; Schuster, Gregory L.; Walker, G. H.; Williams, M. D.

    1989-07-01

    Two rover concepts were considered: an unpressurized skeleton vehicle having available 4.5 kW of electrical power and limited to a range of about 10 km from a temporary Martian base and a much larger surface exploration vehicle (SEV) operating on a maximum 75-kW power level and essentially unrestricted in range or mission. The only baseline reference system was a battery-operated skeleton vehicle with very limited mission capability and range and which would repeatedly return to its temporary base for battery recharging. It was quickly concluded that laser powering would be an uneconomical overkill for this concept. The SEV, on the other hand, is a new rover concept that is especially suited for powering by orbiting solar or electrically pumped lasers. Such vehicles are visualized as mobile habitats with full life-support systems onboard, having unlimited range over the Martian surface, and having extensive mission capability (e.g., core drilling and sampling, construction of shelters for protection from solar flares and dust storms, etc.). Laser power beaming to SEV's was shown to have the following advantages: (1) continuous energy supply by three orbiting lasers at 2000 km (no storage requirements as during Martian night with direct solar powering); (2) long-term supply without replacement; (3) very high power available (MW level possible); and (4) greatly enhanced mission enabling capability beyond anything currently conceived.

  6. CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY SYSTEM PERFORMANCE: LASER POWER MEASUREMENTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Laser power abstract
    The reliability of the confocal laser-scanning microscope (CLSM) to obtain intensity measurements and quantify fluorescence data is dependent on using a correctly aligned machine that contains a stable laser power. The laser power test appears to be one ...

  7. High Average Power Diode Pumped Solid State Lasers: Power Scaling With High Spectral and Spatial Coherence

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-03-30

    seeded with 15 W of single-frequency laser light at 1064 nm and cladding -pumped of 700 W in the forward direction and 300 W in the opposite direction...57-W single-mode phosphate fiber laser Our early studies of phosphate fiber lasers taught us that adding an air-hole to the inner cladding and... cladding -pumped with a fiber-coupled laser diode at 977 nm through a dichroic beam splitter placed on the OC side. The fiber ends were cooled using the

  8. The effect of low-level laser irradiation on dog spermatozoa motility is dependent on laser output power.

    PubMed

    Corral-Baqués, M I; Rivera, M M; Rigau, T; Rodríguez-Gil, J E; Rigau, J

    2009-09-01

    Biological tissues respond to low-level laser irradiation and so do dog spermatozoa. Among the main parameters to be considered when a biological tissue is irradiated is the output power. We have studied the effects on sperm motility of 655 nm continuous wave diode laser irradiation at different output powers with 3.34 J (5.97 J/cm(2)). The second fraction of fresh dog sperm was divided into five groups: control, and four to be irradiated with an average output power of 6.8 mW, 15.4 mW, 33.1 mW and 49.7 mW, respectively. At 0 min and 45 min after irradiation, pictures were taken and a computer aided sperm analysis (CASA) performed to analyse different motility parameters. The results showed that different output powers affected dog semen motility parameters differently. The highest output power showed the most intense effects. Significant changes in the structure of the motile sperm subpopulation were linked to the different output powers used.

  9. Experimental investigation of high power pulsed 2.8 μm Er3+-doped ZBLAN fiber lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Yanlong; Wang, Yishan; Huang, Ke; Luan, Kunpeng; Chen, Hongwei; Tao, Mengmeng; Yu, Li; Yi, Aiping; Si, Jinhai

    2017-05-01

    We report on the recent progress on high power pulsed 2.8 μm Er3+-doped ZBLAN fiber laser through techniques of passively and actively Q-switching in our research group. In passively Q-switched operation, a diode-cladding-pumped mid-infrared passively Q-switched Er3+-doped ZBLAN fiber laser with an average output power of watt-level based on a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) was demonstrated. Stable pulse train was produced at a slope efficient of 17.8% with respect to launched pump power. The maximum average power of 1.01 W at a repetition rate of 146.3 kHz was achieved with a corresponding pulse energy of 6.9 μJ. The maximum peak power was calculated to be 21.9 W. In actively Q-switched operation, a diode-pumped actively Q-switched Er3+-doped ZBLAN fiber laser at 2.8 μm with an optical chopper was reported. The maximum laser pulse energy of up to 130 μJ and a pulse width of 127.3 ns at a repetition rate of 10 kHz with an operating wavelength of 2.78 μm was obtained, yielding the maximum peak power of exceeding 1.1 kW.

  10. Correction for spatial averaging in laser speckle contrast analysis

    PubMed Central

    Thompson, Oliver; Andrews, Michael; Hirst, Evan

    2011-01-01

    Practical laser speckle contrast analysis systems face a problem of spatial averaging of speckles, due to the pixel size in the cameras used. Existing practice is to use a system factor in speckle contrast analysis to account for spatial averaging. The linearity of the system factor correction has not previously been confirmed. The problem of spatial averaging is illustrated using computer simulation of time-integrated dynamic speckle, and the linearity of the correction confirmed using both computer simulation and experimental results. The valid linear correction allows various useful compromises in the system design. PMID:21483623

  11. High power parallel ultrashort pulse laser processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gillner, Arnold; Gretzki, Patrick; Büsing, Lasse

    2016-03-01

    The class of ultra-short-pulse (USP) laser sources are used, whenever high precession and high quality material processing is demanded. These laser sources deliver pulse duration in the range of ps to fs and are characterized with high peak intensities leading to a direct vaporization of the material with a minimum thermal damage. With the availability of industrial laser source with an average power of up to 1000W, the main challenge consist of the effective energy distribution and disposition. Using lasers with high repetition rates in the MHz region can cause thermal issues like overheating, melt production and low ablation quality. In this paper, we will discuss different approaches for multibeam processing for utilization of high pulse energies. The combination of diffractive optics and conventional galvometer scanner can be used for high throughput laser ablation, but are limited in the optical qualities. We will show which applications can benefit from this hybrid optic and which improvements in productivity are expected. In addition, the optical limitations of the system will be compiled, in order to evaluate the suitability of this approach for any given application.

  12. High power tunable mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator enabled by random fiber laser.

    PubMed

    Wu, Hanshuo; Wang, Peng; Song, Jiaxin; Ye, Jun; Xu, Jiangming; Li, Xiao; Zhou, Pu

    2018-03-05

    Random fiber laser, as a kind of novel fiber laser that utilizes random distributed feedback as well as Raman gain, has become a research focus owing to its advantages of wavelength flexibility, modeless property and output stability. Herein, a tunable optical parametric oscillator (OPO) enabled by a random fiber laser is reported for the first time. By exploiting a tunable random fiber laser to pump the OPO, the central wavelength of idler light can be continuously tuned from 3977.34 to 4059.65 nm with stable temporal average output power. The maximal output power achieved is 2.07 W. So far as we know, this is the first demonstration of a continuous-wave tunable OPO pumped by a tunable random fiber laser, which could not only provide a new approach for achieving tunable mid-infrared (MIR) emission, but also extend the application scenarios of random fiber lasers.

  13. Frequency doubled high-power disk lasers in pulsed and continuous-wave operation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weiler, Sascha; Hangst, Alexander; Stolzenburg, Christian; Zawischa, Ivo; Sutter, Dirk; Killi, Alexander; Kalfhues, Steffen; Kriegshaeuser, Uwe; Holzer, Marco; Havrilla, David

    2012-03-01

    The disk laser with multi-kW output power in infrared cw operation is widely used in today's manufacturing, primarily in the automotive industry. The disk technology combines high power (average and/or peak power), excellent beam quality, high efficiency and high reliability with low investment and operating costs. Additionally, the disk laser is ideally suited for frequency conversion due to its polarized output with negligible depolarization losses. Laser light in the green spectral range (~515 nm) can be created with a nonlinear crystal. Pulsed disk lasers with green output of well above 50 W (extracavity doubling) in the ps regime and several hundreds of Watts in the ns regime with intracavity doubling are already commercially available whereas intracavity doubled disk lasers in continuous wave operation with greater than 250 W output are in test phase. In both operating modes (pulsed and cw) the frequency doubled disk laser offers advantages in existing and new applications. Copper welding for example is said to show much higher process reliability with green laser light due to its higher absorption in comparison to the infrared. This improvement has the potential to be very beneficial for the automotive industry's move to electrical vehicles which requires reliable high-volume welding of copper as a major task for electro motors, batteries, etc.

  14. High-power lasers for directed-energy applications.

    PubMed

    Sprangle, Phillip; Hafizi, Bahman; Ting, Antonio; Fischer, Richard

    2015-11-01

    In this article, we review and discuss the research programs at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) on high-power lasers for directed-energy (DE) applications in the atmosphere. Physical processes affecting propagation include absorption/scattering, turbulence, and thermal blooming. The power levels needed for DE applications require combining a number of lasers. In atmospheric turbulence, there is a maximum intensity that can be placed on a target that is independent of the initial beam spot size and laser beam quality. By combining a number of kW-class fiber lasers, scientists at the NRL have successfully demonstrated high-power laser propagation in a turbulent atmosphere and wireless recharging. In the NRL experiments, four incoherently combined fiber lasers having a total power of 5 kW were propagated to a target 3.2 km away. These successful high-power experiments in a realistic atmosphere formed the basis of the Navy's Laser Weapon System. We compare the propagation characteristics of coherently and incoherently combined beams without adaptive optics. There is little difference in the energy on target between coherently and incoherently combined laser beams for multi-km propagation ranges and moderate to high levels of turbulence. Unlike incoherent combining, coherent combining places severe constraints on the individual lasers. These include the requirement of narrow power spectral linewidths in order to have long coherence times as well as polarization alignment of all the lasers. These requirements are extremely difficult for high-power lasers.

  15. Ultra-stable high average power femtosecond laser system tunable from 1.33 to 20  μm.

    PubMed

    Steinle, Tobias; Mörz, Florian; Steinmann, Andy; Giessen, Harald

    2016-11-01

    A highly stable 350 fs laser system with a gap-free tunability from 1.33 to 2.0 μm and 2.13 to 20 μm is demonstrated. Nanojoule-level pulse energy is achieved in the mid-infrared at a 43 MHz repetition rate. The system utilizes a post-amplified fiber-feedback optical parametric oscillator followed by difference frequency generation between the signal and idler. No locking or synchronization electronics are required to achieve outstanding free-running output power and spectral stability of the whole system. Ultra-low intensity noise, close to the pump laser's noise figure, enables shot-noise limited measurements.

  16. The high-power iodine laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brederlow, G.; Fill, E.; Witte, K. J.

    The book provides a description of the present state of the art concerning the iodine laser, giving particular attention to the design and operation of pulsed high-power iodine lasers. The basic features of the laser are examined, taking into account aspects of spontaneous emission lifetime, hyperfine structure, line broadening and line shifts, stimulated emission cross sections, the influence of magnetic fields, sublevel relaxation, the photodissociation of alkyl iodides, flashlamp technology, excitation in a direct discharge, chemical excitation, and questions regarding the chemical kinetics of the photodissociation iodine laser. The principles of high-power operation are considered along with aspects of beam quality and losses, the design and layout of an iodine laser system, the scalability and prospects of the iodine laser, and the design of the single-beam Asterix III laser.

  17. A High Power Frequency Doubled Fiber Laser

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thompson, Robert J.; Tu, Meirong; Aveline, Dave; Lundblad, Nathan; Maleki, Lute

    2003-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation reports on the development of a high power 780 nm laser suitable for space applications of laser cooling. A possible solution is to use frequency doubling of high power 1560 nm telecom lasers. The presentation shows a diagram of the frequency conversion, and a graph of the second harmonic generation in one crystal, and the use of the cascading crystals. Graphs show the second harmonic power as a function of distance between crystals, second harmonic power vs. pump power, tunability of laser systems.

  18. Laser-driven powerful kHz hard x-ray source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Minghua; Huang, Kai; Chen, Liming; Yan, Wenchao; Tao, Mengze; Zhao, Jiarui; Ma, Yong; Li, Yifei; Zhang, Jie

    2017-08-01

    A powerful hard x-ray source based on laser plasma interaction is developed. By introducing the kHz, 800 nm pulses onto a rotating molybdenum (Mo) disk target, intense Mo Kα x-rays are emitted with suppressed bremsstrahlung background. Results obtained with different laser intensities suggest that the dominant absorption mechanism responsible for the high conversion efficiency is vacuum heating (VH). The high degree of spatial coherence is verified. With the high average flux and a source size comparable to the laser focus spot, absorption contrast imaging and phase contrast imaging are carried out to test the imaging capability of the source. Not only useful for imaging application, this compact x-ray source is also holding great potential for ultrafast x-ray diffraction (XRD) due to the intrinsic merits such as femtosecond pulse duration and natural synchronization with the driving laser pulses.

  19. Limitations of signal averaging due to temporal correlation in laser remote-sensing measurements.

    PubMed

    Menyuk, N; Killinger, D K; Menyuk, C R

    1982-09-15

    Laser remote sensing involves the measurement of laser-beam transmission through the atmosphere and is subject to uncertainties caused by strong fluctuations due primarily to speckle, glint, and atmospheric-turbulence effects. These uncertainties are generally reduced by taking average values of increasing numbers of measurements. An experiment was carried out to directly measure the effect of signal averaging on back-scattered laser return signals from a diffusely reflecting target using a direct-detection differential-absorption lidar (DIAL) system. The improvement in accuracy obtained by averaging over increasing numbers of data points was found to be smaller than that predicted for independent measurements. The experimental results are shown to be in excellent agreement with a theoretical analysis which considers the effect of temporal correlation. The analysis indicates that small but long-term temporal correlation severely limits the improvement available through signal averaging.

  20. Acousto-optical imaging using a powerful long pulse laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rousseau, Guy; Blouin, Alain; Monchalin, Jean-Pierre

    2008-06-01

    Acousto-optical imaging is an emerging biodiagnostic technique which provides an optical spectroscopic signature and a spatial localization of an optically absorbing target embedded in a strongly scattering medium. The transverse resolution of the technique is determined by the lateral extent of ultrasound beam focal zone while the axial resolution is obtained by using short ultrasound pulses. Although very promising for medical diagnostic, the practical application of this technique is presently limited by its poor sensitivity. Moreover, any method to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio must obviously satisfy the in vivo safety limits regarding the acceptable power level of both the ultrasonic pressure wave and the laser beam. In this paper, we propose to improve the sensitivity by using a pulsed single-frequency laser source to raise the optical peak power applied to the scattering medium and to collect more ultrasonically tagged photons. Such a laser source also allows illuminating the tissues mainly during the transit time of the ultrasonic wave to maintain the average optical power below the maximum permissible exposure. In our experiment, a single-frequency Nd:YAG laser emitting 500-μs pulses with a peak power superior to 100 W was used. Photons were tagged in few-cm thick optical phantoms with tone bursts generated by an ultrasonic transducer. Tagged photons were detected with a GaAs photorefractive interferometer characterized by a large optical etendue to process simultaneously a large number of speckle grains. When pumped by high intensity laser pulses, such an interferometer also provides the fast response time essential to obtain an apparatus insensitive to the speckle decorrelation due to mechanical vibrations or tissues movements. The use of a powerful long pulse laser appears promising to enhance the signal level in ultrasound modulated optical imaging. When combined with a photorefractive interferometer of large optical etendue, such a source could

  1. Laser power conversion system analysis, volume 2

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, W. S.; Morgan, L. L.; Forsyth, J. B.; Skratt, J. P.

    1979-01-01

    The orbit-to-ground laser power conversion system analysis investigated the feasibility and cost effectiveness of converting solar energy into laser energy in space, and transmitting the laser energy to earth for conversion to electrical energy. The analysis included space laser systems with electrical outputs on the ground ranging from 100 to 10,000 MW. The space laser power system was shown to be feasible and a viable alternate to the microwave solar power satellite. The narrow laser beam provides many options and alternatives not attainable with a microwave beam.

  2. Relationship of oscillating and average components of laser Doppler flowmetry signal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mizeva, Irina; Frick, Peter; Podtaev, Sergey

    2016-08-01

    Signals from laser Doppler flowmeters widely used in intravital studies of skin blood flow include, along with a slowly varying average component, an oscillating part. However, in most clinical studies, pulsations are usually smoothed by data preprocessing and only the mean blood flow is analyzed. To reveal the relationship between average and oscillating perfusion components measured by a laser Doppler flowmeter, we examined the microvascular response to the contralateral cold pressor test recorded at two different sites of the hand: dorsal part of the arm and finger pad. Such a protocol makes it possible to provide a wide range of perfusion. The average perfusion always decreases during cooling, while the oscillating component demonstrates a differently directed response. The wavelet analysis of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) signals shows that the pulsatile component is nonlinearly related to the average perfusion. Under low perfusion, the amplitude of pulsations is proportional to its mean value, but, as perfusion increases, the amplitude of pulsations becomes lower. The type of response is defined by the basal perfusion and the degree of vasoconstriction caused by cooling. Interpretation of the results is complicated by the nonlinear transfer function of the LDF device, the contribution of which is studied using artificial examples.

  3. Solar-pumped lasers for space power transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Taussig, R.; Bruzzone, C.; Nelson, L.; Quimby, D.; Christiansen, W.

    1979-01-01

    Multi-Megawatt CW solar-pumped lasers appear to be technologically feasible for space power transmission in the 1990s time frame. A new concept for a solar-pumped laser is presented which utilizes an intermediate black body cavity to provide a uniform optical pumping environment for the lasant, either CO or CO2. Reradiation losses are minimized with resulting high efficiency operation. A 1 MW output laser may weigh as little as 8000 kg including solar collector, black body cavity, laser cavity and ducts, pumps, power systems and waste heat radiator. The efficiency of such a system will be on the order of 10 to 20%. Details of the new concept, laser design, comparison to competing solar-powered lasers and applications to a laser solar power satellite (SPS) concept are presented.

  4. Optimal laser wavelength for efficient laser power converter operation over temperature

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Höhn, O., E-mail: oliver.hoehn@ise.fraunhofer.de; Walker, A. W.; Bett, A. W.

    2016-06-13

    A temperature dependent modeling study is conducted on a GaAs laser power converter to identify the optimal incident laser wavelength for optical power transmission. Furthermore, the respective temperature dependent maximal conversion efficiencies in the radiative limit as well as in a practically achievable limit are presented. The model is based on the transfer matrix method coupled to a two-diode model, and is calibrated to experimental data of a GaAs photovoltaic device over laser irradiance and temperature. Since the laser wavelength does not strongly influence the open circuit voltage of the laser power converter, the optimal laser wavelength is determined tomore » be in the range where the external quantum efficiency is maximal, but weighted by the photon flux of the laser.« less

  5. Laser-driven plasma photonic crystals for high-power lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lehmann, G.; Spatschek, K. H.

    2017-05-01

    Laser-driven plasma density gratings in underdense plasma are shown to act as photonic crystals for high power lasers. The gratings are created by counterpropagating laser beams that trap electrons, followed by ballistic ion motion. This leads to strong periodic plasma density modulations with a lifetime on the order of picoseconds. The grating structure is interpreted as a plasma photonic crystal time-dependent property, e.g., the photonic band gap width. In Maxwell-Vlasov and particle-in-cell simulations it is demonstrated that the photonic crystals may act as a frequency filter and mirror for ultra-short high-power laser pulses.

  6. Highly efficient and high-power diode-pumped femtosecond Yb:LYSO laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tian, Wenlong; Wang, Zhaohua; Zhu, Jiangfeng; Zheng, Lihe; Xu, Jun; Wei, Zhiyi

    2017-04-01

    A diode-pumped high-power femtosecond Yb:LYSO laser with high efficiency is demonstrated. With a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror for passive mode-locking and a Gires-Tournois interferometer mirror for intracavity dispersion compensation, stable mode-locking pulses of 297 fs duration at 1042 nm were obtained. The maximum average power of 3.07 W was realized under 5.17 W absorbed pump power, corresponding to as high as 59.4% opt-opt efficiency. The single pulse energy and peak power are about 35.5 nJ and 119.5 kW, respectively.

  7. Comparison of electrically driven lasers for space power transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deyoung, R. J.; Lee, J. H.; Williams, M. D.; Schuster, G.; Conway, E. J.

    1988-01-01

    High-power lasers in space could provide power for a variety of future missions such as spacecraft electric power requirements and laser propulsion. This study investigates four electrically pumped laser systems, all scaled to 1-MW laser output, that could provide power to spacecraft. The four laser systems are krypton fluoride, copper vapor, laser diode array, and carbon dioxide. Each system was powered by a large solar photovoltaic array which, in turn, provided power for the appropriate laser power conditioning subsystem. Each system was block-diagrammed, and the power and efficiency were found for each subsystem block component. The copper vapor system had the lowest system efficiency (6 percent). The CO2 laser was found to be the most readily scalable but has the disadvantage of long laser wavelength.

  8. Solar powered blackbody-pumped lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Christiansen, Walter H.; Sirota, J. M.

    1991-02-01

    A concept for a solar-powered laser is presented which utilizes an intermediate blackbody cavity to provide a uniform optical pumping environment for the lasant, typically CO or CO2 or possibly a solid state laser medium. High power cw blackbody- pumped lasers with efficiencies on the order of 20 percent or more are feasible. The physical basis of this idea is reviewed. Small scale experiments using a high temperature oven as the optical pump have been carried out with gas laser mixtures. Detailed calculations showing a potential efficiency of 35 percent for blackbody pumped Nd:YAG system are discussed.

  9. High-power industrial pulsed CO2 laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Levin, G. I.

    1983-12-01

    The use of a pulsed TEA CO2 laser (with maximum average power 1.0 kW; maximum pulse energy 3.5 J; repetition frequency 400-600 Hz; half-width pulse duration 15 microsec; circular-coupling-aperture beam diameter 6, 8, or 12 mm; and beam divergence 10 mrad) in industrial welding applications is investigated experimentally in carbon and stainless steels, Zr, Ti, and Ni of various thicknesses. The power required to melt the metals is found to be about 120-200 W/sq cm, or 5-6 times less than that for CW lasers. It is shown that deep narrow-seam welds with mechanical properties identical to those of the bulk metal can be obtained with little or no intercrystalline corrosion or thermal distortion of the surrounding area. Disadvantages such as the 65-dB noise level, low welding speed, formation of an overlap at the top and a crater at the bottom of the weld, and root porosity are considered the primary limitations on the applicability of the device tested.

  10. Quantum-dot saturable absorber and Kerr-lens mode-locked Yb:KGW laser with >450  kW of peak power.

    PubMed

    Akbari, R; Zhao, H; Fedorova, K A; Rafailov, E U; Major, A

    2016-08-15

    The hybrid action of quantum-dot saturable absorber and Kerr-lens mode locking in a diode-pumped Yb:KGW laser was demonstrated. Using a quantum-dot saturable absorber with a 0.7% (0.5%) modulation depth, the mode-locked laser delivered 90 fs (93 fs) pulses with 3.2 W (2.9 W) of average power at the repetition rate of 77 MHz, corresponding to 462 kW (406 kW) of peak power and 41 nJ (38 nJ) of pulse energy. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest average and peak powers generated to date from quantum-dot saturable absorber-based mode-locked lasers.

  11. Seeing laser scalpel: a novel monolithic high-power diode pumped Tm:YAG laser system at 2.02 μm with double-clad fiber combined OCT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Messner, Manuel; Heinrich, Arne; Hagen, Clemens; Unterrainer, Karl

    2017-02-01

    We report on a novel monolithic high-power diode pumped Tm:YAG laser at 2.02 μm. The pulsed laser generates average output power and pulse energy of beyond 90W and 900mJ in 400 μs pulses, respectively. This wavelength allows usage of standard fused silica fibers and optics, a price competitive solution for minimally-invasive endoscopic surgery. Recent developments in double-clad fiber combiners enable a rugged delivery system for the laser and the OCT ideal for a seeing laser scalpel. This gives the possibility to detect in-depth underlying tissue not yet ablated by the laser in a 2D or 3D fashion with micrometer resolution.

  12. Solar-pumped laser for free space power transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lee, Ja H.

    1989-01-01

    Laser power transmission; laser systems; space-borne and available lasers; 2-D and 1 MW laser diode array systems; technical issues; iodine solar pumped laser system; and laser power transmission applications are presented. This presentation is represented by viewgraphs only.

  13. Ceramics for High Power Lasers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-07-01

    139-144 (Wiley, 2009). [22] M.F. Becker, D.J. Kuizenga, A.E. Siegman , “Harmonic Mode Locking of the Nd:YAG Laser ,” IEEE Journal of Quantum...AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2013-0347 Ceramics for High Power Lasers R.L. Byer, R.M. Gaume, R.K. Route, C. Rudy Stanford University July...To) 05-15-2010 to 05-15-2013 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Ceramics for High Power Lasers 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER FA9550-10-1-0227

  14. High-power, highly stable KrF laser with a 4-kHz pulse repetition rate

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Borisov, V M; El'tsov, A V; Khristoforov, O B

    2015-08-31

    An electric-discharge KrF laser (248 nm) with an average output power of 300 W is developed and studied. A number of new design features are related to the use of a laser chamber based on an Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ceramic tube. A high power and pulse repetition rate are achieved by using a volume discharge with lateral preionisation by the UV radiation of a creeping discharge in the form of a homogeneous plasma sheet on the surface of a plane sapphire plate. Various generators for pumping the laser are studied. The maximum laser efficiency is 3.1%, the maximum laser energymore » is 160 mJ pulse{sup -1}, and the pulse duration at half maximum is 7.5 ns. In the case of long-term operation at a pulse repetition rate of 4 kHz and an output power of 300 W, high stability of laser output energy (σ ≤ 0.7%) is achieved using an all-solid-state pump system. (lasers)« less

  15. Laser Powered Launch Vehicle Performance Analyses

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chen, Yen-Sen; Liu, Jiwen; Wang, Ten-See (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to establish the technical ground for modeling the physics of laser powered pulse detonation phenomenon. Laser powered propulsion systems involve complex fluid dynamics, thermodynamics and radiative transfer processes. Successful predictions of the performance of laser powered launch vehicle concepts depend on the sophisticate models that reflects the underlying flow physics including the laser ray tracing the focusing, inverse Bremsstrahlung (IB) effects, finite-rate air chemistry, thermal non-equilibrium, plasma radiation and detonation wave propagation, etc. The proposed work will extend the base-line numerical model to an efficient design analysis tool. The proposed model is suitable for 3-D analysis using parallel computing methods.

  16. Self-mode-locking operation of a diode-end-pumped Tm:YAP laser with watt-level output power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Su; Zhang, Xinlu; Huang, Jinjer; Wang, Tianhan; Dai, Junfeng; Dong, Guangzong

    2018-03-01

    We report on a high power continuous wave (CW) self-mode-locked Tm:YAP laser pumped by a 792 nm laser diode. Without any additional mode-locking elements in the cavity, stable and self-starting mode-locking operation has been realized. The threshold pump power of the CW self-mode-locked Tm:YAP laser is only 5.4 W. The maximum average output power is as high as 1.65 W at the pump power of 12 W, with the repetition frequency of 468 MHz and the center wavelength of 1943 nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first CW self-mode-locked Tm:YAP laser. The experiment results show that the Tm:YAP crystal is a promising gain medium for realizing the high power self-mode-locking operation at 2 µm.

  17. Half-Watt average power femtosecond source spanning 3-8 µm based on subharmonic generation in GaAs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smolski, Viktor; Vasilyev, Sergey; Moskalev, Igor; Mirov, Mike; Ru, Qitian; Muraviev, Andrey; Schunemann, Peter; Mirov, Sergey; Gapontsev, Valentin; Vodopyanov, Konstantin

    2018-06-01

    Frequency combs with a wide instantaneous spectral span covering the 3-20 µm molecular fingerprint region are highly desirable for broadband and high-resolution frequency comb spectroscopy, trace molecular detection, and remote sensing. We demonstrate a novel approach for generating high-average-power middle-infrared (MIR) output suitable for producing frequency combs with an instantaneous spectral coverage close to 1.5 octaves. Our method is based on utilizing a highly-efficient and compact Kerr-lens mode-locked Cr2+:ZnS laser operating at 2.35-µm central wavelength with 6-W average power, 77-fs pulse duration, and high 0.9-GHz repetition rate; to pump a degenerate (subharmonic) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on a quasi-phase-matched GaAs crystal. Such subharmonic OPO is a nearly ideal frequency converter capable of extending the benefits of frequency combs based on well-established mode-locked pump lasers to the MIR region through rigorous, phase- and frequency-locked down conversion. We report a 0.5-W output in the form of an ultra-broadband spectrum spanning 3-8 µm measured at 50-dB level.

  18. Enabling lunar and space missions by laser power transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deyoung, R. J.; Nealy, J. E.; Humes, D. H.; Meador, W. E.

    1992-01-01

    Applications are proposed for laser power transmission on the Moon. A solar-pumped laser in lunar orbit would beam power to the lunar surface for conversion into either electricity or propulsion needs. For example, lunar rovers could be much more flexible and lighter than rovers using other primary power sources. Also, laser power could be absorbed by lunar soil to create a hard glassy surface for dust-free roadways and launch pads. Laser power could also be used to power small lunar rockets or orbital transfer vehicles, and finally, photovoltaic laser converters could power remote excavation vehicles and human habitats. Laser power transmission is shown to be a highly flexible, enabling primary power source for lunar missions.

  19. A novel "gain chip" concept for high-power lasers (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Min; Li, Mingzhong; Wang, Zhenguo; Yan, Xiongwei; Jiang, Xinying; Zheng, Jiangang; Cui, Xudong; Zhang, Xiaomin

    2017-05-01

    High-power lasers, including high-peak power lasers (HPPL) and high-average power lasers (HAPL), attract much interest for enormous variety of applications in inertial fusion energy (IFE), materials processing, defense, spectroscopy, and high-field physics research. To meet the requirements of high efficiency and quality, a "gain chip" concept is proposed to properly design the pumping, cooling and lasing fields. The gain chip mainly consists of the laser diode arrays, lens duct, rectangle wave guide and slab-shaped gain media. For the pumping field, the pump light will be compressed and homogenized by the lens duct to high irradiance with total internal reflection, and further coupled into the gain media through its two edge faces. For the cooling field, the coolant travels along the flow channel created by the adjacent slabs in the other two edge-face direction, and cool the lateral faces of the gain media. For the lasing field, the laser beam travels through the lateral faces and experiences minimum thermal wavefront distortions. Thereby, these three fields are in orthogonality offering more spatial freedom to handle them during the construction of the lasers. Transverse gradient doping profiles for HPPL and HAPL have been employed to achieve uniform gain distributions (UGD) within the gain media, respectively. This UGD will improve the management for both amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and thermal behavior. Since each "gain chip" has its own pump source, power scaling can be easily achieved by placing identical "gain chips" along the laser beam axis without disturbing the gain and thermal distributions. To detail our concept, a 1-kJ pulsed amplifier is designed and optical-to-optical efficiency up to 40% has been obtained. We believe that with proper coolant (gas or liquid) and gain media (Yb:YAG, Nd:glass or Nd:YAG) our "gain chip" concept might provide a general configuration for high-power lasers with high efficiency and quality.

  20. The NASA high power carbon dioxide laser: A versatile tool for laser applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lancashire, R. B.; Alger, D. L.; Manista, E. J.; Slaby, J. G.; Dunning, J. W.; Stubbs, R. M.

    1976-01-01

    A closed-cycle, continuous wave, carbon dioxide high power laser has been designed and fabricated to support research for the identification and evaluation of possible high power laser applications. The device is designed to generate up to 70 kW of laser power in annular shape beams from 1 to 9 cm in diameter. Electric discharge, either self sustained or electron beam sustained, is used for excitation. This laser facility provides a versatile tool on which research can be performed to advance the state-of-the-art technology of high power CO2 lasers in such areas as electric excitation, laser chemistry, and quality of output beams. The facility provides a well defined, continuous wave beam for various application experiments, such as propulsion, power conversion, and materials processing.

  1. High power visible diode laser for the treatment of eye diseases by laser coagulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heinrich, Arne; Hagen, Clemens; Harlander, Maximilian; Nussbaumer, Bernhard

    2015-03-01

    We present a high power visible diode laser enabling a low-cost treatment of eye diseases by laser coagulation, including the two leading causes of blindness worldwide (diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration) as well as retinopathy of prematurely born children, intraocular tumors and retinal detachment. Laser coagulation requires the exposure of the eye to visible laser light and relies on the high absorption of the retina. The need for treatment is constantly increasing, due to the demographic trend, the increasing average life expectancy and medical care demand in developing countries. The World Health Organization reacts to this demand with global programs like the VISION 2020 "The right to sight" and the following Universal Eye Health within their Global Action Plan (2014-2019). One major point is to motivate companies and research institutes to make eye treatment cheaper and easily accessible. Therefore it becomes capital providing the ophthalmology market with cost competitive, simple and reliable technologies. Our laser is based on the direct second harmonic generation of the light emitted from a tapered laser diode and has already shown reliable optical performance. All components are produced in wafer scale processes and the resulting strong economy of scale results in a price competitive laser. In a broader perspective the technology behind our laser has a huge potential in non-medical applications like welding, cutting, marking and finally laser-illuminated projection.

  2. Axicon based conical resonators with high power copper vapor laser.

    PubMed

    Singh, Bijendra; Subramaniam, V V; Daultabad, S R; Chakraborty, Ashim

    2010-07-01

    We report for the first time the performance of axicon based conical resonators (ABCRs) in a copper vapor laser, with novel results. The unstable conical resonator comprising of conical mirror (reflecting axicon) with axicon angle approximately pi/18, cone angle approximately 160 degrees, and a convex mirror of 60 cm radius of curvature was effective in reducing the average beam divergence to approximately 0.15 mrad (approximately 25 fold reduction compared to standard multimode plane-plane cavity) with output power of approximately 31 W. Extraction efficiency of approximately 50%-60% and beam divergence of <1 mrad was achieved in other stable ABCR configurations using flat and concave mirrors with the axicon. This is a significant improvement compared to 4-5 mrad normally observed in conventional stable resonators in copper vapor lasers. The conical resonators with copper vapor laser provide high misalignment tolerance beta approximately 4-5 mrad where beta is the tilt angle of the conical mirror from optimum position responsible for approximately 20% decline in laser power. The depth of focus d was approximately three times larger in case of conical resonator as compared to that of standard spherical unstable resonator under similar beam divergence and focusing conditions.

  3. Novel fiber-MOPA-based high power blue laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Engin, Doruk; Fouron, Jean-Luc; Chen, Youming; Huffman, Andromeda; Fitzpatrick, Fran; Burnham, Ralph; Gupta, Shantanu

    2012-06-01

    5W peak power at 911 nm is demonstrated with a pulsed Neodymium (Nd) doped fiber master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA). This result is the first reported high gain (16dB) fiber amplifier operation at 911nm. Pulse repetition frequency (PRF) and duty-cycle dependence of the all fiber system is characterized. Negligible performance degreadation is observed down to 1% duty cycle and 10 kHz PRF, where 2.5μJ of pulse energy is achieved. Continuous wave (CW) MOPA experiments achieved 55mW average power and 9dB gain with 15% optical to optical (o-o) efficiency. Excellent agreement is established between dynammic fiber MOPA simulation tool and experimental results in predicting output amplified spontaneous emission (ase) and signal pulse shapes. Using the simulation tool robust Stimulated Brillion Scattering (SBS) free operation is predicted out of a two stage all fiber system that generates over 10W's of peak power with 500 MHz line-width. An all fiber 911 nm pulsed laser source with >10W of peak power is expected to increase reliability and reduce complexity of high energy 455 nm laser system based on optical parametric amplification for udnerwater applications. The views expressed are thos of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.

  4. High-power disk lasers: advances and applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Havrilla, David; Ryba, Tracey; Holzer, Marco

    2012-03-01

    Though the genesis of the disk laser concept dates to the early 90's, the disk laser continues to demonstrate the flexibility and the certain future of a breakthrough technology. On-going increases in power per disk, and improvements in beam quality and efficiency continue to validate the genius of the disk laser concept. As of today, the disk principle has not reached any fundamental limits regarding output power per disk or beam quality, and offers numerous advantages over other high power resonator concepts, especially over monolithic architectures. With about 2,000 high power disk lasers installations, and a demand upwards of 1,000 lasers per year, the disk laser has proven to be a robust and reliable industrial tool. With advancements in running cost, investment cost and footprint, manufacturers continue to implement disk laser technology with more vigor than ever. This paper will explain recent advances in disk laser technology and process relevant features of the laser, like pump diode arrangement, resonator design and integrated beam guidance. In addition, advances in applications in the thick sheet area and very cost efficient high productivity applications like remote welding, remote cutting and cutting of thin sheets will be discussed.

  5. Phased laser array for generating a powerful laser beam

    DOEpatents

    Holzrichter, John F.; Ruggiero, Anthony J.

    2004-02-17

    A first injection laser signal and a first part of a reference laser beam are injected into a first laser element. At least one additional injection laser signal and at least one additional part of a reference laser beam are injected into at least one additional laser element. The first part of a reference laser beam and the at least one additional part of a reference laser beam are amplified and phase conjugated producing a first amplified output laser beam emanating from the first laser element and an additional amplified output laser beam emanating from the at least one additional laser element. The first amplified output laser beam and the additional amplified output laser beam are combined into a powerful laser beam.

  6. Nonimaging concentrators for diode-pumped slab lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lacovara, Philip; Gleckman, Philip L.; Holman, Robert L.; Winston, Roland

    1991-10-01

    Diode-pumped slab lasers require concentrators for high-average power operation. We detail the properties of diode lasers and slab lasers which set the concentration requirements and the concentrator design methodologies that are used, and describe some concentrator designs used in high-average power slab lasers at Lincoln Laboratory.

  7. Atmospheric Propagation and Combining of High-Power Lasers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-08

    Brightness-scaling potential of actively phase- locked solid state laser arrays,” IEEE J. Sel. Topics Quantum Electron., vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 460–472, May...attempting to phase- lock high-power lasers, which is not encountered when phase- locking low-power lasers, for example mW power levels. Regardless, we...technology does not currently exist. This presents a challenging problem when attempting to phase- lock high-power lasers, which is not encountered when

  8. Gain media edge treatment to suppress amplified spontaneous emission in a high power laser

    DOEpatents

    Hackel, Lloyd A.; Soules, Thomas F.; Fochs, Scott N.; Rotter, Mark D.; Letts, Stephan A.

    2008-12-09

    A novel method and apparatus for suppressing ASE and parasitic oscillation modes in a high average power laser is introduced. By roughening one or more peripheral edges of a solid-state crystal or ceramic laser gain media and by bonding such edges using a substantially high index bonding elastomer or epoxy to a predetermined electromagnetic absorbing arranged adjacent to the entire outer surface of the peripheral edges of the roughened laser gain media, ASE and parasitic oscillation modes can be effectively suppressed.

  9. Satellite Power Systems (SPS) laser studies. Volume 1: Laser environmental impact study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beverly, R. E., III

    1980-01-01

    The environmental impact of space to Earth power transmission using space borne laser subsystems is emphasized. A laser system is defined, estimates of relevant efficiencies for laser power generation and atmospheric transmission are developed, and a comparison is made to a microwave system. Ancillary issues, such as laser beam spreading, safety and security, mass and volume estimates and technology growth are considered.

  10. Potential of laser for SPS power transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bain, C. N.

    1978-01-01

    Research on the feasibility of using a laser subsystem as an additional option for the transmission of the satellite power system (STS) power is presented. Current laser work and predictions for future laser performance provide a level of confidence that the development of a laser power transmission system is technologically feasible in the time frame required to develop the SBS. There are significant economic advantages in lower ground distribution costs and a reduction of more than two orders of magnitude in real estate requirements for ground based receiving/conversion sites.

  11. Compact high-power optical source for resonant infrared pulsed laser ablation and deposition of polymer materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolev, V. Z.; Duering, M. W.; Luther-Davies, B.; Rode, A. V.

    2006-12-01

    We propose a novel tuneable table-top optical source as an alternative to the free electron laser currently used for resonant infrared pulsed laser deposition of polymers. It is based on two-stage pulsed optical parametric amplification using MgO doped periodically poled lithium niobate crystals. Gain in excess of 106 in the first stage and pump depletion of 58% in the second stage were achieved when the system was pumped by a high-power Nd:YVO4 picosecond laser source at 1064 nm and seeded by a CW tuneable diode laser at 1530 nm. An average power of 2 W was generated at 3.5 µm corresponding to 1.3 µJ pulse energy.

  12. Design investigation of solar powered lasers for space applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Taussig, R.; Bruzzone, C.; Quimby, D.; Nelson, L.; Christiansen, W.; Neice, S.; Cassady, P.; Pindroh, A.

    1979-01-01

    The feasibility of solar powered lasers for continuous operation in space power transmission was investigated. Laser power transmission in space over distances of 10 to 100 thousand kilometers appears possible. A variety of lasers was considered, including solar-powered GDLs and EDLs, and solar-pumped lasers. An indirect solar-pumped laser was investigated which uses a solar-heated black body cavity to pump the lasant. Efficiencies in the range of 10 to 20 percent are projected for these indirect optically pumped lasers.

  13. 152 W average power Tm-doped fiber CPA system.

    PubMed

    Stutzki, Fabian; Gaida, Christian; Gebhardt, Martin; Jansen, Florian; Wienke, Andreas; Zeitner, Uwe; Fuchs, Frank; Jauregui, Cesar; Wandt, Dieter; Kracht, Dietmar; Limpert, Jens; Tünnermann, Andreas

    2014-08-15

    A high-power thulium (Tm)-doped fiber chirped-pulse amplification system emitting a record compressed average output power of 152 W and 4 MW peak power is demonstrated. This result is enabled by utilizing Tm-doped photonic crystal fibers with mode-field diameters of 35 μm, which mitigate detrimental nonlinearities, exhibit slope efficiencies of more than 50%, and allow for reaching a pump-power-limited average output power of 241 W. The high-compression efficiency has been achieved by using multilayer dielectric gratings with diffraction efficiencies higher than 98%.

  14. Laser fiber cleaving techniques: effects on tip morphology and power output.

    PubMed

    Vassantachart, Janna M; Lightfoot, Michelle; Yeo, Alexander; Maldonado, Jonathan; Li, Roger; Alsyouf, Muhannad; Martin, Jacob; Lee, Michael; Olgin, Gaudencio; Baldwin, D Duane

    2015-01-01

    Proper cleaving of reusable laser fibers is needed to maintain optimal functionality. This study quantifies the effect of different cleaving tools on power output of the holmium laser fiber and demonstrates morphologic changes using microscopy. The uncleaved tips of new 272 μm reusable laser fibers were used to obtain baseline power transmission values at 3 W (0.6 J, 5 Hz). Power output for each of four cleaving techniques-11-blade scalpel, scribe pen cleaving tool, diamond cleaving wheel, and suture scissors-was measured in a single-blinded fashion. Dispersion of light from the fibers was compared with manufacturer specifications and rated as "ideal," "acceptable," or "unacceptable" by blinded reviewers. The fiber tips were also imaged using confocal and scanning electron microscopy. Independent samples Kruskal-Wallis test and chi square were used for statistical analysis (α<0.05). New uncleaved fiber tips transmitted 3.04 W of power and were used as a reference (100%). The scribe pen cleaving tool produced the next highest output (97.1%), followed by the scalpel (83.4%), diamond cleaving wheel (77.1%), and suture scissors (61.7%), a trend that was highly significant (P<0.001). On pairwise comparison, no difference in power output was seen between the uncleaved fiber tips and those cleaved with the scribe pen (P=1.0). The rating of the light dispersion patterns from the different cleaving methods followed the same trend as the power output results (P<0.001). Microscopy showed that the scribe pen produced small defects along the fiber cladding but maintained a smooth, flat core surface. The other cleaving techniques produced defects on both the core and cladding. Cleaving techniques produce a significant effect on the initial power transmitted by reusable laser fibers. The scribe pen cleaving tool produced the most consistent and highest average power output.

  15. Photovoltaic conversion of laser power to electrical power

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Walker, G. H.; Heinbockel, J. H.

    1986-01-01

    Photovoltaic laser to electric converters are attractive for use with a space-based laser power station. This paper presents the results of modeling studies for a silicon vertical junction converter used with a Nd laser. A computer code was developed for the model and this code was used to conduct a parametric study for a Si vertical junction converter consisting of one p-n junction irradiated with a Nd laser. These calculations predict an efficiency over 50 percent for an optimized converter.

  16. Space Solar Power Technology Demonstration for Lunar Polar Applications: Laser-Photovoltaic Wireless Power Transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Henley, M. W.; Fikes, J. C.; Howell, J.; Mankins, J. C.; Howell, Joe T. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    Space Solar Power technology offers unique benefits for near-term NASA space science missions, which can mature this technology for other future applications. "Laser-Photo-Voltaic Wireless Power Transmission" (Laser-PV WPT) is a technology that uses a laser to beam power to a photovoltaic receiver, which converts the laser's light into electricity. Future Laser-PV WPT systems may beam power from Earth to satellites or large Space Solar Power satellites may beam power to Earth, perhaps supplementing terrestrial solar photo-voltaic receivers. In a near-term scientific mission to the moon, Laser-PV WPT can enable robotic operations in permanently shadowed lunar polar craters, which may contain ice. Ground-based technology demonstrations are proceeding, to mature the technology for this initial application, in the moon's polar regions.

  17. Innovative ceramic slab lasers for high power laser applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lapucci, Antonio; Ciofini, Marco

    2005-09-01

    Diode Pumped Solid State Lasers (DPSSL) are gaining increasing interest for high power industrial application, given the continuous improvement in high power diode laser technology reliability and affordability. These sources open new windows in the parameter space for traditional applications such as cutting , welding, marking and engraving for high reflectance metallic materials. Other interesting applications for this kind of sources include high speed thermal printing, precision drilling, selective soldering and thin film etching. In this paper we examine the most important DPSS laser source types for industrial applications and we describe in details the performances of some slab laser configurations investigated at our facilities. The different architectures' advantages and draw-backs are briefly compared in terms of performances, system complexity and ease of scalability to the multi-kW level.

  18. High power disk lasers: advances and applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Havrilla, David; Holzer, Marco

    2011-02-01

    Though the genesis of the disk laser concept dates to the early 90's, the disk laser continues to demonstrate the flexibility and the certain future of a breakthrough technology. On-going increases in power per disk, and improvements in beam quality and efficiency continue to validate the genius of the disk laser concept. As of today, the disk principle has not reached any fundamental limits regarding output power per disk or beam quality, and offers numerous advantages over other high power resonator concepts, especially over monolithic architectures. With well over 1000 high power disk lasers installations, the disk laser has proven to be a robust and reliable industrial tool. With advancements in running cost, investment cost and footprint, manufacturers continue to implement disk laser technology with more vigor than ever. This paper will explain important details of the TruDisk laser series and process relevant features of the system, like pump diode arrangement, resonator design and integrated beam guidance. In addition, advances in applications in the thick sheet area and very cost efficient high productivity applications like remote welding, remote cutting and cutting of thin sheets will be discussed.

  19. Effect of 655 nm laser different powers on dog sperm motility parameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Corral-Baqués, M. I.; Rigau, T.; Rivera, M. M.; Rodríguez-Gil, J. E.; Rigau, J.

    2006-04-01

    Introduction: One of the most appreciated features of the sperm is its motility, which depends on a big energy consumption despite differences among species. Laser acts direct or indirectly on mitochondria increasing ATP production. Material and method: By means of a Computer Aided Sperm Analysis (CASA) we have studied the effects of a 655 nm continuous wave diode laser irradiation at different power outputs with a dose of 3.3418 J on sperm motility. After an eosine-nigrosine stain to establish its quality, the second fraction of fresh beagle dog sperm was divided into 5 groups, 1 control and four to be irradiated respectively with an average output power of 6.84 mW, 15.43 mW, 33.05 mW and 49.66 mW. At times 0 and 45 minutes from irradiation pictures were taken and analysed with the Sperm class Analyzer SCA2002 programme. The motility parameters of 4987 spermatozoa studied were: curvilinear velocity (VCL), progressive velocity (VSL), straightness (STR), wobble (WOB), average path velocity (VAP), linearity (LIN), mean amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALHmed), beat cross frequency (BCF) and the total motility (MT). At time 15 minutes after irradiation a hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST) was done. Results: Several motility parameters that affect the overall motile sperm subpopulation structure have been changed by different output powers of a 655 nm diode laser irradiation, and prevents the decrease of the sperm motility properties along time.

  20. Monolithic fiber laser oscillator with record high power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Baolai; Shi, Chen; Zhang, Hanwei; Ye, Qing; Pi, Haoyang; Tao, Rumao; Wang, Xiaolin; Ma, Pengfei; Leng, Jinyong; Chen, Zilun; Zhou, Pu; Xu, Xiaojun; Chen, Jinbao; Liu, Zejin

    2018-07-01

    With an increasing output power, the power scaling of monolithic fiber laser oscillators faces the severe limitations of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and the transverse mode instability (TMI) effect. In this work, we report a high power monolithic fiber laser oscillator with a maximum output power of 5.2 kW, which is realized with a trade-off design between the SRS and TMI. The monolithic fiber laser oscillator is constructed with ytterbium-doped fiber with a core/inner cladding diameter of 25/400 µm and corresponding home-made FBG. High-power 915 nm laser diodes are employed as a pump source and are distributed in a bidirectional-pump configuration. By optimizing the bidirectional pump proportion, the monolithic fiber laser oscillator is scaled up to 5.2 kW with a slope efficiency of ~63%. Operating at 5.2 kW, the intensity of the Raman stokes light is ~22 dB below the signal laser and the beam quality (M2-factor) is ~2.2. To the best of our knowledge, this is a record high power for monolithic fiber laser oscillators.

  1. Laser-diode pumped 40-W Yb:YAG ceramic laser.

    PubMed

    Hao, Qiang; Li, Wenxue; Pan, Haifeng; Zhang, Xiaoyi; Jiang, Benxue; Pan, Yubai; Zeng, Heping

    2009-09-28

    We demonstrated a high-power continuous-wave (CW) polycrystalline Yb:YAG ceramic laser pumped by fiber-pigtailed laser diode at 968 nm with 400 mum fiber core. The Yb:YAG ceramic laser performance was compared for different Yb(3+) ion concentrations in the ceramics by using a conventional end-pump laser cavity consisting of two flat mirrors with output couplers of different transmissions. A CW laser output of 40 W average power with M(2) factor of 5.8 was obtained with 5 mol% Yb concentration under 120 W incident pump power. This is to the best of our knowledge the highest output power in end-pumped bulk Yb:YAG ceramic laser.

  2. Direct nuclear-powered lasers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jalufka, N. W.

    1983-01-01

    The development of direct nuclear pumped lasers is reviewed. Theoretical and experimental investigations of various methods of converting the energy of nuclear fission fragments to laser power are summarized. The development of direct nuclear pumped lasers was achieved. The basic processes involved in the production of a plasma by nuclear radiation were studied. Significant progress was accomplished in this area and a large amount of basic data on plasma formation and atomic and molecular processes leading to population inversions is available.

  3. Fully automated 1.5 MHz FDML laser with more than 100mW output power at 1310 nm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wieser, Wolfgang; Klein, Thomas; Draxinger, Wolfgang; Huber, Robert

    2015-07-01

    While FDML lasers with MHz sweep speeds have been presented five years ago, these devices have required manual control for startup and operation. Here, we present a fully self-starting and continuously regulated FDML laser with a sweep rate of 1.5 MHz. The laser operates over a sweep range of 115 nm centered at 1315 nm, and provides very high average output power of more than 100 mW. We characterize the laser performance, roll-off, coherence length and investigate the wavelength and phase stability of the laser output under changing environmental conditions. The high output power allows optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging with an OCT sensitivity of 108 dB at 1.5 MHz.

  4. High Power Laser Processing Of Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martyr, D. R.; Holt, T.

    1987-09-01

    The first practical demonstration of a laser device was in 1960 and in the following years, the high power carbon dioxide laser has matured as an industrial machine tool. Modern carbon dioxide gas lasers can be used for cutting, welding, heat treatment, drilling, scribing and marking. Since their invention over 25 years ago they are now becoming recognised as highly reliable devices capable of achieving huge savings in production costs in many situations. This paper introduces the basic laser processing techniques of cutting, welding and heat treatment as they apply to the most common engineering materials. Typical processing speeds achieved with a wide range of laser powers are reported. Accuracies achievable and fit-up tolerances required are presented. Methods of integrating lasers with machine tools are described and their suitability in a wide range of manufacturing industries is described by reference to recent installations. Examples from small batch manufacturing, high volume production using dedicated laser welding equipment, and high volume manufacturing using 'flexible' automated laser welding equipment are described Future applications of laser processing are suggested by reference to current process developments.

  5. Control over high peak-power laser light and laser-driven X-rays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Baozhen; Banerjee, Sudeep; Yan, Wenchao; Zhang, Ping; Zhang, Jun; Golovin, Grigory; Liu, Cheng; Fruhling, Colton; Haden, Daniel; Chen, Shouyuan; Umstadter, Donald

    2018-04-01

    An optical system was demonstrated that enables continuous control over the peak power level of ultrashort duration laser light. The optical characteristics of amplified and compressed femtosecond-duration light from a chirped-pulse amplification laser are shown to remain invariant and maintain high-fidelity using this system. When the peak power was varied by an order-of-magnitude, up to its maximum attainable value, the phase, spectral bandwidth, polarization state, and focusability of the light remained constant. This capability led to precise control of the focused laser intensity and enabled a correspondingly high level of control over the power of an all-laser-driven Thomson X-ray light source.

  6. Visible high power fiber coupled diode lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Köhler, Bernd; Drovs, Simon; Stoiber, Michael; Dürsch, Sascha; Kissel, Heiko; Könning, Tobias; Biesenbach, Jens; König, Harald; Lell, Alfred; Stojetz, Bernhard; Löffler, Andreas; Strauß, Uwe

    2018-02-01

    In this paper we report on further development of fiber coupled high-power diode lasers in the visible spectral range. New visible laser modules presented in this paper include the use of multi single emitter arrays @ 450 nm leading to a 120 W fiber coupled unit with a beam quality of 44 mm x mrad, as well as very compact modules with multi-W output power from 405 nm to 640 nm. However, as these lasers are based on single emitters, power scaling quickly leads to bulky laser units with a lot of optical components to be aligned. We also report on a new approach based on 450 nm diode laser bars, which dramatically reduces size and alignment effort. These activities were performed within the German government-funded project "BlauLas": a maximum output power of 80 W per bar has been demonstrated @ 450 nm. We show results of a 200 μm NA0.22 fiber coupled 35 W source @ 450 nm, which has been reduced in size by a factor of 25 compared to standard single emitter approach. In addition, we will present a 200 μm NA0.22 fiber coupled laser unit with an output power of 135 W.

  7. Effect of volatile compounds on excimer laser power delivery.

    PubMed

    Van Horn, Stewart D; Hovanesian, John A; Maloney, Robert K

    2002-01-01

    To determine whether vapors from perfume, hairspray, oil-based paint, or water-based paint affect excimer laser beam power delivery at the corneal surface. We measured the power delivery of an Apex Plus laser before, during, and after exposure to vapors from the following volatile compounds: three types of perfume, hair spray, an oil-based paint, and a water-based paint. A digital calorimeter was used to measure the steady-state beam power of the laser during laser discharge at the corneal plane. Multiple trials were run with each compound, and the change in laser energy over time was examined to determine if any of the compounds caused degradation of the laser optics. The presence of a volatile compound in the room caused no change in mean laser energy in comparison to before and after the compound was present. However, perfumes caused a progressive decline in laser beam power throughout the trials. Controlling for this progressive decline, there was no significant difference from perfume to perfume. None of the compounds tested caused a decline in laser beam power while present in the room. However, the presence of any perfume caused a deterioration in beam power over time, suggesting a degradation of the laser optics for all perfumes. Laser centers should consider advising their patients and staff to not wear perfumes in the laser suite.

  8. Material Processing with High Power CO2-Lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bakowsky, Lothar

    1986-10-01

    After a period of research and development lasertechnique now is regarded as an important instrument for flexible, economic and fully automatic manufacturing. Especially cutting of flat metal sheets with high power C02-lasers and CNC controlled two or three axes handling systems is a wide spread. application. Three dimensional laser cutting, laser-welding and -heat treatment are just at the be ginning of industrial use in production lines. The main. advantages of laser technology. are - high. accuracy - high, processing velocity - law thermal distortion. - no tool abrasion. The market for laser material processing systems had 1985 a volume of 300 Mio S with growth rates between, 20 % and 30 %. The topic of this lecture are hiTrh. power CO2-lasers. Besides this systems two others are used as machining tools, Nd-YAG- and Eximer lasers. All applications of high. power CO2-lasers to industrial material processing show that high processing velocity and quality are only guaranteed in case of a stable intensity. profile on the workpiece. This is only achieved by laser systems without any power and mode fluctuations and by handling systems of high accuracy. Two applications in the automotive industry are described, below as examples for laser cutting and laser welding of special cylindrical motor parts.

  9. Atmospheric propagation and combining of high-power lasers.

    PubMed

    Nelson, W; Sprangle, P; Davis, C C

    2016-03-01

    In this paper, we analyze beam combining and atmospheric propagation of high-power lasers for directed-energy (DE) applications. The large linewidths inherent in high-power fiber and slab lasers cause random phase and intensity fluctuations that occur on subnanosecond time scales. Coherently combining these high-power lasers would involve instruments capable of precise phase control and operation at rates greater than ∼10  GHz. To the best of our knowledge, this technology does not currently exist. This presents a challenging problem when attempting to phase lock high-power lasers that is not encountered when phase locking low-power lasers, for example, at milliwatt power levels. Regardless, we demonstrate that even if instruments are developed that can precisely control the phase of high-power lasers, coherent combining is problematic for DE applications. The dephasing effects of atmospheric turbulence typically encountered in DE applications will degrade the coherent properties of the beam before it reaches the target. Through simulations, we find that coherent beam combining in moderate turbulence and over multikilometer propagation distances has little advantage over incoherent combining. Additionally, in cases of strong turbulence and multikilometer propagation ranges, we find nearly indistinguishable intensity profiles and virtually no difference in the energy on the target between coherently and incoherently combined laser beams. Consequently, we find that coherent beam combining at the transmitter plane is ineffective under typical atmospheric conditions.

  10. Method and apparatus for tuning high power lasers

    DOEpatents

    Hutchinson, Donald P.; Vandersluis, Kenneth L.

    1977-04-19

    This invention relates to high power gas lasers that are adapted to be tuned to a desired lasing wavelength through the use of a gas cell to lower the gain at a natural lasing wavelength and "seeding" the laser with a beam from a low power laser which is lasing at the desired wavelength. This tuning is accomplished with no loss of power and produces a pulse with an altered pulse shape. It is potentially applicable to all gas lasers.

  11. High power laser perforating tools and systems

    DOEpatents

    Zediker, Mark S; Rinzler, Charles C; Faircloth, Brian O; Koblick, Yeshaya; Moxley, Joel F

    2014-04-22

    ystems devices and methods for the transmission of 1 kW or more of laser energy deep into the earth and for the suppression of associated nonlinear phenomena. Systems, devices and methods for the laser perforation of a borehole in the earth. These systems can deliver high power laser energy down a deep borehole, while maintaining the high power to perforate such boreholes.

  12. Extending solid state laser performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miesak, Ed

    2017-02-01

    Coherent Diode-Pumped Solid-State Orlando (CDO), formerly known as Lee Laser, headquartered in Orlando Florida produces CW and pulsed solid state lasers. Primary wavelengths include 1064 nm, 532 nm, and 355 nm. Other wavelengths produced include 1320 nm, 15xx nm, and 16xx nm. Pulse widths are in the range of singles to hundreds of nanoseconds. Average powers are in the range of a few watts to 1000 watts. Pulse repetition rates are typically in the range of 100 Hz to 100 KHz. Laser performance parameters are often modified according to customer requests. Laser parameters that can be adjusted include average power, pulse repetition rate, pulse length, beam quality, and wavelength. Laser parameters are typically cross-coupled such that adjusting one may change some or all of the others. Customers often request one or more parameters be changed without changing any of the remaining parameters. CDO has learned how to accomplish this successfully with rapid turn-around times and minimal cost impact. The experience gained by accommodating customer requests has produced a textbook of cause and effect combinations of laser components to accomplish almost any parameter change request. Understanding the relationships between component combinations provides valuable insight into lasing effects allowing designers to extend laser performance beyond what is currently available. This has led to several break through products, i.e. >150W average power 355 nm, >60W average power 6 ps 1064 nm, pulse lengths longer than 400 ns at 532 nm with average power >100W, >400W 532 nm with pulse lengths in the 100 ns range.

  13. New generation of compact high power disk lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feuchtenbeiner, Stefanie; Zaske, Sebastian; Schad, Sven-Silvius; Gottwald, Tina; Kuhn, Vincent; Kumkar, Sören; Metzger, Bernd; Killi, Alexander; Haug, Patrick; Speker, Nicolai

    2018-02-01

    New technological developments in high power disk lasers emitting at 1030 nm are presented. These include the latest generation of TRUMPF's TruDisk product line offering high power disk lasers with up to 6 kW output power and beam qualities of up to 4 mm*mrad. With these compact devices a footprint reduction of 50% compared to the previous model could be achieved while at the same time improving robustness and increasing system efficiency. In the context of Industry 4.0, the new generation of TruDisk lasers features a synchronized data recording of all sensors, offering high-quality data for virtual analyses. The lasers therefore provide optimal hardware requirements for services like Condition Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance. We will also discuss its innovative and space-saving cooling architecture. It allows operation of the laser under very critical ambient conditions. Furthermore, an outlook on extending the new disk laser platform to higher power levels will be given. We will present a disk laser with 8 kW laser power out of a single disk with a beam quality of 5 mm*mrad using a 125 μm fiber, which makes it ideally suited for cutting and welding applications. The flexibility of the disk laser platform also enables the realization of a wide variety of beam guiding setups. As an example a new scheme called BrightLine Weld will be discussed. This technology allows for an almost spatter free laser welding process, even at high feed rates.

  14. Injection locking of a high power ultraviolet laser diode for laser cooling of ytterbium atoms

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hosoya, Toshiyuki; Miranda, Martin; Inoue, Ryotaro

    2015-07-15

    We developed a high-power laser system at a wavelength of 399 nm for laser cooling of ytterbium atoms with ultraviolet laser diodes. The system is composed of an external cavity laser diode providing frequency stabilized output at a power of 40 mW and another laser diode for amplifying the laser power up to 220 mW by injection locking. The systematic method for optimization of our injection locking can also be applied to high power light sources at any other wavelengths. Our system does not depend on complex nonlinear frequency-doubling and can be made compact, which will be useful for providing light sources formore » laser cooling experiments including transportable optical lattice clocks.« less

  15. Passively mode-locked high power Nd:GdVO4 laser with direct in-band pumping at 912 nm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nadimi, Mohammad; Waritanant, Tanant; Major, Arkady

    2018-01-01

    We report on the first semiconductor saturable absorber mirror mode-locked Nd:GdVO4 laser directly diode-pumped at 912 nm. The laser generated 10.14 W of averaged output power at 1063 nm with the pulse width of 16 ps at the repetition rate of 85.2 MHz. The optical-to-optical efficiency and slope efficiency in the mode-locked regime were calculated to be 49.6% and 67.4% with respect to the absorbed pump power, respectively. Due to the low quantum defect pumping the output power was limited only by the available pump power.

  16. Dual-wavelength tunable fibre laser with a 15-dBm peak power

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Latif, A A; Awang, N A; Zulkifli, M Z

    2011-08-31

    A high-power dual-wavelength tunable fibre laser (HP-DWTFL) operating in the C-band at wavelengths from 1536.7 nm to 1548.6 nm is proposed and demonstrated. The HP-DWTFL utilises an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) (1 x 16 channels) and is capable of generating eight different dual-wavelength pairs with eight possible wavelength spacings ranging from 0.8 nm (the narrowest spacing) to 12.0 nm (the widest spacing). The average output power and side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of the HP-DWTFL are measured to be 15 dBm and 52.55 dB, respectively. The proposed HP-DWTFL is highly stable with no variations in the chosen output wavelengths andmore » has minimal changes in the output power. Such a laser has good potential for use in measurements, communications, spectroscopy and terahertz applications. (control of radiation parameters)« less

  17. Mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser oscillators pumped by wavelength-multiplexed laser diodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sugiyama, Naoto; Tanaka, Hiroki; Kannari, Fumihiko

    2018-05-01

    We directly pumped a Ti:sapphire laser by combining 478 and 520 nm laser diodes to prevent the effect of absorption loss induced by the pump laser of shorter wavelengths (∼450 nm). We obtain a continuous-wave output power of 660 mW at a total incident pump power of 3.15 W. We demonstrate mode locking using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror, and 126 fs pulses were obtained at a repetition rate of 192 MHz. At the maximum pump power, the average output power is 315 mW. Shorter mode-locked pulses of 42 and 48 fs were respectively achieved by Kerr-lens mode locking with average output powers of 280 and 360 mW at a repetition rate of 117 MHz.

  18. Two-photon excitation of 2,5-diphenyloxazole using a low power green solid state laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luchowski, Rafal

    2011-01-01

    This Letter concerns two-photon excitation of 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) upon illumination from a pulsed 532 nm solid state laser, with an average power of 30 mW, and a repetition rate of 20 MHz. A very agreeable emission spectrum position and shape has been achieved for PPO receiving one- and two-photon excitation, which suggests that the same excited state is involved for both excitation modes. Also, a perfect quadratic dependence of laser power in the emission intensity function has been recorded. We tested the application of a small solid state green laser to two-photon induced time-resolved fluorescence, revealing the emission anisotropy of PPO to be considerably higher for two-photon than for one-photon excitation.

  19. Holmium:YAG (lambda=2120nm) vs. Thulium fiber (lambda=1908nm) laser for high-power vaporization of canine prostate tissue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Casperson, Andrew L.; Barton, Robert A.; Scott, Nicholas J.; Fried, Nathaniel M.

    2008-02-01

    Direct studies comparing different lasers for treatment of BPH are lacking. This preliminary study compares continuous-wave (CW) vs. pulsed prostate tissue vaporization for the Thulium fiber laser and Holmium:YAG laser, both operating near the 1940 nm water absorption peak in tissue. A 50-W Thulium fiber laser (λ= 1908 nm) delivered CW laser radiation through a 600-μm silica fiber in non-contact mode with a 5-mm-diameter spot at the tissue surface. A Holmium:YAG laser (λ= 2120 nm) operated with an energy of 2 J, pulse rate of 25 Hz, and average power of 50 W, and delivered pulsed laser radiation through a 600-μm silica fiber with a 5-mm-diameter laser spot to achieve similar irradiances at the tissue surface. Tissue vaporization was performed in air with the prostate kept hydrated in saline. Tissue vaporization efficiency of both lasers was compared (n = 10 canine prostates for each laser group). Mean vaporization efficiency measured 5.30 +/- 0.48 kJ/g vs. 4.13 +/- 0.46 kJ/g for Thulium fiber and Holmium lasers (P < 0.05). Tissue vaporization rates measured 0.57 +/- 0.05 g/min vs. 0.73 +/- 0.07 g/min (P < 0.05). The Holmium:YAG laser vaporizes prostate tissue at a higher rate than the Thulium fiber laser, for the same average power delivered to the tissue. Both the Thulium fiber laser and Holmium:YAG lasers are capable of vaporizing prostate tissue at a rate > 1 g/min if operated at the high powers (100-W) typically used in the clinic.

  20. High-powered CO2 -lasers and noise control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Honkasalo, Antero; Kuronen, Juhani

    High-power CO2 -lasers are being more and more widely used for welding, drilling and cutting in machine shops. In the near future, different kinds of surface treatments will also become routine practice with laser units. The industries benefitting most from high power lasers will be: the automotive industry, shipbuilding, the offshore industry, the aerospace industry, the nuclear and the chemical processing industries. Metal processing lasers are interesting from the point of view of noise control because the working tool is a laser beam. It is reasonable to suppose that the use of such laser beams will lead to lower noise levels than those connected with traditional metal processing methods and equipment. In the following presentation, the noise levels and possible noise-control problems attached to the use of high-powered CO2 -lasers are studied.

  1. In-depth analysis and discussions of water absorption-typed high power laser calorimeter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Ji Feng

    2017-02-01

    In high-power and high-energy laser measurement, the absorber materials can be easily destroyed under long-term direct laser irradiation. In order to improve the calorimeter's measuring capacity, a measuring system directly using water flow as the absorber medium was built. The system's basic principles and the designing parameters of major parts were elaborated. The system's measuring capacity, the laser working modes, and the effects of major parameters were analyzed deeply. Moreover, the factors that may affect the accuracy of measurement were analyzed and discussed. The specific control measures and methods were elaborated. The self-calibration and normal calibration experiments show that this calorimeter has very high accuracy. In electrical calibration, the average correction coefficient is only 1.015, with standard deviation of only 0.5%. In calibration experiments, the standard deviation relative to a middle-power standard calorimeter is only 1.9%.

  2. Non-intrusive beam power monitor for high power pulsed or continuous wave lasers

    DOEpatents

    Hawsey, Robert A.; Scudiere, Matthew B.

    1993-01-01

    A system and method for monitoring the output of a laser is provided in which the output of a photodiode disposed in the cavity of the laser is used to provide a correlated indication of the laser power. The photodiode is disposed out of the laser beam to view the extraneous light generated in the laser cavity whose intensity has been found to be a direct correlation of the laser beam output power level. Further, the system provides means for monitoring the phase of the laser output beam relative to a modulated control signal through the photodiode monitor.

  3. High Power High Efficiency Diode Laser Stack for Processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Yuanyuan; Lu, Hui; Fu, Yueming; Cui, Yan

    2018-03-01

    High-power diode lasers based on GaAs semiconductor bars are well established as reliable and highly efficient laser sources. As diode laser is simple in structure, small size, longer life expectancy with the advantages of low prices, it is widely used in the industry processing, such as heat treating, welding, hardening, cladding and so on. Respectively, diode laser could make it possible to establish the practical application because of rectangular beam patterns which are suitable to make fine bead with less power. At this power level, it can have many important applications, such as surgery, welding of polymers, soldering, coatings and surface treatment of metals. But there are some applications, which require much higher power and brightness, e.g. hardening, key hole welding, cutting and metal welding. In addition, High power diode lasers in the military field also have important applications. So all developed countries have attached great importance to high-power diode laser system and its applications. This is mainly due their low performance. In this paper we will introduce the structure and the principle of the high power diode stack.

  4. Overview on the high power excimer laser technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Jingru

    2013-05-01

    High power excimer laser has essential applications in the fields of high energy density physics, inertial fusion energy and industry owing to its advantages such as short wavelength, high gain, wide bandwidth, energy scalable and repetition operating ability. This overview is aimed at an introduction and evaluation of enormous endeavor of the international high power excimer laser community in the last 30 years. The main technologies of high power excimer laser are reviewed, which include the pumping source technology, angular multiplexing and pulse compressing, beam-smoothing and homogenous irradiation, high efficiency and repetitive operation et al. A high power XeCl laser system developed in NINT of China is described in detail.

  5. Recent development on high-power tandem-pumped fiber laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Pu; Xiao, Hu; Leng, Jinyong; Zhang, Hanwei; Xu, Jiangmin; Wu, Jian

    2016-11-01

    High power fiber laser is attracting more and more attention due to its advantage in excellent beam quality, high electricto- optical conversion efficiency and compact system configuration. Power scaling of fiber laser is challenged by the brightness of pump source, nonlinear effect, modal instability and so on. Pumping active fiber by using high-brightness fiber laser instead of common laser diode may be the solution for the brightness limitation. In this paper, we will present the recent development of various kinds of high power fiber laser based on tandem pumping scheme. According to the absorption property of Ytterbium-doped fiber, Thulium-doped fiber and Holmium-doped fiber, we have theoretically studied the fiber lasers that operate at 1018 nm, 1178 nm and 1150 nm, respectively in detail. Consequently, according to the numerical results we have optimized the fiber laser system design, and we have achieved (1) 500 watt level 1018nm Ytterbium-doped fiber laser (2) 100 watt level 1150 nm fiber laser and 100 watt level random fiber laser (3) 30 watt 1178 nm Ytterbium-doped fiber laser, 200 watt-level random fiber laser. All of the above-mentioned are the record power for the corresponded type of fiber laser to the best of our knowledge. By using the high-brightness fiber laser operate at 1018 nm, 1178 nm and 1150 nm that we have developed, we have achieved the following high power fiber laser (1) 3.5 kW 1090 nm Ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier (2) 100 watt level Thulium-doped fiber laser and (3) 50 watt level Holmium -doped fiber laser.

  6. Power blue and green laser diodes and their applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hager, Thomas; Strauß, Uwe; Eichler, Christoph; Vierheilig, Clemens; Tautz, Sönke; Brüderl, Georg; Stojetz, Bernhard; Wurm, Teresa; Avramescu, Adrian; Somers, André; Ristic, Jelena; Gerhard, Sven; Lell, Alfred; Morgott, Stefan; Mehl, Oliver

    2013-03-01

    InGaN based green laser diodes with output powers up to 50mW are now well established for variety of applications ranging from leveling to special lighting effects and mobile projection of 12lm brightness. In future the highest market potential for visible single mode profile lasers might be laser projection of 20lm. Therefore direct green single-mode laser diodes with higher power are required. We found that self heating was the limiting factor for higher current operation. We present power-current characteristics of improved R and D samples with up to 200mW in cw-operation. An optical output power of 100mW is reached at 215mA, a current level which is suitable for long term operation. Blue InGaN laser diodes are also the ideal source for phosphor based generation of green light sources of high luminance. We present a light engine based on LARP (Laser Activated Remote Phosphor) which can be used in business projectors of several thousand lumens on screen. We discuss the advantages of a laser based systems in comparison with LED light engines. LARP requires highly efficient blue power laser diodes with output power above 1W. Future market penetration of LARP will require lower costs. Therefore we studied new designs for higher powers levels. R and D chips with power-current characteristics up to 4W in continuous wave operation on C-mount at 25°C are presented.

  7. Application and the key technology on high power fiber-optic laser in laser weapon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qu, Zhou; Li, Qiushi; Meng, Haihong; Sui, Xin; Zhang, Hongtao; Zhai, Xuhua

    2014-12-01

    The soft-killing laser weapon plays an important role in photoelectric defense technology. It can be used for photoelectric detection, search, blinding of photoelectric sensor and other devices on fire control and guidance devices, therefore it draws more and more attentions by many scholars. High power fiber-optic laser has many virtues such as small volume, simple structure, nimble handling, high efficiency, qualified light beam, easy thermal management, leading to blinding. Consequently, it may be used as the key device of soft-killing laser weapon. The present study introduced the development of high power fiber-optic laser and its main features. Meanwhile the key technology of large mode area (LMA) optical fiber design, the beam combination technology, double-clad fiber technology and pumping optical coupling technology was stated. The present study is aimed to design high doping LMA fiber, ensure single mode output by increasing core diameter and decrease NA. By means of reducing the spontaneous emission particle absorbed by fiber core and Increasing the power density in the optical fiber, the threshold power of nonlinear effect can increase, and the power of single fiber will be improved. Meantime, high power will be obtained by the beam combination technology. Application prospect of high power fiber laser in photoelectric defense technology was also set forth. Lastly, the present study explored the advantages of high power fiber laser in photoelectric defense technology.

  8. High-power laser diodes at various wavelengths

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Emanuel, M.A.

    High power laser diodes at various wavelengths are described. First, performance and reliability of an optimized large transverse mode diode structure at 808 and 941 nm are presented. Next, data are presented on a 9.5 kW peak power array at 900 nm having a narrow emission bandwidth suitable for pumping Yb:S-FAP laser materials. Finally, results on a fiber-coupled laser diode array at {approx}730 nm are presented.

  9. Picosecond laser with 11 W output power at 1342 nm based on composite multiple doping level Nd:YVO4 crystal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodin, Aleksej M.; Grishin, Mikhail; Michailovas, Andrejus

    2016-01-01

    We report results of design and optimization of high average output power picosecond and nanosecond laser operating at 1342 nm wavelength. Developed for selective micromachining, this DPSS laser is comprised of master oscillator, regenerative amplifier and output pulse control module. Passively mode-locked by means of semiconductor saturable absorber mirror and pumped with 808 nm wavelength Nd:YVO4 master oscillator emits 12.5 ps pulses at repetition rate of 55 MHz with average output power of ∼100 mW. The four-pass confocal delay line forms a longest part of the oscillator cavity in order to suppress thermo-mechanical misalignment. Picked from the train seed pulses were injected to the cavity of regenerative amplifier based on composite Nd:YVO4 crystal with diffusion-bonded segments of multiple Nd doping concentration end-pumped at 880 nm wavelength. Laser produces pulses of ∼13 ps duration at 300 kHz repetition rate with average output power of 11 W and nearly diffraction limited beam quality of M2∼1.03. Attained high peak power ∼2.8 MW facilitates conversion to the 2nd, 3rd and 6th harmonics at 671 nm, 447 nm and 224 nm wavelengths with 80%, 50% and 15% efficiency respectively. Without seeding the regenerative amplifier transforms to electro-optically cavity-dumped Q-switched laser providing 10 ns output pulses at high repetition rates with beam propagation factor of M2∼1.06.

  10. High-power all-fiber ultra-low noise laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Jian; Guiraud, Germain; Pierre, Christophe; Floissat, Florian; Casanova, Alexis; Hreibi, Ali; Chaibi, Walid; Traynor, Nicholas; Boullet, Johan; Santarelli, Giorgio

    2018-06-01

    High-power ultra-low noise single-mode single-frequency lasers are in great demand for interferometric metrology. Robust, compact all-fiber lasers represent one of the most promising technologies to replace the current laser sources in use based on injection-locked ring resonators or multi-stage solid-state amplifiers. Here, a linearly polarized high-power ultra-low noise all-fiber laser is demonstrated at a power level of 100 W. Special care has been taken in the study of relative intensity noise (RIN) and its reduction. Using an optimized servo actuator to directly control the driving current of the pump laser diode, we obtain a large feedback bandwidth of up to 1.3 MHz. The RIN reaches - 160 dBc/Hz between 3 and 20 kHz.

  11. Benefits of low-power lasers on oral soft tissue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eduardo, Carlos d. P.; Cecchini, Silvia C. M.; Cecchini, Renata C.

    1996-04-01

    The last five years have represented a great advance in relation to laser development. Countries like Japan, United States, French, England, Israel and others, have been working on the association of researches and clinical applications, in the field of laser. Low power lasers like He-Ne laser, emitting at 632,8 nm and Ga-As-Al laser, at 790 nm, have been detached acting not only as a coadjutant but some times as an specific treatment. Low power lasers provide non thermal effect at wavelengths believed to stimulate circulation and cellular activity. These lasers have been used to promote wound healing and reduce inflammation edema and pain. This work presents a five year clinical study with good results related to oral tissue healing. Oral cavity lesions, like herpes and aphthous ulcers were irradiated with Ga-Al- As laser. In both cases, an excellent result was obtained. The low power laser application decrease the painful sintomatology immediately and increase the reparation process of these lesions. An excellent result was obtained with application of low power laser in herpetic lesions associated with a secondary infection situated at the lip commissure covering the internal tissue of the mouth. The healing occurred after one week. An association of Ga-Al-As laser and Nd:YAG laser have been also proven to be good therapy for these kind of lesions. This association of low and high power laser has been done since 1992 and it seems to be a complement of the conventional therapies.

  12. Compact optical duplicate system for satellite-ground laser communications: application of averaging effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakayama, Tomoko; Takayama, Yoshihisa; Fujikawa, Chiemi; Watanabe, Eriko; Kodate, Kashiko

    2014-09-01

    In recent years, there has been considerable interest in satellite-ground laser communication due to an increase in the quantity of data exchanged between satellites and the ground. However, improving the quality of this data communication is necessary as laser communication is vulnerable to air fluctuation. We first verify the spatial and temporal averaging effects using light beam intensity images acquired from middle-range transmission experiments between two ground positions and the superposition of these images using simulations. Based on these results, we propose a compact and lightweight optical duplicate system as a multi-beam generation device with which it is easy to apply the spatial averaging effect. Although an optical duplicate system is already used for optical correlation operations, we present optimum design solutions, design a compact optical duplicate system for satellite-ground laser communications, and demonstrate the efficacy of this system using simulations.

  13. POWER RECYCLING OF BURST-MODE LASER PULSES FOR LASER PARTICLE INTERACTIONS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Yun

    A number of laser-particle interaction experiments such as the laser assisted hydrogen ion beam stripping or X-/ -ray generations via inverse-Compton scattering involve light sources operating in a burst mode to match the tem-poral structure of the particle beam. To mitigate the laser power challenge, it is important to make the interaction inside an optical cavity to recycle the laser power. In many cases, conventional cavity locking techniques will not work since the burst normally has a very small duty factor and low repetition rate and it is impossible to gen-erate an effective control signal. This work reports on themore » development of a doubly-resonant optical cavity scheme and its locking techniques that enables a simultaneous resonance of two laser beams with different spectra and/or temporal structures. We demonstrate that such a cavity can be used to recycle burst-mode ultra-violet laser pulses with arbitrary burst lengths and repetition rates.« less

  14. Development of high-power dye laser chain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Konagai, Chikara; Kimura, Hironobu; Fukasawa, Teruichiro; Seki, Eiji; Abe, Motohisa; Mori, Hideo

    2000-01-01

    Copper vapor laser (CVL) pumped dye laser (DL) system, both in a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) configuration, has been developed for Atomic Vapor Isotope Separation program in Japan. Dye laser output power of about 500 W has been proved in long-term operations over 200 hours. High power fiber optic delivery system is utilized in order to efficiently transport kilowatt level CVL beams to the DL MOPA. Single model CVL pumped DL oscillator has been developed and worked for 200 hours within +/- 0.1 pm wavelength stability. Phase modulator for spreading spectrum to the linewidth of hyperfine structure has been developed and demonstrated.

  15. Efficiency limits of laser power converters for optical power transfer applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mukherjee, J.; Jarvis, S.; Perren, M.; Sweeney, S. J.

    2013-07-01

    We have developed III-V-based high-efficiency laser power converters (LPCs), optimized specifically for converting monochromatic laser radiation at the eye-safe wavelength of 1.55 µm into electrical power. The applications of these photovoltaic cells include high-efficiency space-based and terrestrial laser power transfer and subsequent conversion to electrical power. In addition, these cells also find use in fibre-optic power delivery, remote powering of subcutaneous equipment and several other optical power delivery applications. The LPC design is based on lattice-matched InGaAsP/InP and incorporates elements for photon-recycling and contact design for efficient carrier extraction. Here we compare results from electro-optical design simulations with experimental results from prototype devices studied both in the lab and in field tests. We analyse wavelength and temperature dependence of the LPC characteristics. An experimental conversion efficiency of 44.6% [±1%] is obtained from the prototype devices under monochromatic illumination at 1.55 µm (illumination power density of 1 kW m-2) at room temperature. Further design optimization of our LPC is expected to scale the efficiency beyond 50% at 1 kW m-2.

  16. 2 µm high-power dissipative soliton resonance in a compact σ-shaped Tm-doped double-clad fiber laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Du, Tuanjie; Li, Weiwei; Ruan, Qiujun; Wang, Kaijie; Chen, Nan; Luo, Zhengqian

    2018-05-01

    We report direct generation of a high-power, large-energy dissipative soliton resonance (DSR) in a 2 µm Tm-doped double-clad fiber laser. A compact σ-shaped cavity is formed by a fiber Bragg grating and a 10/90 fiber loop mirror (FLM). The 10/90 FLM is not only used as an output mirror, but also acts as a nonlinear optical loop mirror for initiating mode locking. The mode-locked laser can deliver high-power, nanosecond DSR pulses at 2005.9 nm. We further perform a comparison study of the effect of the FLM’s loop length on the mode-locking threshold, peak power, pulse energy, and optical spectrum of the DSR pulses. We achieve a maximum average output power as high as 1.4 W, a maximum pulse energy of 353 nJ, and a maximum peak power of 84 W. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest power for 2 µm DSR pulses obtained in a mode-locked fiber laser.

  17. Design investigation of solar-powered lasers for space applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1982-01-01

    The feasibility of using solar powered continuous wave (CW) lasers for space power transmission was investigated. Competing conceptual designs are considered. Optical pumping is summarized. Solar pumped Lasant type lasers are outlined. Indirect solar pumped lasers are considered.

  18. Pure colloidal metal and ceramic nanoparticles from high-power picosecond laser ablation in water and acetone.

    PubMed

    Bärsch, Niko; Jakobi, Jurij; Weiler, Sascha; Barcikowski, Stephan

    2009-11-04

    The generation of colloids by laser ablation of solids in a liquid offers a nearly unlimited material variety and a high purity as no chemical precursors are required. The use of novel high-power ultra-short-pulsed laser systems significantly increases the production rates even in inflammable organic solvents. By applying an average laser power of 50 W and pulse durations below 10 ps, up to 5 mg min(-1) of nanoparticles have been generated directly in acetone, marking a breakthrough in productivity of ultra-short-pulsed laser ablation in liquids. The produced colloids remain stable for more than six months. In the case of yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramic, the nanoparticles retain the tetragonal crystal structure of the ablated target. Laser beam self-focusing plays an important role, as a beam radius change of 2% on the liquid surface can lead to a decrease of nanoparticle production rates of 90% if the target position is not re-adjusted.

  19. Ground-Based and Space-Based Laser Beam Power Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bozek, John M.

    1995-01-01

    A space power system based on laser beam power is sized to reduce mass, increase operational capabilities, and reduce complexity. The advantages of laser systems over solar-based systems are compared as a function of application. Power produced from the conversion of a laser beam that has been generated on the Earth's surface and beamed into cislunar space resulted in decreased round-trip time for Earth satellite electric propulsion tugs and a substantial landed mass savings for a lunar surface mission. The mass of a space-based laser system (generator in space and receiver near user) that beams down to an extraterrestrial airplane, orbiting spacecraft, surface outpost, or rover is calculated and compared to a solar system. In general, the advantage of low mass for these space-based laser systems is limited to high solar eclipse time missions at distances inside Jupiter. The power system mass is less in a continuously moving Mars rover or surface outpost using space-based laser technology than in a comparable solar-based power system, but only during dust storm conditions. Even at large distances for the Sun, the user-site portion of a space-based laser power system (e.g., the laser receiver component) is substantially less massive than a solar-based system with requisite on-board electrochemical energy storage.

  20. Diode laser satellite systems for beamed power transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williams, M. D.; Kwon, J. H.; Walker, G. H.; Humes, D. H.

    1990-01-01

    A power system composed of an orbiting laser satellite and a surface-based receiver/converter is described. Power is transmitted from the satellite to the receiver/converter by laser beam. The satellite components are: (1) solar collector; (2) blackbody; (3) photovoltaic cells; (4) heat radiators; (5) laser system; and (6) transmission optics. The receiver/converter components are: receiver dish; lenticular lens; photocells; and heat radiator. Although the system can be adapted to missions at many locations in the solar system, only two are examined here: powering a lunar habitat; and powering a lunar rover. Power system components are described and their masses, dimensions, operating powers, and temperatures, are estimated using known or feasible component capabilities. The critical technologies involved are discussed and other potential missions are mentioned.

  1. Low power lasers on genomic stability.

    PubMed

    Trajano, Larissa Alexsandra da Silva Neto; Sergio, Luiz Philippe da Silva; Stumbo, Ana Carolina; Mencalha, Andre Luiz; Fonseca, Adenilson de Souza da

    2018-03-01

    Exposure of cells to genotoxic agents causes modifications in DNA, resulting to alterations in the genome. To reduce genomic instability, cells have DNA damage responses in which DNA repair proteins remove these lesions. Excessive free radicals cause DNA damages, repaired by base excision repair and nucleotide excision repair pathways. When non-oxidative lesions occur, genomic stability is maintained through checkpoints in which the cell cycle stops and DNA repair occurs. Telomere shortening is related to the development of various diseases, such as cancer. Low power lasers are used for treatment of a number of diseases, but they are also suggested to cause DNA damages at sub-lethal levels and alter transcript levels from DNA repair genes. This review focuses on genomic and telomere stabilization modulation as possible targets to improve therapeutic protocols based on low power lasers. Several studies have been carried out to evaluate the laser-induced effects on genome and telomere stabilization suggesting that exposure to these lasers modulates DNA repair mechanisms, telomere maintenance and genomic stabilization. Although the mechanisms are not well understood yet, low power lasers could be effective against DNA harmful agents by induction of DNA repair mechanisms and modulation of telomere maintenance and genomic stability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Apparatus for advancing a wellbore using high power laser energy

    DOEpatents

    Zediker, Mark S.; Land, Mark S.; Rinzler, Charles C.; Faircloth, Brian O.; Koblick, Yeshaya; Moxley, Joel F.

    2014-09-02

    Delivering high power laser energy to form a borehole deep into the earth using laser energy. Down hole laser tools, laser systems and laser delivery techniques for advancement, workover and completion activities. A laser bottom hole assembly (LBHA) for the delivery of high power laser energy to the surfaces of a borehole, which assembly may have laser optics, a fluid path for debris removal and a mechanical means to remove earth.

  3. Completely monolithic linearly polarized high-power fiber laser oscillator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belke, Steffen; Becker, Frank; Neumann, Benjamin; Ruppik, Stefan; Hefter, Ulrich

    2014-03-01

    We have demonstrated a linearly polarized cw all-in-fiber oscillator providing 1 kW of output power and a polarization extinction ratio (PER) of up to 21.7 dB. The design of the laser oscillator is simple and consists of an Ytterbium-doped polarization maintaining large mode area (PLMA) fiber and suitable fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) in matching PLMA fibers. The oscillator has nearly diffraction-limited beam quality (M² < 1.2). Pump power is delivered via a high power 6+1:1 pump coupler. The slope efficiency of the laser is 75 %. The electro/optical efficiency of the complete laser system is ~30 % and hence in the range of Rofin's cw non-polarized fiber lasers. Choosing an adequate bending diameter for the Yb-doped PLMA fiber, one polarization mode as well as higher order modes are sufficiently supressed1. Resulting in a compact and robust linearly polarized high power single mode laser without external polarizing components. Linearly polarized lasers are well established for one dimensional cutting or welding applications. Using beam shaping optics radially polarized laser light can be generated to be independent from the angle of incident to the processing surface. Furthermore, high power linearly polarized laser light is fundamental for nonlinear frequency conversion of nonlinear materials.

  4. Power and efficiency scaling of diode pumped Cr:LiSAF lasers: 770-1110 nm tuning range and frequency doubling to 387-463 nm.

    PubMed

    Demirbas, Umit; Baali, Ilyes

    2015-10-15

    We report significant average power and efficiency scaling of diode-pumped Cr:LiSAF lasers in continuous-wave (cw), cw frequency-doubled, and mode-locked regimes. Four single-emitter broad-area laser diodes around 660 nm were used as the pump source, which provided a total pump power of 7.2 W. To minimize thermal effects, a 20 mm long Cr:LiSAF sample with a relatively low Cr-concentration (0.8%) was used as the gain medium. In cw laser experiments, 2.4 W of output power, a slope efficiency of 50%, and a tuning range covering the 770-1110 nm region were achieved. Intracavity frequency doubling with beta-barium borate (BBO) crystals generated up to 1160 mW of blue power and a record tuning range in the 387-463 nm region. When mode locked with a saturable absorber mirror, the laser produced 195 fs pulses with 580 mW of average power around 820 nm at a 100.3 MHz repetition rate. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of the system was 33% in cw, 16% in cw frequency-doubled, and 8% in cw mode-locked regimes.

  5. High-Power Lasers for Science and Society

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Siders, C. W.; Haefner, C.

    Since the first demonstration of the laser in 1960 by Theodore Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories, the principal defining characteristic of lasers has been their ability to focus unprecedented powers of light in space, time, and frequency. High-power lasers have, over the ensuing five and a half decades, illuminated entirely new fields of scientific endeavor as well as made a profound impact on society. While the United States pioneered lasers and their early applications, we have been eclipsed in the past decade by highly effective national and international networks in both Europe and Asia, which have effectively focused their energies,more » efforts, and resources to achieve greater scientific and societal impact. This white paper calls for strategic investment which, by striking an appropriate balance between distributing our precious national funds and establishing centers of excellence, will ensure a broad pipeline of people and transformative ideas connecting our world-leading universities, defining flagship facilities stewarded by our national laboratories, and driving innovation across industry, to fully exploit the potential of high-power lasers.« less

  6. Comparison of laser and power bleaching techniques in tooth color change.

    PubMed

    Fekrazad, Reza; Alimazandarani, Shervin; Kalhori, Katayoun Am; Assadian, Hadi; Mirmohammadi, Seyed-Mahdi

    2017-04-01

    Laser-assisted bleaching uses laser beam to accelerate release of free radicals within the bleaching gel to decrease time of whitening procedure. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of power bleaching using Opalescence Xtra Boost® and laser bleaching technique using LaserSmile gel and diode laser as an activator in their tooth whitening capacity. Student t test showed that the laser bleaching group significantly outperformed the power bleaching group in changing ∆E ( p =0.977). Similarly, while comparing the groups in changing ∆L, the laser bleaching group indicated significantly superior results ( p =0.953). Statistical data from student t test while comparing the groups in changing the parameter of yellowness indicated that samples in laser bleaching group underwent a more significant reduction than power-bleached samples ( p =0.85). Correspondingly, changes in whiteness were statistically tested through student t test, showing that laser bleaching technique increased whiteness of the samples significantly more than those treated by power bleaching ( p =0.965). The digital color evaluation data was in accordance with spectrophotometry and showed that laser bleaching outperformed power bleaching technique. Both techniques were able to increase whiteness and decrease yellowness ratio of the samples. ΔE decrease for laser bleaching and power bleaching groups were 3.05 and 1.67, respectively. Tooth color change in laser bleaching group was 1.88 times more than that of power bleaching group ( p <0.001). It could be concluded that under the conditions of this study, both laser-assisted and power bleaching techniques were capable of altering tooth color change, but laser bleaching was deemed a more efficient technique in this regard. Key words: Laser, power bleaching, tooth color introduction.

  7. Improving Reliability of High Power Quasi-CW Laser Diode Arrays for Pumping Solid State Lasers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Amzajerdian, Farzin; Meadows, Byron L.; Baker, Nathaniel R.; Barnes, Bruce W.; Baggott, Renee S.; Lockard, George E.; Singh, Upendra N.; Kavaya, Michael J.

    2005-01-01

    Most Lidar applications rely on moderate to high power solid state lasers to generate the required transmitted pulses. However, the reliability of solid state lasers, which can operate autonomously over long periods, is constrained by their laser diode pump arrays. Thermal cycling of the active regions is considered the primary reason for rapid degradation of the quasi-CW high power laser diode arrays, and the excessive temperature rise is the leading suspect in premature failure. The thermal issues of laser diode arrays are even more drastic for 2-micron solid state lasers which require considerably longer pump pulses compared to the more commonly used pump arrays for 1-micron lasers. This paper describes several advanced packaging techniques being employed for more efficient heat removal from the active regions of the laser diode bars. Experimental results for several high power laser diode array devices will be reported and their performance when operated at long pulsewidths of about 1msec will be described.

  8. Efficient, high-power, and radially polarized fiber laser

    PubMed Central

    Lin, Di; Xia, Kegui; Li, Jianlang; Li, Ruxin; Ueda, Ken-ichi; Li, Guoqiang; Li, Xiaojun

    2017-01-01

    We demonstrate an ytterbium-doped fiber laser that emits high-power radially polarized light efficiently. In this study, a photonic crystal grating (PCG) was used as a polarization-selective output coupler, and the power of the radially polarized laser reached 2.42 W with a slope efficiency of 45.9% and a polarization purity of 96%. The results reveal that the inclusion of the PCG mirror into the fiber laser are particularly promising for generating high-power radially polarized light efficiently in view of its many important applications. PMID:20596223

  9. Recirculation of Laser Power in an Atomic Fountain

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Enzer, Daphna G.; Klipstein, WIlliam M.; Moore, James D.

    2007-01-01

    A new technique for laser-cooling atoms in a cesium atomic fountain frequency standard relies on recirculation of laser light through the atom-collection region of the fountain. The recirculation, accomplished by means of reflections from multiple fixed beam-splitter cubes, is such that each of two laser beams makes three passes. As described below, this recirculation scheme offers several advantages over prior designs, including simplification of the laser system, greater optical power throughput, fewer optical and electrical connections, and simplification of beam power balancing. A typical laser-cooled cesium fountain requires the use of six laser beams arranged as three orthogonal pairs of counter-propagating beams to decelerate the atoms and hold them in a three-dimensional optical trap in vacuum. Typically, these trapping/cooling beams are linearly polarized and are positioned and oriented so that (1) counter-propagating beams in each pair have opposite linear polarizations and (2) three of the six orthogonal beams have the sum of their propagation directions pointing up, while the other three have the sum of their propagation directions pointing down. In a typical prior design, two lasers are used - one to generate the three "up" beams, the other to generate the three "down" beams. For this purpose, the output of each laser is split three ways, then the resulting six beams are delivered to the vacuum system, independently of each other, via optical fibers. The present recirculating design also requires two lasers, but the beams are not split before delivery. Instead, only one "up" beam and one oppositely polarized "down" beam are delivered to the vacuum system, and each of these beams is sent through the collection region three times. The polarization of each beam on each pass through the collection region is set up to yield the same combination of polarization and propagation directions as described above. In comparison with the prior design, the present

  10. Object-oriented wavefront correction in an asymmetric amplifying high-power laser system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Ying; Yuan, Qiang; Wang, Deen; Zhang, Xin; Dai, Wanjun; Hu, Dongxia; Xue, Qiao; Zhang, Xiaolu; Zhao, Junpu; Zeng, Fa; Wang, Shenzhen; Zhou, Wei; Zhu, Qihua; Zheng, Wanguo

    2018-05-01

    An object-oriented wavefront control method is proposed aiming for excellent near-field homogenization and far-field distribution in an asymmetric amplifying high-power laser system. By averaging the residual errors of the propagating beam, smaller pinholes could be employed on the spatial filters to improve the beam quality. With this wavefront correction system, the laser performance of the main amplifier system in the Shen Guang-III laser facility has been improved. The residual wavefront aberration at the position of each pinhole is below 2 µm (peak-to-valley). For each pinhole, 95% of the total laser energy is enclosed within a circle whose diameter is no more than six times the diffraction limit. At the output of the main laser system, the near-field modulation and contrast are 1.29% and 7.5%, respectively, and 95% of the 1ω (1053 nm) beam energy is contained within a 39.8 µrad circle (6.81 times the diffraction limit) under a laser fluence of 5.8 J cm-2. The measured 1ω focal spot size and near-field contrast are better than the design values of the Shen Guang-III laser facility.

  11. Moderate high power 1 to 20μs and kHz Ho:YAG thin disk laser pulses for laser lithotripsy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Renz, Günther

    2015-02-01

    An acousto-optically or self-oscillation pulsed thin disk Ho:YAG laser system at 2.1 μm with an average power in the 10 W range will be presented for laser lithotripsy. In the case of cw operation the thin disk Ho:YAG is either pumped with InP diode stacks or with a thulium fiber laser which leads to a laser output power of 20 W at an optical-to-optical efficiency of 30%. For the gain switched mode of operation a modulated Tm-fiber laser is used to produce self-oscillation pulses. A favored pulse lengths for uric acid stone ablation is known to be at a few μs pulse duration which can be delivered by the thin disk laser technology. In the state of the art laser lithotripter, stone material is typically ablated with 250 to 750 μs pulses at 5 to 10 Hz and with pulse energies up to a few Joule. The ablation mechanism is performed in this case by vaporization into stone dust and fragmentation. With the thin disk laser technology, 1 to 20 μs-laser pulses with a repetition rate of a few kHz and with pulse energies in the mJ-range are available. The ablation mechanism is in this case due to a local heating of the stone material with a decomposition of the crystalline structure into calcium carbonate powder which can be handled by the human body. As a joint process to this thermal effect, imploding water vapor bubbles between the fiber end and the stone material produce sporadic shock waves which help clear out the stone dust and biological material.

  12. High efficiency 2 micrometer laser utilizing wing-pumped Tm.sup.3+ and a laser diode array end-pumping architecture

    DOEpatents

    Beach, Raymond J.

    1997-01-01

    Wing pumping a Tm.sup.3+ doped, end pumped solid state laser generates 2 .mu.m laser radiation at high average powers with high efficiency. Using laser diode arrays to end-pump the laser rod or slab in the wing of the Tm.sup.3+ absorption band near 785 nm results in 2-for-1 quantum efficiency in Tm.sup.3+ because high Tm.sup.3+ concentrations can be used. Wing pumping allows the thermal power generated in the rod or slab to be distributed over a large enough volume to make thermal management practical in the laser gain medium even at high average power operation. The approach is applicable to CW, Q-switched, and rep-pulsed free-laser operation.

  13. High efficiency 2 micrometer laser utilizing wing-pumped Tm{sup 3+} and a laser diode array end-pumping architecture

    DOEpatents

    Beach, R.J.

    1997-11-18

    Wing pumping a Tm{sup 3+} doped, end pumped solid state laser generates 2 {micro}m laser radiation at high average powers with high efficiency. Using laser diode arrays to end-pump the laser rod or slab in the wing of the Tm{sup 3+} absorption band near 785 nm results in 2-for-1 quantum efficiency in Tm{sup 3+} because high Tm{sup 3+} concentrations can be used. Wing pumping allows the thermal power generated in the rod or slab to be distributed over a large enough volume to make thermal management practical in the laser gain medium even at high average power operation. The approach is applicable to CW, Q-switched, and rep-pulsed free-laser operation. 7 figs.

  14. High power laser downhole cutting tools and systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zediker, Mark S; Rinzler, Charles C; Faircloth, Brian O

    Downhole cutting systems, devices and methods for utilizing 10 kW or more laser energy transmitted deep into the earth with the suppression of associated nonlinear phenomena. Systems and devices for the laser cutting operations within a borehole in the earth. These systems and devices can deliver high power laser energy down a deep borehole, while maintaining the high power to perform cutting operations in such boreholes deep within the earth.

  15. High Power Laser Hybrid Welding - Challenges and Perspectives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nielsen, Steen Erik

    High power industrial lasers at power levels up to 100 kW is now available on the market. Therefore, welding of thicker materials has become of interest for the heavy metal industry e.g. shipyards and wind mill producers. Further, the power plant industry, producers of steel pipes, heavy machinery and steel producers are following this new technology with great interest. At Lindø Welding Technology (LWT), which is a subsidiary to FORCE Technology, a 32-kwatt disc laser is installed. At this laser facility, welding procedures related to thick section steel applications are developed. Material thicknesses between 40 and 100 mm are currently of interest. This paper describes some of the challenges that are related to the development of the high power hybrid laser welding process as well as to the perspectives for the technology as a production tool for the heavy metal industry.

  16. Influence of fundamental mode fill factor on disk laser output power and laser beam quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Zhiyong; Yang, Zhuo; Shao, Xichun; Li, Wei; Zhu, Mengzhen

    2017-11-01

    An three-dimensional numerical model based on finite element method and Fox-Li method with angular spectrum diffraction theoy is developed to calculate the output power and power density distribution of Yb:YAG disk laser. We invest the influence of fundamental mode fill factor(the ratio of fundamental mode size and pump spot size) on the output power and laser beam quality. Due to aspherical aberration and soft aperture effect in laser disk, high beam quality can be achieve with relative lower efficiency. The highest output power of fundamental laser mode is influenced by the fundamental mode fill factor. Besides we find that optimal mode fill factor increase with pump spot size.

  17. Laser-Material Interaction of Powerful Ultrashort Laser Pulses

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Komashko, A

    2003-01-06

    Laser-material interaction of powerful (up to a terawatt) ultrashort (several picoseconds or shorter) laser pulses and laser-induced effects were investigated theoretically in this dissertation. Since the ultrashort laser pulse (USLP) duration time is much smaller than the characteristic time of the hydrodynamic expansion and thermal diffusion, the interaction occurs at a solid-like material density with most of the light energy absorbed in a thin surface layer. Powerful USLP creates hot, high-pressure plasma, which is quickly ejected without significant energy diffusion into the bulk of the material, Thus collateral damage is reduced. These and other features make USLPs attractive for amore » variety of applications. The purpose of this dissertation was development of the physical models and numerical tools for improvement of our understanding of the process and as an aid in optimization of the USLP applications. The study is concentrated on two types of materials - simple metals (materials like aluminum or copper) and wide-bandgap dielectrics (fused silica, water). First, key physical phenomena of the ultrashort light interaction with metals and the models needed to describe it are presented. Then, employing one-dimensional plasma hydrodynamics code enhanced with models for laser energy deposition and material properties at low and moderate temperatures, light absorption was self-consistently simulated as a function of laser wavelength, pulse energy and length, angle of incidence and polarization. Next, material response on time scales much longer than the pulse duration was studied using the hydrocode and analytical models. These studies include examination of evolution of the pressure pulses, effects of the shock waves, material ablation and removal and three-dimensional dynamics of the ablation plume. Investigation of the interaction with wide-bandgap dielectrics was stimulated by the experimental studies of the USLP surface ablation of water (water is a

  18. Laser Program annual report 1987

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    O'Neal, E.M.; Murphy, P.W.; Canada, J.A.

    1989-07-01

    This report discusses the following topics: target design and experiments; target materials development; laboratory x-ray lasers; laser science and technology; high-average-power solid state lasers; and ICF applications studies.

  19. Using Bayes Model Averaging for Wind Power Forecasts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Preede Revheim, Pål; Beyer, Hans Georg

    2014-05-01

    For operational purposes predictions of the forecasts of the lumped output of groups of wind farms spread over larger geographic areas will often be of interest. A naive approach is to make forecasts for each individual site and sum them up to get the group forecast. It is however well documented that a better choice is to use a model that also takes advantage of spatial smoothing effects. It might however be the case that some sites tends to more accurately reflect the total output of the region, either in general or for certain wind directions. It will then be of interest giving these a greater influence over the group forecast. Bayesian model averaging (BMA) is a statistical post-processing method for producing probabilistic forecasts from ensembles. Raftery et al. [1] show how BMA can be used for statistical post processing of forecast ensembles, producing PDFs of future weather quantities. The BMA predictive PDF of a future weather quantity is a weighted average of the ensemble members' PDFs, where the weights can be interpreted as posterior probabilities and reflect the ensemble members' contribution to overall forecasting skill over a training period. In Revheim and Beyer [2] the BMA procedure used in Sloughter, Gneiting and Raftery [3] were found to produce fairly accurate PDFs for the future mean wind speed of a group of sites from the single sites wind speeds. However, when the procedure was attempted applied to wind power it resulted in either problems with the estimation of the parameters (mainly caused by longer consecutive periods of no power production) or severe underestimation (mainly caused by problems with reflecting the power curve). In this paper the problems that arose when applying BMA to wind power forecasting is met through two strategies. First, the BMA procedure is run with a combination of single site wind speeds and single site wind power production as input. This solves the problem with longer consecutive periods where the input data

  20. Experimental and Numerical Investigation on Micro-Bending of AISI 304 Sheet Metal Using a Low Power Nanosecond Laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paramasivan, K.; Das, Sandip; Marimuthu, Sundar; Misra, Dipten

    2018-06-01

    The aim of this experimental study is to identify and characterize the response related to the effects of process parameters in terms of bending angle for micro-bending of AISI 304 sheet using a low power Nd:YVO4 laser source. Numerical simulation is also carried out through a coupled thermo-mechanical formulation with finite element method using COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS. The developed numerical simulation indicates that bending is caused by temperature gradient mechanism in the present investigation involving laser micro-bending. The results of experiment indicate that bending angle increases with laser power, number of irradiations, and decreases with increase in scanning speed. Moreover, average bending angle increases with number of laser passes and edge effect, defined in terms of relative variation of bending angle (RBAV), decreases monotonically with the number of laser scans. The substrate is damaged over a width of about 80 μm due to the high temperatures experienced during laser forming at a low scanning speed.

  1. Design and characterization of a novel power over fiber system integrating a high power diode laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perales, Mico; Yang, Mei-huan; Wu, Cheng-liang; Hsu, Chin-wei; Chao, Wei-sheng; Chen, Kun-hsein; Zahuranec, Terry

    2017-02-01

    High power 9xx nm diode lasers along with MH GoPower's (MHGP's) flexible line of Photovoltaic Power Converters (PPCs) are spurring high power applications for power over fiber (PoF), including applications for powering remote sensors and sensors monitoring high voltage equipment, powering high voltage IGBT gate drivers, converters used in RF over Fiber (RFoF) systems, and system power applications, including powering UAVs. In PoF, laser power is transmitted over fiber, and is converted to electricity by photovoltaic cells (packaged into Photovoltaic Power Converters, or PPCs) which efficiently convert the laser light. In this research, we design a high power multi-channel PoF system, incorporating a high power 976 nm diode laser, a cabling system with fiber break detection, and a multichannel PPC-module. We then characterizes system features such as its response time to system commands, the PPC module's electrical output stability, the PPC-module's thermal response, the fiber break detection system response, and the diode laser optical output stability. The high power PoF system and this research will serve as a scalable model for those interested in researching, developing, or deploying a high power, voltage isolated, and optically driven power source for high reliability utility, communications, defense, and scientific applications.

  2. High-Average Power Broadband 18-Beam Klystron Circuit and Collector Designs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-04-01

    high -average power S - band multiple-beam klystron are presented. The klystron will be powered by the recently completed 41.6 A, 42...al., “ High - power Four-cavity S - band multiple-beam klystron design,” IEEE Trans. Plasma Science, vol. 33, pp. 1119-1135, April 2005. [3] D.K Abe, et...APR 2008 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2008 to 00-00-2008 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE High -average Power Broadband 18-beam

  3. High-power ultralong-wavelength Tm-doped silica fiber laser cladding-pumped with a random distributed feedback fiber laser

    PubMed Central

    Jin, Xiaoxi; Du, Xueyuan; Wang, Xiong; Zhou, Pu; Zhang, Hanwei; Wang, Xiaolin; Liu, Zejin

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrated a high-power ultralong-wavelength Tm-doped silica fiber laser operating at 2153 nm with the output power exceeding 18 W and the slope efficiency of 25.5%. A random distributed feedback fiber laser with the center wavelength of 1173 nm was employed as pump source of Tm-doped fiber laser for the first time. No amplified spontaneous emissions or parasitic oscillations were observed when the maximum output power reached, which indicates that employing 1173 nm random distributed feedback fiber laser as pump laser is a feasible and promising scheme to achieve high-power emission of long-wavelength Tm-doped fiber laser. The output power of this Tm-doped fiber laser could be further improved by optimizing the length of active fiber, reflectivity of FBGs, increasing optical efficiency of pump laser and using better temperature management. We also compared the operation of 2153 nm Tm-doped fiber lasers pumped with 793 nm laser diodes, and the maximum output powers were limited to ~2 W by strong amplified spontaneous emission and parasitic oscillation in the range of 1900–2000 nm. PMID:27416893

  4. High-power ultralong-wavelength Tm-doped silica fiber laser cladding-pumped with a random distributed feedback fiber laser.

    PubMed

    Jin, Xiaoxi; Du, Xueyuan; Wang, Xiong; Zhou, Pu; Zhang, Hanwei; Wang, Xiaolin; Liu, Zejin

    2016-07-15

    We demonstrated a high-power ultralong-wavelength Tm-doped silica fiber laser operating at 2153 nm with the output power exceeding 18 W and the slope efficiency of 25.5%. A random distributed feedback fiber laser with the center wavelength of 1173 nm was employed as pump source of Tm-doped fiber laser for the first time. No amplified spontaneous emissions or parasitic oscillations were observed when the maximum output power reached, which indicates that employing 1173 nm random distributed feedback fiber laser as pump laser is a feasible and promising scheme to achieve high-power emission of long-wavelength Tm-doped fiber laser. The output power of this Tm-doped fiber laser could be further improved by optimizing the length of active fiber, reflectivity of FBGs, increasing optical efficiency of pump laser and using better temperature management. We also compared the operation of 2153 nm Tm-doped fiber lasers pumped with 793 nm laser diodes, and the maximum output powers were limited to ~2 W by strong amplified spontaneous emission and parasitic oscillation in the range of 1900-2000 nm.

  5. Department of Defense high power laser program guidance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muller, Clifford H.

    1994-06-01

    The DoD investment of nominally $200 million per year is focused on four high power laser (HPL) concepts: Space-Based Laser (SBL), a Ballistic Missile Defense Organization effort that addresses boost-phase intercept for Theater Missile Defense and National Missile Defense; Airborne Laser (ABL), an Air Force effort that addresses boost-phase intercept for Theater Missile Defense; Ground-Based Laser (GBL), an Air Force effort addressing space control; and Anti-Ship Missile Defense (ASMD), a Navy effort addressing ship-based defense. Each organization is also supporting technology development with the goal of achieving less expensive, brighter, and lighter high power laser systems. These activities represent the building blocks of the DoD program to exploit the compelling characteristics of the high power laser. Even though DoD's HPL program are focused and moderately strong, additional emphasis in a few technical areas could help reduce risk in these programs. In addition, a number of options are available for continuing to use the High-Energy Laser System Test Facility (HELSTF) at White Sands Missile Range. This report provides a brief overview and guidance for the five efforts which comprise the DoD HPL program (SBL, ABL, GBL, ASMD, HELSTF).

  6. Atmospheric propagation and combining of high power lasers: comment.

    PubMed

    Goodno, Gregory D; Rothenberg, Joshua E

    2016-10-10

    Nelson et al. [Appl. Opt.55, 1757 (2016)APOPAI0003-693510.1364/AO.55.001757] recently concluded that coherent beam combining and remote phase locking of high-power lasers are fundamentally limited by the laser source linewidth. These conclusions are incorrect and not relevant to practical high-power coherently combined laser architectures.

  7. Photovoltaic receivers for laser beamed power in space

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Landis, Geoffrey A.

    1991-01-01

    There has recently been a resurgence of interest in the use of beamed power to support space exploration activities. One of the most promising beamed power concepts uses a laser beam to transmit power to a remote photovoltaic array. Large lasers can be located on cloud-free sites at one or more ground locations and illuminate solar arrays to a level sufficient to provide operating power. Issues involved in providing photovoltaic receivers for such applications are discussed.

  8. Mitigation of stimulated Raman scattering in high power fiber lasers using transmission gratings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heck, Maximilian; Bock, Victor; Krämer, Ria G.; Richter, Daniel; Goebel, Thorsten A.; Matzdorf, Christian; Liem, Andreas; Schreiber, Thomas; Tünnermann, Andreas; Nolte, Stefan

    2018-02-01

    The average output power of fiber lasers have been scaled deep into the kW regime within the recent years. However a further scaling is limited due to nonlinear effects like stimulated Raman scattering (SRS). Using the special characteristics of femtosecond laser pulse written transmission fiber gratings, it is possible to realize a notch filter that mitigates efficiently this negative effect by coupling the Raman wavelength from the core into the cladding of the fiber. To the best of our knowledge, we realized for the first time highly efficient gratings in large mode area (LMA) fibers with cladding diameters up to 400 μm. The resonances show strong attenuation at design wavelength and simultaneously low out of band losses. A high power fiber amplifier with an implemented passive fiber grating is shown and its performance is carefully investigated.

  9. Advancement of High Power Quasi-CW Laser Diode Arrays For Space-based Laser Instruments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Amzajerdian, Farzin; Meadows, Byron L.; Baker, nathaniel R.; Baggott, Renee S.; Singh, Upendra N.; Kavaya, Michael J.

    2004-01-01

    Space-based laser and lidar instruments play an important role in NASA s plans for meeting its objectives in both Earth Science and Space Exploration areas. Almost all the lidar instrument concepts being considered by NASA scientist utilize moderate to high power diode-pumped solid state lasers as their transmitter source. Perhaps the most critical component of any solid state laser system is its pump laser diode array which essentially dictates instrument efficiency, reliability and lifetime. For this reason, premature failures and rapid degradation of high power laser diode arrays that have been experienced by laser system designers are of major concern to NASA. This work addresses these reliability and lifetime issues by attempting to eliminate the causes of failures and developing methods for screening laser diode arrays and qualifying them for operation in space.

  10. Beam-guidance optics for high-power fiber laser systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohring, Bernd; Tassini, Leonardo; Protz, Rudolf; Zoz, Jürgen

    2013-05-01

    The realization of a high-energy laser weapon system by coupling a large number of industrial high-power fiber lasers is investigated. To perform the combination of the individual beams of the different fiber lasers within the optical path of the laser weapon, a special optical set-up is used. Each optical component is realized either as reflective component oras refractive optics. Both possibilities were investigated by simulations and experiments. From the results, the general aspects for the layout of the beam-guidance optics for a high-power fiber laser system are derived.

  11. Power Play, Laser Style

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1998-01-01

    Under a NASA SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) SDL, Inc., has developed the TC40 Single-Frequency Continuously Tunable 500 mw Laser Diode System. This is the first commercially available single frequency diode laser system that offers the broad tunability and the high powers needed for atomic cooling and trapping as well as a variety of atomic spectroscopy techniques. By greatly decreasing both the equipment and the costs of entry, the TC40 enables researchers to pursue some of the most interesting areas of physical chemistry, biochemistry, and atomic physics.

  12. Control system for high power laser drilling workover and completion unit

    DOEpatents

    Zediker, Mark S; Makki, Siamak; Faircloth, Brian O; DeWitt, Ronald A; Allen, Erik C; Underwood, Lance D

    2015-05-12

    A control and monitoring system controls and monitors a high power laser system for performing high power laser operations. The control and monitoring system is configured to perform high power laser operation on, and in, remote and difficult to access locations.

  13. Independent assessment of laser power beaming options

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ponikvar, Donald R.

    1992-01-01

    Technical and architectural issues facing a laser power beaming system are discussed. Issues regarding the laser device, optics, beam control, propagation, and lunar site are examined. Environmental and health physics aspects are considered.

  14. Status of HiLASE project: High average power pulsed DPSSL systems for research and industry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mocek, T.; Divoky, M.; Smrz, M.; Sawicka, M.; Chyla, M.; Sikocinski, P.; Vohnikova, H.; Severova, P.; Lucianetti, A.; Novak, J.; Rus, B.

    2013-11-01

    We introduce the Czech national R&D project HiLASE which focuses on strategic development of advanced high-repetition rate, diode pumped solid state laser (DPSSL) systems that may find use in research, high-tech industry and in the future European large-scale facilities such as HiPER and ELI. Within HiLASE we explore two major concepts: thin-disk and cryogenically cooled multislab amplifiers capable of delivering average output powers above 1 kW level in picosecond-to-nanosecond pulsed regime. In particular, we have started a programme of technology development to demonstrate the scalability of multislab concept up to the kJ level at repetition rate of 1-10 Hz.

  15. High power laser workover and completion tools and systems

    DOEpatents

    Zediker, Mark S; Rinzler, Charles C; Faircloth, Brian O; Koblick, Yeshaya; Moxley, Joel F

    2014-10-28

    Workover and completion systems, devices and methods for utilizing 10 kW or more laser energy transmitted deep into the earth with the suppression of associated nonlinear phenomena. Systems and devices for the laser workover and completion of a borehole in the earth. These systems and devices can deliver high power laser energy down a deep borehole, while maintaining the high power to perform laser workover and completion operations in such boreholes deep within the earth.

  16. FY2005 Progress Summary and FY2006 Program Plan Statement of Work and Deliverables for Development of High Average Power Diode-Pumped Solid State Lasers, and Complementary Technologies, for Applications in Energy and Defense

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ebbers, C

    The primary focus this year was to operate the system with two amplifiers populated with and pumped by eight high power diode arrays. The system was operated for extended run periods which enabled average power testing of components, diagnostics, and controls. These tests were highly successful, with a demonstrated energy level of over 55 joules for 4 cumulative hours at a repetition rate of 10 Hz (average power 0.55 kW). In addition, high average power second harmonic generation was demonstrated, achieving 227 W of 523.5 nm light (22.7 J, 10 Hz, 15 ns, 30 minutes) Plans to achieve higher energymore » levels and average powers are in progress. The dual amplifier system utilizes a 4-pass optical arrangement. The Yb:S-FAP slabs were mounted in aerodynamic aluminum vane structures to allow turbulent helium gas flow across the faces. Diagnostic packages that monitored beam performance were deployed during operation. The laser experiments involved injecting a seed beam from the front end into the system and making four passes through both amplifiers. Beam performance diagnostics monitored the beam on each pass to assess system parameters such as gain and nearfield intensity profiles. This year, an active mirror and wavefront sensor were procured and demonstrated in an off-line facility. The active mirror technology can correct for low order phase distortions at user specified operating conditions (such as repetition rates different than 10 Hz) and is a complementary technology to the static phase plates used in the system for higher order distortions. A picture of the laser system with amplifier No.2 (foreground) and amplifier No.1 (background) is shown in Fig. 1.0.1.1. The control system and diagnostics were recently enhanced for faster processing and allow remote operation of the system. The growth and fabrication of the Yb:S-FAP slabs constituted another major element of our program objectives. Our goal was to produce at least fourteen 4x6 cm2 crystalline slabs

  17. Laser output power stabilization for direct laser writing system by using an acousto-optic modulator.

    PubMed

    Kim, Dong Ik; Rhee, Hyug-Gyo; Song, Jae-Bong; Lee, Yun-Woo

    2007-10-01

    We present experimental results on the output power stabilization of an Ar(+) laser for a direct laser writing system (LWS). Instability of the laser output power in the LWS cause resolution fluctuations of being fabricated diffractive optical elements or computer-generated holograms. For the purpose of reducing the power fluctuations, we have constituted a feedback loop with an acousto-optic modulator, a photodetector, and a servo controller. In this system, we have achieved the stability of +/-0.20% for 12 min and the relative intensity noise level of 2.1 x 10(-7) Hz(-12) at 100 Hz. In addition, we applied our system to a 2 mW internal mirror He-Ne laser. As a consequence, we achieved the output power stability of +/-0.12% for 25 min.

  18. High power CO II lasers and their material processing applications at Centre for Advanced Technology, India

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nath, A. K.; Paul, C. P.; Rao, B. T.; Kau, R.; Raghu, T.; Mazumdar, J. Dutta; Dayal, R. K.; Mudali, U. Kamachi; Sastikumar, D.; Gandhi, B. K.

    2006-01-01

    We have developed high power transverse flow (TF) CW CO II lasers up to 15kW, a high repetition rate TEA CO II laser of 500Hz, 500W average power and a RF excited fast axial flow CO II laser at the Centre for Advanced Technology and have carried out various material processing applications with these lasers. We observed very little variation of discharge voltage with electrode gap in TF CO II lasers. With optimally modulated laser beam we obtained better results in laser piercing and cutting of titanium and resolidification of 3 16L stainless steel weld-metal for improving intergranular corrosion resistance. We carried out microstructure and phase analysis of laser bent 304 stainless steel sheet and optimum process zones were obtained. We carried out laser cladding of 316L stainless steel and Al-alloy substrates with Mo, WC, and Cr IIC 3 powder to improve their wear characteristics. We developed a laser rapid manufacturing facility and fabricated components of various geometries with minimum surface roughness of 5-7 microns Ra and surface waviness of 45 microns between overlapped layers using Colmonoy-6, 3 16L stainless steel and Inconel powders. Cutting of thick concrete blocks by repeated laser glazing followed by mechanical scrubbing process and drilling holes on a vertical concrete with laser beam incident at an optimum angle allowing molten material to flow out under gravity were also done. Some of these studies are briefly presented here.

  19. High power and single mode quantum cascade lasers.

    PubMed

    Bismuto, Alfredo; Bidaux, Yves; Blaser, Stéphane; Terazzi, Romain; Gresch, Tobias; Rochat, Michel; Muller, Antoine; Bonzon, Christopher; Faist, Jerome

    2016-05-16

    We present a single mode quantum cascade laser with nearly 1 W optical power. A buried distributed feedback reflector is used on the back section for wavelength selection. The laser is 6 mm long, 3.5 μm wide, mounted episide-up and the laser facets are left uncoated. Laser emission is centered at 4.68 μm. Single-mode operation with a side mode suppression ratio of more than 30 dB is obtained in whole range of operation. Farfield measurements prove a symmetric, single transverse-mode emission in TM00-mode with typical divergences of 41° and 33° in the vertical and horizontal direction respectively. This work shows the potential for simple fabrication of high power lasers compatible with standard DFB processing.

  20. Transient Plasma Photonic Crystals for High-Power Lasers.

    PubMed

    Lehmann, G; Spatschek, K H

    2016-06-03

    A new type of transient photonic crystals for high-power lasers is presented. The crystal is produced by counterpropagating laser beams in plasma. Trapped electrons and electrically forced ions generate a strong density grating. The lifetime of the transient photonic crystal is determined by the ballistic motion of ions. The robustness of the photonic crystal allows one to manipulate high-intensity laser pulses. The scheme of the crystal is analyzed here by 1D Vlasov simulations. Reflection or transmission of high-power laser pulses are predicted by particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that a transient plasma photonic crystal may act as a tunable mirror for intense laser pulses. Generalizations to 2D and 3D configurations are possible.

  1. High-power direct-diode laser successes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haake, John M.; Zediker, Mark S.

    2004-06-01

    Direct diode laser will become much more prevalent in the solar system of manufacturing due to their high efficiency, small portable size, unique beam profiles, and low ownership costs. There has been many novel applications described for high power direct diode laser [HPDDL] systems but few have been implemented in extreme production environments due to diode and diode system reliability. We discuss several novel applications in which the HPDDL have been implemented and proven reliable and cost-effective in production environments. These applications are laser hardening/surface modification, laser wire feed welding and laser paint stripping. Each of these applications uniquely tests the direct diode laser systems capabilities and confirms their reliability in production environments. A comparison of the advantages direct diode laser versus traditional industrial lasers such as CO2 and Nd:YAG and non-laser technologies such a RF induction, and MIG welders for each of these production applications is presented.

  2. Comparison Between NIST and AF Laser Energy Standards Using High Power Lasers

    PubMed Central

    Li, Xiaoyu; Scott (Retired), Thomas; Cromer, Chris; Cooper, David; Comisford, Steven

    2007-01-01

    We report the results of a high-energy laser calorimeter comparison conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, Colorado and the U.S. Air Force Primary Standards laboratory (AFPSL), Heath, Ohio. A laser power meter, used as a transfer standard, was calibrated at each laboratory, sequentially, and the measurement results were compared. These measurements were performed at a nominal power of 800 W and a wavelength of 10.6 μm using CO2 lasers. Excellent measurement agreement (1.02 %) was demonstrated, which was well within each of the expanded uncertainties from the two laboratories involved in this comparison. PMID:27110471

  3. Laser photovoltaic power system synergy for SEI applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Landis, Geoffrey A.; Hickman, J. M.

    1991-01-01

    Solar arrays can provide reliable space power, but do not operate when there is no solar energy. Photovoltaic arrays can also convert laser energy with high efficiency. One proposal to reduce the required mass of energy storage required is to illuminate the photovoltaic arrays by a ground laser system. It is proposed to locate large lasers on cloud-free sites at one or more ground locations, and use large lenses or mirrors with adaptive optical correction to reduce the beam spread due to diffraction or atmospheric turbulence. During the eclipse periods or lunar night, the lasers illuminate the solar arrays to a level sufficient to provide operating power.

  4. Progress in high-power continuous-wave quantum cascade lasers [Invited].

    PubMed

    Figueiredo, Pedro; Suttinger, Matthew; Go, Rowel; Tsvid, Eugene; Patel, C Kumar N; Lyakh, Arkadiy

    2017-11-01

    Multi-watt continuous-wave room temperature operation with efficiency exceeding 10% has been demonstrated for quantum cascade lasers essentially in the entire mid-wave and long-wave infrared spectral regions. Along with interband cascade lasers, these devices are the only room-temperature lasers that directly convert electrical power into mid- and long-infrared optical power. In this paper, we review the progress in high-power quantum cascade lasers made over the last 10 years. Specifically, an overview of the most important active region, waveguide, and thermal design techniques is presented, and various aspects of die packaging for high-power applications are discussed. Prospects of power scaling with lateral device dimensions for reaching optical power level in the range from 10 W to 20 W are also analyzed. Finally, coherent and spectral beam-combining techniques for very high-power infrared platforms are discussed.

  5. A low cost hermetic packaging for high power industry fiber lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ding, Jianwu; Liu, Jinhui

    2018-02-01

    For water-cooled fiber lasers, humidity and the resulting water-condensation has always been the biggest threat for laser reliability or power degradation, especially when used in harsh industrial environment. Here we present an innovative fiber laser packaging method featuring cast aluminum frame and an almost screw-free exterior packaging. A CW fiber laser with 1.5KW laser output power in such a compact and light-weight package has been demonstrated with an excellent beam quality and power stability for industry applications.

  6. Trends in high power laser applications in civil engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wignarajah, Sivakumaran; Sugimoto, Kenji; Nagai, Kaori

    2005-03-01

    This paper reviews the research and development efforts made on the use of lasers for material processing in the civil engineering industry. Initial investigations regarding the possibility of using lasers in civil engineering were made in the 1960s and '70s, the target being rock excavation. At that time however, the laser powers available were too small for any practical application utilization. In the 1980's, the technology of laser surface cleaning of historically important structures was developed in Europe. In the early 1990s, techniques of laser surface modification, including glazing and coloring of concrete, roughening of granite stones, carbonization of wood were pursued, mainly in Japan. In the latter part of the decade, techniques of laser decontamination of concrete surfaces in nuclear facilities were developed in many countries, and field tests were caried out in Japan. The rapid advances in development of diode lasers and YAG lasers with high power outputs and efficiencies since the late 1990's have led to a revival of worldwide interest in the use of lasers for material processing in civil engineering. The authors believe that, in the next 10 years or so, the advent of compact high power lasers is likely to lead to increased use of lasers of material processing in the field of civil engineering.

  7. High-power diode laser bars as pump sources for fiber lasers and amplifiers (Invited Paper)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonati, G.; Hennig, P.; Wolff, D.; Voelckel, H.; Gabler, T.; Krause, U.; T'nnermann, A.; Reich, M.; Limpert, J.; Werner, E.; Liem, A.

    2005-04-01

    Fiber lasers are pumped by fibercoupled, multimode single chip devices at 915nm. That"s what everybody assumes when asked for the type of fiber laser pumps and it was like this for many years. Coming up as an amplifier for telecom applications, the amount of pump power needed was in the range of several watts. Highest pump powers for a limited market entered the ten watts range. This is a range of power that can be covered by highly reliable multimode chips, that have to survive up to 25 years, e.g. in submarine applications. With fiber lasers entering the power range and the application fields of rod and thin disc lasers, the amount of pump power needed raised into the area of several hundred watts. In this area of pump power, usually bar based pumps are used. This is due to the much higher cost pressure of the industrial customers compared to telecom customers. We expect more then 70% of all industrial systems to be pumped by diode laser bars. Predictions that bar based pumps survive for just a thousand hours in cw-operation and fractions of this if pulsed are wrong. Bar based pumps have to perform on full power for 10.000h on Micro channel heat sinks and 20.000h on passive heatsinks in industrial applications, and they do. We will show a variety of data, "real" long time tests and statistics from the JENOPTIK Laserdiode as well as data of thousands of bars in the field, showing that bar based pumps are not just well suitable for industrial applications on high power levels, but even showing benefits compared to chip based pumps. And it"s reasonable, that the same objectives of cost effectiveness, power and lifetime apply as well to thin disc, rod and slab lasers as to fiber lasers. Due to the pumping of fiber lasers, examples will be shown, how to utilize bars for high brightness fiber coupling. In this area, the automation is on its way to reduce the costs on the fibercoupling, similar to what had been done in the single chip business. All these efforts are

  8. Systems analysis on laser beamed power

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zeiders, Glenn W., Jr.

    1993-01-01

    The NASA SELENE power beaming program is intended to supply cost-effective power to space assets via Earth-based lasers and active optics systems. Key elements of the program are analyzed, the overall effort is reviewed, and recommendations are presented.

  9. Estimation of average annual streamflows and power potentials for Alaska and Hawaii

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Verdin, Kristine L.

    2004-05-01

    This paper describes the work done to develop average annual streamflow estimates and power potential for the states of Alaska and Hawaii. The Elevation Derivatives for National Applications (EDNA) database was used, along with climatic datasets, to develop flow and power estimates for every stream reach in the EDNA database. Estimates of average annual streamflows were derived using state-specific regression equations, which were functions of average annual precipitation, precipitation intensity, drainage area, and other elevation-derived parameters. Power potential was calculated through the use of the average annual streamflow and the hydraulic head of each reach, which is calculated from themore » EDNA digital elevation model. In all, estimates of streamflow and power potential were calculated for over 170,000 stream segments in the Alaskan and Hawaiian datasets.« less

  10. High power gas laser amplifier

    DOEpatents

    Leland, Wallace T.; Stratton, Thomas F.

    1981-01-01

    A high power output CO.sub.2 gas laser amplifier having a number of sections, each comprising a plurality of annular pumping chambers spaced around the circumference of a vacuum chamber containing a cold cathode, gridded electron gun. The electron beam from the electron gun ionizes the gas lasing medium in the sections. An input laser beam is split into a plurality of annular beams, each passing through the sections comprising one pumping chamber.

  11. CO2 laser drives extreme ultraviolet nano-lithography — second life of mature laser technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nowak, K. M.; Ohta, T.; Suganuma, T.; Fujimoto, J.; Mizoguchi, H.; Sumitani, A.; Endo, A.

    2013-12-01

    It was shown both theoretically and experimentally that nanosecond order laser pulses at 10.6 micron wavelength were superior for driving the Sn plasma extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source for nano-lithography for the reasons of higher conversion efficiency, lower production of debris and higher average power levels obtainable in CO2 media without serious problems of beam distortions and nonlinear effects occurring in competing solid-state lasers at high intensities. The renewed interest in such pulse format, wavelength, repetition rates in excess of 50 kHz and average power levels in excess of 18 kiloWatt has sparked new opportunities for a matured multi-kiloWatt CO2 laser technology. The power demand of EUV source could be only satisfied by a Master-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier system configuration, leading to a development of a new type of hybrid pulsed CO2 laser employing a whole spectrum of CO2 technology, such as fast flow systems and diffusion-cooled planar waveguide lasers, and relatively recent quantum cascade lasers. In this paper we review briefly the history of relevant pulsed CO2 laser technology and the requirements for multi-kiloWatt CO2 laser, intended for the laser-produced plasma EUV source, and present our recent advances, such as novel solid-state seeded master oscillator and efficient multi-pass amplifiers built on planar waveguide CO2 lasers.

  12. Spectral and power characteristics of a 5% Tm : KLu(WO4)2 Nm-cut minislab laser passively Q-switched by a Cr2+ : ZnSe crystal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vatnik, S. M.; Vedin, I. A.; Kurbatov, P. F.; Smolina, E. A.; Pavlyuk, A. A.; Korostelin, Yu. V.; Skasyrsky, Ya. K.

    2017-12-01

    Laser characteristics of a 5%Tm : KLu(WO4)2 Nm-cut minislab laser passively Q-switched by a Cr2+ : ZnSe saturable absorber are presented. At a pump power of 21 W, the average laser power at a wavelength of 1.91 μm was 3.2 W (pulse duration 35 ns, pulse energy 0.3 mJ). The maximum slope efficiency of the laser in the Q-switched regime was 31%; the loss in power with respect to the cw regime did not exceed 17%. At pump powers above 15 W, the dependence of the output power in the Q-switched regime on the pump power considerably differed from linear, which was explained by the formation of a thermal lens in the saturable absorber volume. The experimental energies and durations of laser pulses well agree with the values calculated from rate equations.

  13. High-power broad-area diode lasers optimized for fiber laser pumping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gilly, J.; Friedmann, P.; Kissel, H.; Biesenbach, J.; Kelemen, M. T.

    2012-03-01

    In diode laser applications for fibre laser pumping and materials processing high brightness becomes more and more important. At the moment fibre coupled modules benefit from continuous improvement of Broad-Area (BA) lasers on the chip level regarding output power, efficiency and far-field characteristics. To achieve high brightness not only the output power must be increased, but also the far field angles have to be maintained or even decreased because brightness is proportional to output power divided by beam quality. Typically fast axis far fields show mostly a current independent behaviour, for broad-area lasers far-fields in the slow axis suffer from a strong current and temperature dependence, limiting the brightness. These limitations can be overcomed by carefully optimizing epitaxy-design and processing and also thermal management of the mounted device. The easiest way to achieve a good thermal management of BA-Lasers is to increase the resonator length while simultaneously decreasing internal losses of the epitaxy structure. To fulfill these issues, we have realized MBE grown InGaAs/AlGaAs broad-area with resonator lengths between 4mm and 6mm emitting at 976nm. To evaluate the brightness of these broad-area lasers single emitters have been mounted p-side down. Near- and far-fields have been carefully investigated. For a 4mm long broad-area laser with around 100μm emission width a beam parameter product of less than 3.5 mm x mrad has been achieved at 10W with a slope efficiency of more than 1.1W/A and a maximum wall-plug efficiency of more than 67%. For a device with 6mm resonator length we have reached a BPP of less than 3.5mm x mrad at 14W in slow axis direction which results in a brightness around 130MW/cm2 sr, which is to our knowledge the highest brightness reported so far for BA-lasers.

  14. Pulse Repetition Frequency Effects In A High Average Power X-Ray Preionised Excimer Laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fontaine, Bernard L.; Forestier, Bernard M.; Delaporte, Philippe C.; Canarelli, Patrick

    1989-10-01

    Experimental study of waves damping in a high repetition rate excimer laser is undertaken. Excitation of laser active medium in a subsonic loop is achieved by means of a classical discharge, through transfer capacitors. The discharge stability is controlled by a wire ion plasma (w.i.p.) X-rays gun. The strong acoustic waves induced by the active medium excitation may lead to a decrease, at high PRF, of the energy per pulse. First results of the influence of a damping of induced density perturbations between two successive pulses are presented.

  15. High-power diode-pumped solid-state lasers for optical space communications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Koechner, Walter; Burnham, Ralph; Kasinski, Jeff; Bournes, Pat; Dibiase, Don; Le, Khoa; Marshall, Larry; Hays, Alan

    1991-01-01

    The design and performance of a large diode-pumped multi-stage Nd:YAG laser system for space and airborne applications will be described. The laser operates at a repetition rate of 40 Hz and produces an output either at 1.064 micron or 532 nm with an average power in the Q-switched mode of 30 W at the fundamental and 20 W at the second harmonic wavelength. The output beam is diffraction limited (TEM 00 mode) and can optionally also be operated in a single longitudinal mode. The output energy ranges from 1.25 Joule/pulse in the free lasing mode, 0.75 Joule in a 17 nsec Q-switched pulse, to 0.5 Joules/pulse at 532 nm. The overall electrical efficiency for the Q-switched second harmonic output is 4.

  16. Autonomous Laser-Powered Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stone, William C. (Inventor); Hogan, Bartholomew P. (Inventor)

    2017-01-01

    An autonomous laser-powered vehicle designed to autonomously penetrate through ice caps of substantial (e.g., kilometers) thickness by melting a path ahead of the vehicle as it descends. A high powered laser beam is transmitted to the vehicle via an onboard bare fiber spooler. After the beam enters through the dispersion optics, the beam expands into a cavity. A radiation shield limits backscatter radiation from heating the optics. The expanded beam enters the heat exchanger and is reflected by a dispersion mirror. Forward-facing beveled circular grooves absorb the reflected radiant energy preventing the energy from being reflected back towards the optics. Microchannels along the inner circumference of the beam dump heat exchanger maximize heat transfer. Sufficient amount of fiber is wound on the fiber spooler to permit not only a descent but also to permit a sample return mission by inverting the vehicle and melting its way back to the surface.

  17. High pumping-power fiber combiner for double-cladding fiber lasers and amplifiers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Jinkun; Zhao, Wei; Zhao, Baoyin; Li, Zhe; Chang, Chang; Li, Gang; Gao, Qi; Ju, Pei; Gao, Wei; She, Shengfei; Wu, Peng; Hou, Chaoqi; Li, Weinan

    2018-03-01

    A high pumping-power fiber combiner for backward pumping configurations is fabricated and demonstrated by manufacturing process refinement. The pump power handling capability of every pump fiber can extend to 600 W, corresponding to the average pump coupling efficiency of 94.83%. Totally, 2.67-kW output power with the beam quality factor M2 of 1.41 was obtained, using this combiner in the fiber amplifier experimental setup. In addition, the temperature of the splicing region was less than 50.0°C in the designed combiner under the action of circulating cooling water. The experimental results prove that the designed combiner is a promising integrated all-fiber device for multikilowatt continuous-wave fiber laser with excellent beam quality.

  18. High power multiple wavelength diode laser stack for DPSSL application without temperature control

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hou, Dong; Yin, Xia; Wang, Jingwei; Chen, Shi; Zhan, Yun; Li, Xiaoning; Fan, Yingmin; Liu, Xingsheng

    2018-02-01

    High power diode laser stack is widely used in pumping solid-state laser for years. Normally an integrated temperature control module is required for stabilizing the output power of solid-state laser, as the output power of the solid-state laser highly depends on the emission wavelength and the wavelength shift of diode lasers according to the temperature changes. However the temperature control module is inconvenient for this application, due to its large dimension, high electric power consumption and extra adding a complicated controlling system. Furthermore, it takes dozens of seconds to stabilize the output power when the laser system is turned on. In this work, a compact hard soldered high power conduction cooled diode laser stack with multiple wavelengths is developed for stabilizing the output power of solid-state laser in a certain temperature range. The stack consists of 5 laser bars with the pitch of 0.43mm. The peak output power of each bar in the diode laser stack reaches as much as 557W and the combined lasing wavelength spectrum profile spans 15nm. The solidstate laser, structured with multiple wavelength diode laser stacks, allows the ambient temperature change of 65°C without suddenly degrading the optical performance.

  19. High-power beam combining: a step to a future laser weapon system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Protz, Rudolf; Zoz, Jürgen; Geidek, Franz; Dietrich, Stephan; Fall, Michael

    2012-11-01

    Due to the enormous progress in the field of high-power fiber lasers during the last years commercial industrial fiber lasers are now available, which deliver a near-diffraction limited beam with power levels up to10kW. For the realization of a future laser weapon system, which can be used for Counter-RAM or similar air defence applications, a laser source with a beam power at the level of 100kW or more is required. At MBDA Germany the concept for a high-energy laser weapon system is investigated, which is based on such existing industrial laser sources as mentioned before. A number of individual high-power fiber laser beams are combined together, using one common beam director telescope. By this "geometric" beam coupling scheme, sufficient laser beam power for an operational laser weapon system can be achieved. The individual beams from the different lasers are steered by servo-loops, using fast tip-tilt mirrors. This principle enables the concentration of the total laser beam power at the common focal point on a distant target, also allowing fine tracking of target movements and first order compensation of turbulence effects on laser beam propagation. The proposed beam combination concept was demonstrated using several experimental set-ups. Different experiments were performed, to investigate laser beam target interaction and target fine tracking also at large distances. Content and results of these investigations are reported. An example for the lay-out of an Air Defence High Energy Laser Weapon (ADHELW ) is given. It can be concluded, that geometric high-power beam combining is an important step for the realization of a laser weapon system in the near future.

  20. MPPT Algorithm Development for Laser Powered Surveillance Camera Power Supply Unit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yungui; Dushantha Chaminda, P. R.; Zhao, Kun; Cheng, Lin; Jiang, Yi; Peng, Kai

    2018-03-01

    Photovoltaics (PV) cells, modules which are semiconducting materials, convert light energy into electricity. Operation of a PV cell requires 3 basic features. When the light is absorbed it generate pairs of electron holes or excitons. An external circuit carrier opposite types of electrons irrespective of the source (sunlight or LASER light). The PV arrays have photovoltaic effect and the PV cells are defined as a device which has electrical characteristics: such as current, voltage and resistance. It varies when exposed to light, that the power output is depend on direct Laser-light. In this paper Laser-light to electricity by direct conversion with the use of PV cells and its concept of Band gap Energy, Series Resistance, Conversion Efficiency and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) methods [1].

  1. Q-switched slab RF discharge CO laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ionin, A. A.; Kochetkov, Yu V.; Kozlov, A. Yu; Mokrousova, D. V.; Seleznev, L. V.; Sinitsyn, D. V.; Sunchugasheva, E. S.; Zemtsov, D. S.

    2017-05-01

    A compact repetitively pulsed cryogenically cooled slab RF discharge CO laser with double path V-type laser resonator equipped with external Q-switching system based on rotating mirror was developed and studied. The laser produced mid-IR (λ ~ 5-7 µm) radiation pulses of ~1 ÷ 2 µs duration (FWHM), peak power up to ~3 kW, and pulse repetition rate up to 130 Hz. Averaged output laser power reached 0.5 W, the laser spectrum consisted of ~80 laser lines with individual peak power up to 80 W.

  2. Design Investigation of Solar Powered Lasers for Space Applications

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-05-01

    Brayton Cycle Power Units 64 3.4 Heat Exchanger 75 3.5 Waste Heat Radiator 79 3.6 Solar Powered Gas Dynamic Laser 82 3.7 Solar Powered Electric... Brayton Cycle Space Power Units 65 10 Supersonic C02 GDL (1 MW) 85 11 Specific Weights for Comparative Evaluation of Solar Lasers 88 12 Subsonic C02...for the Brayton Cycle Power Units 61 21 Solar Radiation Boiler-Receiver Solar Radiation from the Collectors in Focussed (at left) on the

  3. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Laser Powered Carbon Nanotube Gears

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Srivastava, Deepak; Globus, Al; Han, Jie; Chancellor, Marisa K. (Technical Monitor)

    1997-01-01

    Dynamics of laser powered carbon nanotube gears is investigated by molecular dynamics simulations with Brenner's hydrocarbon potential. We find that when the frequency of the laser electric field is much less than the intrinsic frequency of the carbon nanotube, the tube exhibits an oscillatory pendulam behavior. However, a unidirectional rotation of the gear with oscillating frequency is observed under conditions of resonance between the laser field and intrinsic gear frequencies. The operating conditions for stable rotations of the nanotube gears, powered by laser electric fields are explored, in these simulations.

  4. High power, electrically tunable quantum cascade lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slivken, Steven; Razeghi, Manijeh

    2016-02-01

    Mid-infrared laser sources (3-14 μm wavelengths) which have wide spectral coverage and high output power are attractive for many applications. This spectral range contains unique absorption fingerprints of most molecules, including toxins, explosives, and nerve agents. Infrared spectroscopy can also be used to detect important biomarkers, which can be used for medical diagnostics by means of breath analysis. The challenge is to produce a broadband midinfrared source which is small, lightweight, robust, and inexpensive. We are currently investigating monolithic solutions using quantum cascade lasers. A wide gain bandwidth is not sufficient to make an ideal spectroscopy source. Single mode output with rapid tuning is desirable. For dynamic wavelength selection, our group is developing multi-section laser geometries with wide electrical tuning (hundreds of cm-1). These devices are roughly the same size as a traditional quantum cascade lasers, but tuning is accomplished without any external optical components. When combined with suitable amplifiers, these lasers are capable of multi-Watt single mode output powers. This manuscript will describe our current research efforts and the potential for high performance, broadband electrical tuning with the quantum cascade laser.

  5. Laser technologies for ultrasensitive groundwater dating using long-lived isotopes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Backus, Sterling

    In this phase I work, we propose to construct and demonstrate a 103 nm laser based on resonantly enhanced and phase matched fifth harmonic generation in hollow waveguides driven by a high power, low cost and compact ultrafast fiber laser. (Figure 4) This VUV laser source can potentially produce >100 milliwatts of VUV light at 103 nm with pulse repetition-rates of 100 kHz to 100 MHz, ideal for the above-mentioned applications. This technology is state-of-the-art and potentially compact, fieldable, low-cost, and of broad interest for a variety of science and technology applications. Laser-based VUV sources in the past have exhibitedmore » low repetition rate, low efficiency, low beam quality, and are based on expensive laser sources. Our approch is to combine ultrafast fiber laser drive technology, ultrafast pulses, and our proven waveguide technology, to create a high repetition rate, high average power VUV source for producing high yield metastable Krypton. At KMLabs we have been offering EUV light sources employing the high harmonic generation (HHG) process driven by high-power femtosecond lasers for >5 years now. Recently, we have developed much smaller scale (briefcase size), but still high average power femtosecond fiber laser sources to supply other markets, and create new ones. By combining these new laser sources with our patented waveguide frequency upconversion technology, we expect to be able to obtain >20mW average power initially, with potentially much higher powers depending on wavelength, in an affordable VUV product. For comparison, our current EUV light sources based on ti:sapphire generate an average power of ~5 µW (albeit at shorter 29 nm wavelength), and we are aware of one other supplier that has developed a VUV (112 nm) light source with ~10-20 µW power.« less

  6. Advanced specialty fiber designs for high power fiber lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Guancheng

    The output power of fiber lasers has increased rapidly over the last decade. There are two major limiting factors, namely nonlinear effects and transverse mode instability, prohibiting the power scaling capability of fiber lasers. The nonlinear effects, originating from high optical intensity, primarily limit the peak power scaling. The mode instability, on the other hand, arises from quantum-defect driven heating, causing undesired mode coupling once the power exceeds the threshold and degradation of beam quality. The mode instability has now become the bottleneck for average output power scaling of fiber lasers. Mode area scaling is the most effective way to mitigate nonlinear effects. However, the use of large mode area may increase the tendency to support multiple modes in the core, resulting in lower mode instability threshold. Therefore, it is critical to maintain single mode operation in a large mode area fiber. Sufficient higher order mode suppression can lead to effective single-transverse-mode propagation. In this dissertation, we explore the feasibility of using specialty fiber to construct high power fiber lasers with robust single-mode output. The first type of fiber discussed is the resonantly-enhanced leakage channel fiber. Coherent reflection at the fiber outer boundary can lead to additional confinement especially for highly leaky HOM, leading to lower HOM losses than what are predicted by conventional finite element mothod mode solver considering infinite cladding. In this work, we conducted careful measurements of HOM losses in two leakage channel fibers (LCF) with circular and rounded hexagonal boundary shapes respectively. Impact on HOM losses from coiling, fiber boundary shapes and coating indexes were studied in comparison to simulations. This work demonstrates the limit of the simulation method commonly used in the large-mode-area fiber designs and the need for an improved approach. More importantly, this work also demonstrates that a

  7. High speed micromachining with high power UV laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patel, Rajesh S.; Bovatsek, James M.

    2013-03-01

    Increasing demand for creating fine features with high accuracy in manufacturing of electronic mobile devices has fueled growth for lasers in manufacturing. High power, high repetition rate ultraviolet (UV) lasers provide an opportunity to implement a cost effective high quality, high throughput micromachining process in a 24/7 manufacturing environment. The energy available per pulse and the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of diode pumped solid state (DPSS) nanosecond UV lasers have increased steadily over the years. Efficient use of the available energy from a laser is important to generate accurate fine features at a high speed with high quality. To achieve maximum material removal and minimal thermal damage for any laser micromachining application, use of the optimal process parameters including energy density or fluence (J/cm2), pulse width, and repetition rate is important. In this study we present a new high power, high PRF QuasarR 355-40 laser from Spectra-Physics with TimeShiftTM technology for unique software adjustable pulse width, pulse splitting, and pulse shaping capabilities. The benefits of these features for micromachining include improved throughput and quality. Specific example and results of silicon scribing are described to demonstrate the processing benefits of the Quasar's available power, PRF, and TimeShift technology.

  8. Photonic crystal fiber technology for compact fiber-delivered high-power ultrafast fiber lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Triches, Marco; Michieletto, Mattia; Johansen, Mette M.; Jakobsen, Christian; Olesen, Anders S.; Papior, Sidsel R.; Kristensen, Torben; Bondue, Magalie; Weirich, Johannes; Alkeskjold, Thomas T.

    2018-02-01

    Photonic crystal fiber (PCF) technology has radically impacted the scientific and industrial ultrafast laser market. Reducing platform dimensions are important to decrease cost and footprint while maintaining high optical efficiency. We present our recent work on short 85 μm core ROD-type fiber amplifiers that maintain single-mode performance and excellent beam quality. Robust long-term performance at 100 W average power and 250 kW peak power in 20 ps pulses at 1030 nm wavelength is presented, exceeding 500 h with stable performance in terms of both polarization and power. In addition, we present our recent results on hollow-core ultrafast fiber delivery maintaining high beam quality and polarization purity.

  9. Numerical simulation of hydrogen fluorine overtone chemical lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Jinbao; Jiang, Zhongfu; Hua, Weihong; Liu, Zejin; Shu, Baihong

    1998-08-01

    A two-dimensional program was applied to simulate the chemical dynamic process, gas dynamic process and lasing process of a combustion-driven CW HF overtone chemical lasers. Some important parameters in the cavity were obtained. The calculated results included HF molecule concentration on each vibration energy level while lasing, averaged pressure and temperature, zero power gain coefficient of each spectral line, laser spectrum, the averaged laser intensity, output power, chemical efficiency and the length of lasing zone.

  10. Research on laser detonation pulse circuit with low-power based on super capacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Hao-yu; Hong, Jin; He, Aifeng; Jing, Bo; Cao, Chun-qiang; Ma, Yue; Chu, En-yi; Hu, Ya-dong

    2018-03-01

    According to the demand of laser initiating device miniaturization and low power consumption of weapon system, research on the low power pulse laser detonation circuit with super capacitor. Established a dynamic model of laser output based on super capacitance storage capacity, discharge voltage and programmable output pulse width. The output performance of the super capacitor under different energy storage capacity and discharge voltage is obtained by simulation. The experimental test system was set up, and the laser diode of low power pulsed laser detonation circuit was tested and the laser output waveform of laser diode in different energy storage capacity and discharge voltage was collected. Experiments show that low power pulse laser detonation based on super capacitor energy storage circuit discharge with high efficiency, good transient performance, for a low power consumption requirement, for laser detonation system and low power consumption and provide reference light miniaturization of engineering practice.

  11. High-power diode lasers for optical communications applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carlin, D. B.; Goldstein, B.; Channin, D. J.

    1985-01-01

    High-power, single-mode, double-heterojunction AlGaAs diode lasers are being developed to meet source requirements for both fiber optic local area network and free space communications systems. An individual device, based on the channeled-substrate-planar (CSP) structure, has yielded single spatial and longitudinal mode outputs of up to 90 mW CW, and has maintained a single spatial mode to 150 mW CW. Phase-locked arrays of closely spaced index-guided lasers have been designed and fabricated with the aim of multiplying the outputs of the individual devices to even higher power levels in a stable, single-lobe, anastigmatic beam. The optical modes of the lasers in such arrays can couple together in such a way that they appear to be emanating from a single source, and can therefore be efficiently coupled into optical communications systems. This paper will review the state of high-power laser technology and discuss the communication system implications of these devices.

  12. High-power ultrafast Yb:fiber laser frequency combs using commercially available components and basic fiber tools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xinlong; Reber, Melanie A. R.; Corder, Christopher; Chen, Yuning; Zhao, Peng; Allison, Thomas K.

    2016-09-01

    We present a detailed description of the design, construction, and performance of high-power ultrafast Yb:fiber laser frequency combs in operation in our laboratory. We discuss two such laser systems: an 87 MHz, 9 W, 85 fs laser operating at 1060 nm and an 87 MHz, 80 W, 155 fs laser operating at 1035 nm. Both are constructed using low-cost, commercially available components, and can be assembled using only basic tools for cleaving and splicing single-mode fibers. We describe practical methods for achieving and characterizing low-noise single-pulse operation and long-term stability from Yb:fiber oscillators based on nonlinear polarization evolution. Stabilization of the combs using a variety of transducers, including a new method for tuning the carrier-envelope offset frequency, is discussed. High average power is achieved through chirped-pulse amplification in simple fiber amplifiers based on double-clad photonic crystal fibers. We describe the use of these combs in several applications, including ultrasensitive femtosecond time-resolved spectroscopy and cavity-enhanced high-order harmonic generation.

  13. Cryogenic ultra-high power infrared diode laser bars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crump, Paul; Frevert, C.; Hösler, H.; Bugge, F.; Knigge, S.; Pittroff, W.; Erbert, G.; Tränkle, G.

    2014-02-01

    GaAs-based high power diode lasers are the most efficient source of optical energy, and are in wide use in industrial applications, either directly or as pump sources for other laser media. Increased output power per laser is required to enable new applications (increased optical power density) and to reduce cost (more output per component leads to lower cost in $/W). For example, laser bars in the 9xx nm wavelength range with the very highest power and efficiency are needed as pump sources for many high-energy-class solid-state laser systems. We here present latest performance progress using a novel design approach that leverages operation at temperatures below 0°C for increases in bar power and efficiency. We show experimentally that operation at -55°C increases conversion efficiency and suppresses thermal rollover, enabling peak quasi-continuous wave bar powers of Pout > 1.6 kW to be achieved (1.2 ms, 10 Hz), limited by the available current. The conversion efficiency at 1.6 kW is 53%. Following on from this demonstration work, the key open challenge is to develop designs that deliver higher efficiencies, targeting > 80% at 1.6 kW. We present an analysis of the limiting factors and show that low electrical resistance is crucial, meaning that long resonators and high fill factor are needed. We review also progress in epitaxial design developments that leverage low temperatures to enable both low resistance and high optical performance. Latest results will be presented, summarizing the impact on bar performance and options for further improvements to efficiency will also be reviewed.

  14. Thermal effects in high average power optical parametric amplifiers.

    PubMed

    Rothhardt, Jan; Demmler, Stefan; Hädrich, Steffen; Peschel, Thomas; Limpert, Jens; Tünnermann, Andreas

    2013-03-01

    Optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) have the reputation of being average power scalable due to the instantaneous nature of the parametric process (zero quantum defect). This Letter reveals serious challenges originating from thermal load in the nonlinear crystal caused by absorption. We investigate these thermal effects in high average power OPAs based on beta barium borate. Absorption of both pump and idler waves is identified to contribute significantly to heating of the nonlinear crystal. A temperature increase of up to 148 K with respect to the environment is observed and mechanical tensile stress up to 40 MPa is found, indicating a high risk of crystal fracture under such conditions. By restricting the idler to a wavelength range far from absorption bands and removing the crystal coating we reduce the peak temperature and the resulting temperature gradient significantly. Guidelines for further power scaling of OPAs and other nonlinear devices are given.

  15. Characterizing the Effect of Laser Power on Laser Metal Deposited Titanium Alloy and Boron Carbide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akinlabi, E. T.; Erinosho, M. F.

    2017-11-01

    Titanium alloy has gained acceptance in the aerospace, marine, chemical, and other related industries due to its excellent combination of mechanical and corrosion properties. In order to augment its properties, a hard ceramic, boron carbide has been laser cladded with it at varying laser powers between 0.8 and 2.4 kW. This paper presents the effect of laser power on the laser deposited Ti6Al4V-B4C composites through the evolving microstructures and microhardness. The microstructures of the composites exhibit the formation of α-Ti phase and β-Ti phase and were elongated towards the heat affected zone. These phases were terminated at the fusion zone and globular microstructures were found growing epitaxially just immediately after the fusion zone. Good bondings were formed in all the deposited composites. Sample A1 deposited at a laser power of 0.8 kW and scanning speed of 1 m/min exhibits the highest hardness of HV 432 ± 27, while sample A4 deposited at a laser power of 2.0 kW and scanning speed of 1 m/min displays the lowest hardness of HV 360 ± 18. From the hardness results obtained, ceramic B4C has improved the mechanical properties of the primary alloy.

  16. Solar pumped laser technology options for space power transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Conway, E. J.

    1986-01-01

    An overview of long-range options for in-space laser power transmission is presented. The focus is on the new technology and research status of solar-pumped lasers and their solar concentration needs. The laser options include gas photodissociation lasers, optically-pumped solid-state lasers, and blackbody-pumped transfer lasers. The paper concludes with a summary of current research thrusts.

  17. On-Chip Laser-Power Delivery System for Dielectric Laser Accelerators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hughes, Tyler W.; Tan, Si; Zhao, Zhexin; Sapra, Neil V.; Leedle, Kenneth J.; Deng, Huiyang; Miao, Yu; Black, Dylan S.; Solgaard, Olav; Harris, James S.; Vuckovic, Jelena; Byer, Robert L.; Fan, Shanhui; England, R. Joel; Lee, Yun Jo; Qi, Minghao

    2018-05-01

    We propose an on-chip optical-power delivery system for dielectric laser accelerators based on a fractal "tree-network" dielectric waveguide geometry. This system replaces experimentally demanding free-space manipulations of the driving laser beam with chip-integrated techniques based on precise nanofabrication, enabling access to orders-of-magnitude increases in the interaction length and total energy gain for these miniature accelerators. Based on computational modeling, in the relativistic regime, our laser delivery system is estimated to provide 21 keV of energy gain over an acceleration length of 192 μ m with a single laser input, corresponding to a 108-MV/m acceleration gradient. The system may achieve 1 MeV of energy gain over a distance of less than 1 cm by sequentially illuminating 49 identical structures. These findings are verified by detailed numerical simulation and modeling of the subcomponents, and we provide a discussion of the main constraints, challenges, and relevant parameters with regard to on-chip laser coupling for dielectric laser accelerators.

  18. Advanced Receiver/Converter Experiments for Laser Wireless Power Transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Howell, Joe T.; ONeill, Mark; Fork, Richard

    2004-01-01

    For several years NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, UAH and ENTECH have been working on various aspects of space solar power systems. The current activity was just begun in January 2004 to further develop this new photovoltaic concentrator laser receiver/converter technology. During the next few months, an improved prototype will be designed, fabricated, and thoroughly tested under laser illumination. The final paper will describe the new concept, present its advantages over other laser receiver/converter approaches (including planar photovoltaic arrays), and provide the latest experiment results on prototype hardware (including the effects of laser irradiance level and cell temperature). With NASA's new human exploration plans to first return to the Moon, and then to proceed to Mars, the new photovoltaic concentrator laser receiver/converter technology could prove to be extremely useful in providing power to the landing sites and other phases of the missions. For example, to explore the scientifically interesting and likely resource-rich poles of the Moon (which may contain water) or the poles of Mars (which definitely contain water and carbon dioxide), laser power beaming could represent the simplest means of providing power to these regions, which receive little or no sunlight, making solar arrays useless there. In summary, the authors propose a paper on definition and experimental results of a novel photovoltaic concentrator approach for collecting and converting laser radiation to electrical power. The new advanced photovoltaic concentrator laser receiver/converter offers higher performance, lighter weight, and lower cost than competing concepts, and early experimental results are confirming the expected excellent Performance levels. After the small prototypes are successfully demonstrated, a larger array with even better performance is planned for the next phase experiments and demonstrations. Thereafter, a near-term flight experiment of the new technology

  19. Effects of laser power density and initial grain size in laser shock punching of pure copper foil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Chao; Zhang, Xiu; Zhang, Yiliang; Ji, Zhong; Luan, Yiguo; Song, Libin

    2018-06-01

    The effects of laser power density and initial grain size on forming quality of holes in laser shock punching process were investigated in the present study. Three different initial grain sizes as well as three levels of laser power densities were provided, and then laser shock punching experiments of T2 copper foil were conducted. Based upon the experimental results, the characteristics of shape accuracy, fracture surface morphology and microstructures of punched holes were examined. It is revealed that the initial grain size has a noticeable effect on forming quality of holes punched by laser shock. The shape accuracy of punched holes degrades with the increase of grain size. As the laser power density is enhanced, the shape accuracy can be improved except for the case in which the ratio of foil thickness to initial grain size is approximately equal to 1. Compared with the fracture surface morphology in the quasistatic loading conditions, the fracture surface after laser shock can be divided into three zones including rollover, shearing and burr. The distribution of the above three zones strongly relates with the initial grain size. When the laser power density is enhanced, the shearing depth is not increased, but even diminishes in some cases. There is no obvious change of microstructures with the enhancement of laser power density. However, while the initial grain size is close to the foil thickness, single-crystal shear deformation may occur, suggesting that the ratio of foil thickness to initial grain size has an important impact on deformation behavior of metal foil in laser shock punching process.

  20. Thermal lensing compensation optics for high power lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scaggs, Michael; Haas, Gil

    2011-03-01

    Athermalization of focusing objectives is a common technique for optimizing imaging systems in the infrared where thermal effects are a major concern. The athermalization is generally done within the spectrum of interest and not generally applied to a single wavelength. The predominate glass used with high power infrared lasers in the near infrared of one micron, such as Nd:YAG and fiber lasers, is fused silica which has excellent thermal properties. All glasses, however, have a temperature coefficient of index of refraction (dn/dT) where as the glass heats up its index of refraction changes. Most glasses, fused silica included, have a positive dn/dT. A positive dn/dT will cause the focal length of the lens to decrease with a temperature rise. Many of the fluoride glasses, like CaF2, BaF2, LiF2, etc. have a negative dn/dT. By applying athermalization techniques of glass selection and optical design, the thermal lensing in a laser objective of a high power laser system can be substantially mitigated. We describe a passive method for minimizing thermal lensing of high power laser optics.

  1. Laser beamed power: Satellite demonstration applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Landis, Geoffrey A.; Westerlund, Larry H.

    1992-01-01

    It is possible to use a ground-based laser to beam light to the solar arrays of orbiting satellites, to a level sufficient to provide all or some of the operating power required. Near-term applications of this technology for providing supplemental power to existing satellites are discussed. Two missions with significant commercial pay-off are supplementing solar power for radiation-degraded arrays and providing satellite power during eclipse for satellites with failed batteries.

  2. Laser processing of ceramics for microelectronics manufacturing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sposili, Robert S.; Bovatsek, James; Patel, Rajesh

    2017-03-01

    Ceramic materials are used extensively in the microelectronics, semiconductor, and LED lighting industries because of their electrically insulating and thermally conductive properties, as well as for their high-temperature-service capabilities. However, their brittleness presents significant challenges for conventional machining processes. In this paper we report on a series of experiments that demonstrate and characterize the efficacy of pulsed nanosecond UV and green lasers in machining ceramics commonly used in microelectronics manufacturing, such as aluminum oxide (alumina) and aluminum nitride. With a series of laser pocket milling experiments, fundamental volume ablation rate and ablation efficiency data were generated. In addition, techniques for various industrial machining processes, such as shallow scribing and deep scribing, were developed and demonstrated. We demonstrate that lasers with higher average powers offer higher processing rates with the one exception of deep scribes in aluminum nitride, where a lower average power but higher pulse energy source outperformed a higher average power laser.

  3. Finite element analysis of space debris removal by high-power lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xue, Li; Jiang, Guanlei; Yu, Shuang; Li, Ming

    2015-08-01

    With the development of space station technologies, irradiation of space debris by space-based high-power lasers, can locally generate high-temperature plasmas and micro momentum, which may achieve the removal of debris through tracking down. Considered typical square-shaped space debris of material Ti with 5cm×5cm size, whose thermal conductivity, density, specific heat capacity and emissivity are 7.62W/(m·°C), 4500kg/m3, 0.52J/(kg·°C) and 0.3,respectively, based on the finite element analysis of ANSYS, each irradiation of space debris by high-power lasers with power density 106W/m2 and weapons-grade lasers with power density 3000W/m2 are simulated under space environment, and the temperature curves due to laser thermal irradiation are obtained and compared. Results show only 2s is needed for high-power lasers to make the debris temperature reach to about 10000K, which is the threshold temperature for plasmas-state conversion. While for weapons-grade lasers, it is 13min needed. Using two line elements (TLE), and combined with the coordinate transformation from celestial coordinate system to site coordinate system, the visible period of space debris is calculated as 5-10min. That is, in order to remove space debris by laser plasmas, the laser power density should be further improved. The article provides an intuitive and visual feasibility analysis method of space debris removal, and the debris material and shape, laser power density and spot characteristics are adjustable. This finite element analysis method is low-cost, repeatable and adaptable, which has an engineering-prospective applications.

  4. Atmospheric propagation of high power laser radiation at different weather conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pargmann, Carsten; Hall, Thomas; Duschek, Frank; Handke, Jürgen

    2016-05-01

    Applications based on the propagation of high power laser radiation through the atmosphere are limited in range and effect, due to weather dependent beam wandering, beam deterioration, and scattering processes. Security and defense related application examples are countermeasures against hostile projectiles and the powering of satellites and aircrafts. For an examination of the correlations between weather condition and laser beam characteristics DLR operates at Lampoldshausen a 130 m long free transmission laser test range. Sensors around this test range continuously monitor turbulence strength, visibility, precipitation, temperature, and wind speed. High power laser radiation is obtained by a TruDisk 6001 disk laser (Trumpf company) yielding a maximum output power of 6 kW at a wavelength of 1030 nm. The laser beam is expanded to 180 mm and focused along the beam path. Power and intensity distribution are measured before and after propagation, providing information about the atmospheric transmission and alterations of diameter and position of the laser beam. Backscattered laser light is acquired by a photo receiver. As a result, measurements performed at different weather conditions show a couple of correlations to the characteristics of the laser beam. The experimental results are compared to a numerical analysis. The calculations are based on the Maxwell wave equation in Fresnel approximation. The turbulence is considered by the introduction of phase screens and the "von Karman" spectrum.

  5. Radially polarized passively mode-locked thin-disk laser oscillator emitting sub-picosecond pulses with an average output power exceeding the 100 W level.

    PubMed

    Beirow, Frieder; Eckerle, Michael; Dannecker, Benjamin; Dietrich, Tom; Ahmed, Marwan Abdou; Graf, Thomas

    2018-02-19

    We report on a high-power passively mode-locked radially polarized Yb:YAG thin-disk oscillator providing 125 W of average output power. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average power ever reported from a mode-locked radially polarized oscillator without subsequent amplification stages. Mode-locking was achieved by implementing a SESAM as the cavity end mirror and the radial polarization of the LG* 01 mode was obtained by means of a circular Grating Waveguide Output Coupler. The repetition rate was 78 MHz. A pulse duration of 0.97 ps and a spectral bandwidth of 1.4 nm (FWHM) were measured at the maximum output power. This corresponds to a pulse energy of 1.6 µJ and a pulse peak power of 1.45 MW. A high degree of radial polarization of 97.3 ± 1% and an M 2 -value of 2.16 which is close to the theoretical value for the LG* 01 doughnut mode were measured.

  6. Radiation beam calorimetric power measurement system

    DOEpatents

    Baker, John; Collins, Leland F.; Kuklo, Thomas C.; Micali, James V.

    1992-01-01

    A radiation beam calorimetric power measurement system for measuring the average power of a beam such as a laser beam, including a calorimeter configured to operate over a wide range of coolant flow rates and being cooled by continuously flowing coolant for absorbing light from a laser beam to convert the laser beam energy into heat. The system further includes a flow meter for measuring the coolant flow in the calorimeter and a pair of thermistors for measuring the temperature difference between the coolant inputs and outputs to the calorimeter. The system also includes a microprocessor for processing the measured coolant flow rate and the measured temperature difference to determine the average power of the laser beam.

  7. Single crystal fibers for high power lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, W.; Florea, C.; Baker, C.; Gibson, D.; Shaw, L. B.; Bowman, S.; O'Connor, S.; Villalobos, G.; Bayya, S.; Aggarwal, I. D.; Sanghera, J. S.

    2012-11-01

    In this paper, we present our recent results in developing cladded-single crystal fibers for high power single frequency fiber lasers significantly exceeding the capabilities of existing silica fiber based lasers. This fiber laser would not only exploit the advantages of crystals, namely their high temperature stability, high thermal conductivity, superior environmental ruggedness, high propensity for rare earth ion doping and low nonlinearity, but will also provide the benefits from an optical fiber geometry to enable better thermal management thereby enabling the potential for high laser power output in short lengths. Single crystal fiber cores with diameters as small as 35μm have been drawn using high purity rare earth doped ceramic or single crystal feed rods by Laser Heated Pedestal Growth (LHPG) process. The mechanical, optical and morphological properties of these fibers have been characterized. The fibers are very flexible and show good overall uniformity. We also measured the optical loss as well as the non-radiative loss of the doped crystal fibers and the results show that the fibers have excellent optical and morphological quality. The gain coefficient of the crystal fiber matches the low quantum defect laser model and it is a good indication of the high quality of the fibers.

  8. Modulation instability initiated high power all-fiber supercontinuum lasers and their applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexander, Vinay V.; Kulkarni, Ojas P.; Kumar, Malay; Xia, Chenan; Islam, Mohammed N.; Terry, Fred L.; Welsh, Michael J.; Ke, Kevin; Freeman, Michael J.; Neelakandan, Manickam; Chan, Allan

    2012-09-01

    High average power, all-fiber integrated, broadband supercontinuum (SC) sources are demonstrated. Architecture for SC generation using amplified picosecond/nanosecond laser diode (LD) pulses followed by modulation instability (MI) induced pulse breakup is presented and used to demonstrate SC sources from the mid-IR to the visible wavelengths. In addition to the simplicity in implementation, this architecture allows scaling up of the SC average power by increasing the pulse repetition rate and the corresponding pump power, while keeping the peak power, and, hence, the spectral extent approximately constant. Using this process, we demonstrate >10 W in a mid-IR SC extending from ˜0.8 to 4 μm, >5 W in a near IR SC extending from ˜0.8 to 2.8 μm, and >0.7 W in a visible SC extending from ˜0.45 to 1.2 μm. SC modulation capability is also demonstrated in a mid-IR SC laser with ˜3.9 W in an SC extending from ˜0.8 to 4.3 μm. The entire system and SC output in this case is modulated by a 500 Hz square wave at 50% duty cycle without any external chopping or modulation. We also explore the use of thulium doped fiber amplifier (TDFA) stages for mid-IR SC generation. In addition to the higher pump to signal conversion efficiency demonstrated in TDFAs compared to erbium/ytterbium doped fiber amplifier (EYFA), the shifting of the SC pump from ˜1.5 to ˜2 μm is pursued with an attempt to generate a longer extending SC into the mid-IR. We demonstrate ˜2.5 times higher optical conversion efficiency from pump to SC generation in wavelengths beyond 3.8 μm in the TDFA versus the EYFA based SC systems. The TDFA SC spectrum extends from ˜1.9 to 4.5 μm with ˜2.6 W at 50% modulation with a 250 Hz square wave. A variety of applications in defense, health care and metrology are also demonstrated using the SC laser systems presented in this paper.

  9. GaAs laser diode pumped Nd:YAG laser

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Conant, L. C.; Reno, C. W.

    1974-01-01

    A 1.5-mm by 3-cm neodymium-ion doped YAG laser rod has been side pumped using a GaAs laser diode array tuned to the 8680-A absorption line, achieving a multimode average output power of 120 mW for a total input power of 20 W to the final-stage laser diode drivers. The pumped arrangement was designed to take advantage of the high brightness of a conventional GaAs array as a linear source by introducing the pump light through a slit into a close-wrapped gold coated pump cavity. This cavity forms an integrating chamber for the pump light.

  10. 1.2 MW peak power, all-solid-state picosecond laser with a microchip laser seed and a high gain single-passing bounce geometry amplifier

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Chunhua; Shen, Lifeng; Zhao, Zhiliang; Liu, Bin; Jiang, Hongbo; Chen, Jun; Liu, Chong

    2016-11-01

    A semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) based passively Q-switched microchip Nd:YVO4 seed laser with pulse duration of 90 ps at repetition rate of 100 kHz is amplified by single-passing a Nd:YVO4 bounce amplifier with varying seed input power from 20 μW to 10 mW. The liquid pure metal greasy thermally conductive material is used to replace the traditional thin indium foil as the thermal contact material for better heat load transfer of the Nd:YVO4 bounce amplifier. Temperature distribution at the pump surface is measured by an infrared imager to compare with the numerically simulated results. A highest single-passing output power of 11.3 W is obtained for 10 mW averaged seed power, achieving a pulse peak power of ~1.25 MW and pulse energy of ~113 μJ. The beam quality is well preserved with M2 ≤1.25. The simple configuration of this bounce laser amplifier made the system flexible, robust and cost-effective, showing attractive potential for further applications.

  11. A developmental perspective on high power laser facility technology for ICF

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Jianqiang; Sun, Mingying; Liu, Chong; Guo, Yajing; Yang, Lin; Yang, Pengqian; Zhang, Yanli; Wang, Bingyan; Liu, Cheng; Li, Yangshuai; Ren, Zhiyuan; Liu, Dean; Liu, Zhigang; Jiao, Zhaoyang; Ren, Lei; Zhang, Guowen; Fan, Quantang; Feng, Tao; Lin, Zunqi

    2018-02-01

    The latest progress on high power laser facilities in NLHPLP was reported. Based on a high power laser prototype, damage behavior of 3ω optics was experimentally tested, and the key influencing factors contributed to laser-induced damage in optics were deeply analyzed. The latest experimental results of advanced precision measurement for optical quality applied in the high power laser facility were introduced. At last, based on the accumulated works of 3ω elements damage behavior status in our laboratory, beam expanding scheme was presented to increase the total maximum output 3ω energy properly and decrease the laser induced damage risking of ω optics simultaneously.

  12. Low Power Ground-Based Laser Illumination for Electric Propulsion Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lapointe, Michael R.; Oleson, Steven R.

    1994-01-01

    A preliminary evaluation of low power, ground-based laser powered electric propulsion systems is presented. A review of available and near-term laser, photovoltaic, and adaptive optic systems indicates that approximately 5-kW of ground-based laser power can be delivered at an equivalent one-sun intensity to an orbit of approximately 2000 km. Laser illumination at the proper wavelength can double photovoltaic array conversion efficiencies compared to efficiencies obtained with solar illumination at the same intensity, allowing a reduction in array mass. The reduced array mass allows extra propellant to be carried with no penalty in total spacecraft mass. The extra propellant mass can extend the satellite life in orbit, allowing additional revenue to be generated. A trade study using realistic cost estimates and conservative ground station viewing capability was performed to estimate the number of communication satellites which must be illuminated to make a proliferated system of laser ground stations economically attractive. The required number of satellites is typically below that of proposed communication satellite constellations, indicating that low power ground-based laser beaming may be commercially viable. However, near-term advances in low specific mass solar arrays and high energy density batteries for LEO applications would render the ground-based laser system impracticable.

  13. Average focal length and power of a section of any defined surface.

    PubMed

    Kaye, Stephen B

    2010-04-01

    To provide a method to allow calculation of the average focal length and power of a lens through a specified meridian of any defined surface, not limited to the paraxial approximations. University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom. Functions were derived to model back-vertex focal length and representative power through a meridian containing any defined surface. Average back-vertex focal length was based on the definition of the average of a function, using the angle of incidence as an independent variable. Univariate functions allowed determination of average focal length and power through a section of any defined or topographically measured surface of a known refractive index. These functions incorporated aberrations confined to the section. The proposed method closely approximates the average focal length, and by inference power, of a section (meridian) of a surface to a single or scalar value. It is not dependent on the paraxial and other nonconstant approximations and includes aberrations confined to that meridian. A generalization of this method to include all orthogonal and oblique meridians is needed before a comparison with measured wavefront values can be made. Copyright (c) 2010 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Maximizing output power of a low-gain laser system.

    PubMed

    Carroll, D L; Sentman, L H

    1993-07-20

    Rigrod theory was used to model outcoupled power from a low-gain laser with good accuracy. For a low-gain overtone cw HF chemical laser, Rigrod theory shows that a higher medium saturation yields a higher overall overtone efficiency, but does not necessarily yield a higher measurable power (power in the bucket). For low-absorption-scattering loss overtone mirrors and a 5% penalty in outcoupled power, the intracavity flux and hence the mirror loading may be reduced by more than a factor of 2 when the gain length is long enough to saturate the medium well. For the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign overtone laser that has an extensive database with well-characterized mirrors for which the Rigrod parameters g(0) and I(sat) were firmly established, the accuracy to which the reflectivities of high-reflectivity overtone mirrors can be deduced by using measured mirror transmissivities, measured outcoupled power, and Rigrod theory is approximatly ±0.07%. This method of accurately deducing mirror reflectivities may be applicable to other low-gain laser systems that use high-reflectivity mirrors at different wavelengths. The maximum overtone efficiency is estimated to be approximately 80%-100%.

  15. Effect of laser power on clad metal in laser-TIG combined metal cladding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Utsumi, Akihiro; Hino, Takanori; Matsuda, Jun; Tasoda, Takashi; Yoneda, Masafumi; Katsumura, Munehide; Yano, Tetsuo; Araki, Takao

    2003-03-01

    TIG arc welding has been used to date as a method for clad welding of white metal as bearing material. We propose a new clad welding process that combines a CO2 laser and a TIG arc, as a method for cladding at high speed. We hypothesized that this method would permit appropriate control of the melted quantity of base metal by varying the laser power. We carried out cladding while varying the laser power, and investigated the structure near the boundary between the clad layer and the base metal. Using the laser-TIG combined cladding, we found we were able to control appropriately the degree of dilution with the base metal. By applying this result to subsequent cladding, we were able to obtain a clad layer of high quality, which was slightly diluted with the base metal.

  16. ALMDS laser system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kushina, Mark E.; Heberle, Geoff; Hope, Michael; Hall, David; Bethel, Michael; Calmes, Lonnie K.

    2003-06-01

    The ALMDS (Airborne Laser Mine Detection System) has been developed utilizing a solid-state laser operating at 532nm for naval mine detection. The laser system is integrated into a pod that mounts externally on a helicopter. This laser, along with other receiver systems, enables detailed underwater bathymetry. CEO designs and manufactures the laser portion of this system. Arete Associates integrates the laser system into the complete LIDAR package that utilizes sophisticated streak tube detection technology. Northrop Grumman is responsible for final pod integration. The laser sub-system is comprised of two separate parts: the LTU (Laser Transmitter Unit) and the LEU (Laser Electronics Unit). The LTU and LEU are undergoing MIL-STD-810 testing for vibration, shock, temperature storage and operation extremes, as well as MIL-STD-704E electrical power testing and MIL-STD-461E EMI testing. The Nd:YAG MOPA laser operates at 350 Hz pulse repetition frequency at 45 Watts average 532nm power and is controlled at the system level from within the helicopter. Power monitor circuits allow real time laser health monitoring, which enables input parameter adjustments for consistent laser behavior.

  17. Power scaling of diode-pumped neodymium yttrium aluminum borate laser

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hemmati, Hamid

    1991-01-01

    Preliminary results are presented of the efficient diode-pumped operation of a neodymium yttrium aluminum borate (NYAB) laser at 531.5 nm using two 1-W diode-laser arrays for the pump. With 1380 mW of CW power incident on the crystal, as much as 51 mW of 532.5-nm laser radiation was obtained with the unoptimized cavity. The corresponding optical-to-optical conversion efficiency was 3.7 percent. A plot of the output 531.5 nm vs incident 807 nm pump power is shown. The crystal output power was critically dependent on the rotational and translational adjustment of the NYAB crystal inside the cavity. It is suggested that a crystal cut at the exact phase matching angle, placed in a cavity with proper optimal reflection and transmission mirror coatings, and pumped at proper wavelength can result in higher output power. Thus, the NYAB output power approaches that of a CW intracavity frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser.

  18. High power high repetition rate VCSEL array side-pumped pulsed blue laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Leeuwen, Robert; Zhao, Pu; Chen, Tong; Xu, Bing; Watkins, Laurence; Seurin, Jean-Francois; Xu, Guoyang; Miglo, Alexander; Wang, Qing; Ghosh, Chuni

    2013-03-01

    High power, kW-class, 808 nm pump modules based on the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) technology were developed for side-pumping of solid-state lasers. Two 1.2 kW VCSEL pump modules were implemented in a dual side-pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG laser operating at 946 nm. The laser output was frequency doubled in a BBO crystal to produce pulsed blue light. With 125 μs pump pulses at a 300 Hz repetition rate 6.1 W QCW 946 nm laser power was produced. The laser power was limited by thermal lensing in the Nd:YAG rod.

  19. High-power thulium-doped fiber laser in an all-fiber configuration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baravets, Yauhen; Todorov, Filip; Honzatko, Pavel

    2016-12-01

    High-power Tm-doped fiber lasers are greatly suitable for various applications, such as material processing, medicine, environmental monitoring and topography. In this work we present an all-fiber narrowband CW laser in near fundamental mode operation based on a Tm-doped double-clad active fiber pumped by 793 nm laser diodes with a central wavelength stabilized at 2039 nm by a fiber Bragg grating. The achieved output power is 60 W with a slope efficiency of 46%. The measured beam quality factor is less than 1.4. Further increasing of the output power is possible using various power scaling techniques, for example, coherent combination of several Tm-doped fiber lasers. The developed fiber laser could be employed for welding, cutting and marking of thermoplastics in industry, minimally invasive surgery in medicine or sensors in lidar systems. Future improvements of thulium fiber lasers are possible due to the extremely wide gain-bandwidth of the active medium and the rapid growth of 2-μm fiber components production.

  20. RF Design of a High Average Beam-Power SRF Electron Source

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sipahi, Nihan; Biedron, Sandra; Gonin, Ivan

    2016-06-01

    There is a significant interest in developing high-average power electron sources, particularly in the area of electron sources integrated with Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) systems. For these systems, the electron gun and cathode parts are critical components for stable intensity and high-average powers. In this initial design study, we will present the design of a 9-cell accelerator cavity having a frequency of 1.3 GHz and the corresponding field optimization studies.

  1. Fully utilizing high power diode lasers by synergizing diode laser light sources and beam shaping micro-optics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fan, Yingmin; Wang, Jingwei; Cai, Lei; Mitra, Thomas; Hauschild, Dirk; Zah, Chung-En; Liu, Xingsheng

    2018-02-01

    High power diode lasers (HPDLs) offer the highest wall-plug efficiency, highest specific power (power-to-weight ratio), arguably the lowest cost and highest reliability among all laser types. However, the poor beam quality of commercially HPDLs is the main bottleneck limiting their direct applications requiring high brightness at least in one dimension. In order to expand the applications of HPDLs, beam shaping and optical design are essential. In this work, we report the recent progresses on maximizing applications of HPDLs by synergizing diode laser light source and beam shaping micro-optics. Successful examples of matching of diode laser light sources and beam shaping micro-optics driving new applications are presented.

  2. Crystal fibers for high power lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, W.; Florea, C.; Gibson, D.; Peele, J.; Askins, C.; Shaw, B.; Bowman, S.; O'Connor, S.; Bayya, S.; Aggarwal, I.; Sanghera, J. S.

    2013-02-01

    In this paper, we present our recent progress in developing single crystal fibers for high power single frequency fiber lasers. The optical, spectral and morphological properties as well as the loss and gain measured from these crystal fibers drawn by Laser Heated Pedestal Growth (LHPG) system are also discussed. Results on application of various cladding materials on the crystal core and the methods of fiber end-face polishing are also presented.

  3. High Intensity Mirror-Free Nanosecond Ytterbium Fiber Laser System in Master Oscillator Power Amplification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chun-Lin, Louis Chang

    Rare-earth-doped fiber lasers and amplifiers are relatively easy to efficiently produce a stable and high quality laser beam in a compact, robust, and alignment-free configuration. Recently, high power fiber laser systems have facilitated wide spread applications in academics, industries, and militaries in replacement of bulk solid-state laser systems. The master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) composed of a highly-controlled seed, high-gain preamplifiers, and high-efficiency power amplifiers are typically utilized to scale up the pulse energy, peak power, or average power. Furthermore, a direct-current-modulated nanosecond diode laser in single transverse mode can simply provide a compact and highly-controlled seed to result in the flexible output parameters, such as repetition rate, pulse duration, and even temporal pulse shape. However, when scaling up the peak power for high intensity applications, such a versatile diode-seeded nanosecond MOPA laser system using rare-earth-doped fibers is unable to completely save its own advantages compared to bulk laser systems. Without a strong seeding among the amplifiers, the guided amplified spontaneous amplification is easy to become dominant during the amplification, leading to the harmful self-lasing or pulsing effects, and the difficulty of the quantitative numerical comparison. In this dissertation, we study a high-efficiency and intense nanosecond ytterbium fiber MOPA system with good beam quality and stability for high intensity applications. The all-PM-fiber structure is achieved with the output extinction ratio of >12 dB by optimizing the interconnection of high power optical fibers. The diode-seeded MOPA configuration without parasitic stimulated amplification (PAS) is implemented using the double-pass scheme to extract energy efficiently for scaling peak power. The broadband PAS was studied experimentally, which matches well with our numerical simulation. The 1064-nm nanosecond seed was a direct

  4. Optimizing the noise characteristics of high-power fiber laser systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jauregui, Cesar; Müller, Michael; Kienel, Marco; Emaury, Florian; Saraceno, Clara J.; Limpert, Jens; Keller, Ursula; Tünnermann, Andreas

    2017-02-01

    The noise characteristics of high-power fiber lasers, unlike those of other solid-state lasers such as thin-disks, have not been systematically studied up to now. However, novel applications for high-power fiber laser systems, such as attosecond pulse generation, put stringent limits to the maximum noise level of these sources. Therefore, in order to address these applications, a detailed knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of noise and its behavior in a fiber laser system is required. In this work we have carried out a systematic study of the propagation of the relative intensity noise (RIN) along the amplification chain of a state-of-the-art high-power fiber laser system. The most striking feature of these measurements is that the RIN level is progressively attenuated after each amplification stage. In order to understand this unexpected behavior, we have simulated the transfer function of the RIN in a fiber amplification stage ( 80μm core) as a function of the seed power and the frequency. Our simulation model shows that this damping of the amplitude noise is related to saturation. Additionally, we show, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, that the fiber design (e.g. core size, glass composition, doping geometry) can be modified to optimize the noise characteristics of high-power fiber laser systems.

  5. Long range laser propagation: power scaling and beam quality issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bohn, Willy L.

    2010-09-01

    This paper will address long range laser propagation applications where power and, in particular beam quality issues play a major role. Hereby the power level is defined by the specific mission under consideration. I restrict myself to the following application areas: (1)Remote sensing/Space based LIDAR, (2) Space debris removal (3)Energy transmission, and (4)Directed energy weapons Typical examples for space based LIDARs are the ADM Aeolus ESA mission using the ALADIN Nd:YAG laser with its third harmonic at 355 nm and the NASA 2 μm Tm:Ho:LuLiF convectively cooled solid state laser. Space debris removal has attracted more attention in the last years due to the dangerous accumulation of debris in orbit which become a threat to the satellites and the ISS space station. High power high brightness lasers may contribute to this problem by partially ablating the debris material and hence generating an impulse which will eventually de-orbit the debris with their subsequent disintegration in the lower atmosphere. Energy transmission via laser beam from space to earth has long been discussed as a novel long term approach to solve the energy problem on earth. In addition orbital transfer and stationkeeping are among the more mid-term applications of high power laser beams. Finally, directed energy weapons are becoming closer to reality as corresponding laser sources have matured due to recent efforts in the JHPSSL program. All of this can only be realized if he laser sources fulfill the necessary power requirements while keeping the beam quality as close as possible to the diffraction limited value. And this is the rationale and motivation of this paper.

  6. Characterization of High-power Quasi-cw Laser Diode Arrays

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stephen, Mark A.; Vasilyev, Aleksey; Troupaki, Elisavet; Allan, Graham R.; Kashem, Nasir B.

    2005-01-01

    NASA s requirements for high reliability, high performance satellite laser instruments have driven the investigation of many critical components; specifically, 808 nm laser diode array (LDA) pump devices. Performance and comprehensive characterization data of Quasi-CW, High-power, laser diode arrays is presented.

  7. Modeling the ponderomotive interaction of high-power laser beams with collisional plasma: the FDTD-based approach.

    PubMed

    Lin, Zhili; Chen, Xudong; Ding, Panfeng; Qiu, Weibin; Pu, Jixiong

    2017-04-03

    The ponderomotive interaction of high-power laser beams with collisional plasma is modeled in the nonrelativistic regime and is simulated using the powerful finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for the first time in literature. The nonlinear and dissipative dielectric constant function of the collisional plasma is deduced that takes the ponderomotive effect into account and is implemented in the discrete framework of FDTD algorithms. Maclaurin series expansion approach is applied for implementing the obtained physical model and the time average of the square of light field is extracted by numerically evaluating an integral identity based on the composite trapezoidal rule for numerical integration. Two numerical examples corresponding to two different types of laser beams, Gaussian beam and vortex Laguerre-Gaussian beam, propagating in collisional plasma, are presented for specified laser and plasma parameters to verify the validity of the proposed FDTD-based approach. Simulation results show the anticipated self-focusing and attenuation phenomena of laser beams and the deformation of the spatial density distributions of electron plasma along the beam propagation path. Due to the flexibility of FDTD method in light beam excitation and accurate complex material modeling, the proposed approach has a wide application prospect in the study of the complex laser-plasma interactions in a small scale.

  8. Mode-locked thin-disk lasers and their potential application for high-power terahertz generation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saraceno, Clara J.

    2018-04-01

    The progress achieved in the last few decades in the performance of ultrafast laser systems with high average power has been tremendous, and continues to provide momentum to new exciting applications, both in scientific research and technology. Among the various technological advances that have shaped this progress, mode-locked thin-disk oscillators have attracted significant attention as a unique technology capable of providing ultrashort pulses with high energy (tens to hundreds of microjoules) and at very high repetition rates (in the megahertz regime) from a single table-top oscillator. This technology opens the door to compact high repetition rate ultrafast sources spanning the entire electromagnetic spectrum from the XUV to the terahertz regime, opening various new application fields. In this article, we focus on their unexplored potential as compact driving sources for high average power terahertz generation.

  9. Solar power satellite system definition study. Volume 3: Laser SPS analysis, phase 3

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1980-01-01

    The potential use of lasers for transmitting power to Earth from Solar Power Satellites was examined. Free electron lasers appear most promising and would have some benefits over microwave power transmission. Further research in laser technology is needed.

  10. Light scattering from laser induced pit ensembles on high power laser optics

    DOE PAGES

    Feigenbaum, Eyal; Elhadj, Selim; Matthews, Manyalibo J.

    2015-01-01

    Far-field light scattering characteristics from randomly arranged shallow Gaussian-like shaped laser induced pits, found on optics exposed to high energy laser pulses, is studied. Closed-form expressions for the far-field intensity distribution and scattered power are derived for individual pits and validated using numerical calculations of both Fourier optics and FDTD solutions to Maxwell’s equations. It is found that the scattered power is proportional to the square of the pit width and approximately also to the square of the pit depth, with the proportionality factor scaling with pit depth. As a result, the power scattered from shallow pitted optics is expectedmore » to be substantially lower than assuming complete scattering from the total visible footprint of the pits.« less

  11. Advances in high-power 9XXnm laser diodes for pumping fiber lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Skidmore, Jay; Peters, Matthew; Rossin, Victor; Guo, James; Xiao, Yan; Cheng, Jane; Shieh, Allen; Srinivasan, Raman; Singh, Jaspreet; Wei, Cailin; Duesterberg, Richard; Morehead, James J.; Zucker, Erik

    2016-03-01

    A multi-mode 9XXnm-wavelength laser diode was developed to optimize the divergence angle and reliable ex-facet power. Lasers diodes were assembled into a multi-emitter pump package that is fiber coupled via spatial and polarization multiplexing. The pump package has a 135μm diameter output fiber that leverages the same optical train and mechanical design qualified previously. Up to ~ 270W CW power at 22A is achieved at a case temperature ~ 30ºC. Power conversion efficiency is 60% (peak) that drops to 53% at 22A with little thermal roll over. Greater than 90% of the light is collected at < 0.12NA at 16A drive current that produces 3.0W/(mm-mr)2 radiance from the output fiber.

  12. Analytical expressions for maximum wind turbine average power in a Rayleigh wind regime

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Carlin, P.W.

    Average or expectation values for annual power of a wind turbine in a Rayleigh wind regime are calculated and plotted as a function of cut-out wind speed. This wind speed is expressed in multiples of the annual average wind speed at the turbine installation site. To provide a common basis for comparison of all real and imagined turbines, the Rayleigh-Betz wind machine is postulated. This machine is an ideal wind machine operating with the ideal Betz power coefficient of 0.593 in a Rayleigh probability wind regime. All other average annual powers are expressed in fractions of that power. Cases consideredmore » include: (1) an ideal machine with finite power and finite cutout speed, (2) real machines operating in variable speed mode at their maximum power coefficient, and (3) real machines operating at constant speed.« less

  13. Thermal Response to High-Power Holmium Laser Lithotripsy.

    PubMed

    Aldoukhi, Ali H; Ghani, Khurshid R; Hall, Timothy L; Roberts, William W

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate "caliceal" fluid temperature changes during holmium laser activation/lithotripsy using settings up to 40 W power output with different irrigation flow rates. The experimental system consisted of a glass test tube (diameter 10 mm/length 75 mm) filled with deionized water, to mimic a calix. Real-time temperature was recorded using a thermocouple (Physitemp, NJ) positioned 5 mm from the bottom of the tube. A 200 μm laser fiber (Flexiva; Boston Scientific, MA) was introduced through the working channel of a disposable ureteroscope (LithoVue; Boston Scientific) and the laser fiber tip was positioned 15 mm above the bottom of the test tube. Deionized water irrigation (room temperature) through the working channel of the ureteroscope was delivered at flow rates of 0, 7-8, 14-15, and 38-40 mL/minute. A 120-W holmium laser (pulse 120; Lumenis, CA) was used. The following settings were explored: 0.5 J × 10 Hz, 1.0 J × 10 Hz, 0.5 J × 20 Hz, 1.0 J × 20 Hz, 0.5 J × 40 Hz, 1.0 J × 40 Hz, and 0.5 J × 80 Hz. During each experiment, the laser was activated continuously for 60 seconds. Temperature increased with increasing laser power output and decreasing irrigation flow rate. The highest temperature, 70.3°C (standard deviation 2.7), occurred with laser setting of 1.0 J × 40 Hz and no irrigation after 60 seconds of continuous laser firing. None of the tested laser settings and irrigation parameters produced temperature exceeding 51°C when activated for only 10 seconds of continuous laser firing. High-power holmium settings fired in long bursts with low irrigation flow rates can generate high fluid temperatures in a laboratory "caliceal" model. Awareness of this risk allows urologist to implement a variety of techniques (higher irrigation flow rates, intermittent laser activation, and potentially cooled irrigation fluid) to control and mitigate thermal

  14. Beam shaping in high-power laser systems with using refractive beam shapers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laskin, Alexander; Laskin, Vadim

    2012-06-01

    Beam Shaping of the spatial (transverse) profile of laser beams is highly desirable by building optical systems of high-power lasers as well in various applications with these lasers. Pumping of the crystals of Ti:Sapphire lasers by the laser radiation with uniform (flattop) intensity profile improves performance of these ultrashort pulse high-power lasers in terms of achievable efficiency, peak-power and stability, output beam profile. Specifications of the solid-state lasers built according to MOPA configuration can be also improved when radiation of the master oscillator is homogenized and then is amplified by the power amplifier. Features of building these high power lasers require that a beam shaping solution should be capable to work with single mode and multimode beams, provide flattop and super-Gauss intensity distributions, the consistency and divergence of a beam after the intensity re-distribution should be conserved and low absorption provided. These specific conditions are perfectly fulfilled by the refractive field mapping beam shapers due to their unique features: almost lossless intensity profile transformation, low output divergence, high transmittance and flatness of output beam profile, extended depth of field, adaptability to real intensity profiles of TEM00 and multimode laser sources. Combining of the refractive field mapping beam shapers with other optical components, like beam-expanders, relay imaging lenses, anamorphic optics makes it possible to generate the laser spots of necessary shape, size and intensity distribution. There are plenty of applications of high-power lasers where beam shaping bring benefits: irradiating photocathode of Free Electron Lasers (FEL), material ablation, micromachining, annealing in display making techniques, cladding, heat treating and others. This paper will describe some design basics of refractive beam shapers of the field mapping type, with emphasis on the features important for building and applications

  15. Coherent beam combining architectures for high power tapered laser arrays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schimmel, G.; Janicot, S.; Hanna, M.; Decker, J.; Crump, P.; Erbert, G.; Witte, U.; Traub, M.; Georges, P.; Lucas-Leclin, G.

    2017-02-01

    Coherent beam combining (CBC) aims at increasing the spatial brightness of lasers. It consists in maintaining a constant phase relationship between different emitters, in order to combine them constructively in one single beam. We have investigated the CBC of an array of five individually-addressable high-power tapered laser diodes at λ = 976 nm, in two architectures: the first one utilizes the self-organization of the lasers in an interferometric extended-cavity, which ensures their mutual coherence; the second one relies on the injection of the emitters by a single-frequency laser diode. In both cases, the coherent combining of the phase-locked beams is ensured on the front side of the array by a transmission diffractive grating with 98% efficiency. The passive phase-locking of the laser bar is obtained up to 5 A (per emitter). An optimization algorithm is implemented to find the proper currents in the five ridge sections that ensured the maximum combined power on the front side. Under these conditions we achieve a maximum combined power of 7.5 W. In the active MOPA configuration, we can increase the currents in the tapered sections up to 6 A and get a combined power of 11.5 W, corresponding to a combining efficiency of 76%. It is limited by the beam quality of the tapered emitters and by fast phase fluctuations between emitters. Still, these results confirm the potential of CBC approaches with tapered lasers to provide a high-power and high-brightness beam, and compare with the current state-of-the-art with laser diodes.

  16. Rapid heating of matter using high power lasers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bang, Woosuk

    2016-04-08

    This slide presentation describes motivation (uniform and rapid heating of a target, opportunity to study warm dense matter, study of nuclear fusion reactions), rapid heating of matter with intense laser-driven ion beams, visualization of the expanding warm dense gold and diamond, and nuclear fusion experiments using high power lasers (direct heating of deuterium spheres (radius ~ 10nm) with an intense laser pulse.

  17. Solar Pumped High Power Solid State Laser for Space Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fork, Richard L.; Laycock, Rustin L.; Green, Jason J. A.; Walker, Wesley W.; Cole, Spencer T.; Frederick, Kevin B.; Phillips, Dane J.

    2004-01-01

    Highly coherent laser light provides a nearly optimal means of transmitting power in space. The simplest most direct means of converting sunlight to coherent laser light is a solar pumped laser oscillator. A key need for broadly useful space solar power is a robust solid state laser oscillator capable of operating efficiently in near Earth space at output powers in the multi hundred kilowatt range. The principal challenges in realizing such solar pumped laser oscillators are: (1) the need to remove heat from the solid state laser material without introducing unacceptable thermal shock, thermal lensing, or thermal stress induced birefringence to a degree that improves on current removal rates by several orders of magnitude and (2) to introduce sunlight at an effective concentration (kW/sq cm of laser cross sectional area) that is several orders of magnitude higher than currently available while tolerating a pointing error of the spacecraft of several degrees. We discuss strategies for addressing these challenges. The need to remove the high densities of heat, e.g., 30 kW/cu cm, while keeping the thermal shock, thermal lensing and thermal stress induced birefringence loss sufficiently low is addressed in terms of a novel use of diamond integrated with the laser material, such as Ti:sapphire in a manner such that the waste heat is removed from the laser medium in an axial direction and in the diamond in a radial direction. We discuss means for concentrating sunlight to an effective areal density of the order of 30 kW/sq cm. The method integrates conventional imaging optics, non-imaging optics and nonlinear optics. In effect we use a method that combines some of the methods of optical pumping solid state materials and optical fiber, but also address laser media having areas sufficiently large, e.g., 1 cm diameter to handle the multi-hundred kilowatt level powers needed for space solar power.

  18. Laser-powered MHD generators for space application

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jalufka, N. W.

    1986-01-01

    Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) energy conversion systems of the pulsed laser-supported detonation (LSD) wave, plasma MHD, and liquid-metal MHD (LMMHD) types are assessed for their potential as space-based laser-to-electrical power converters. These systems offer several advantages as energy converters relative to the present chemical, nuclear, and solar devices, including high conversion efficiency, simple design, high-temperature operation, high power density, and high reliability. Of these systems, the Brayton cycle liquid-metal MHD system appears to be the most attractive. The LMMHD technology base is well established for terrestrial applications, particularly with regard to the generator, mixer, and other system components. However, further research is required to extend this technology base to space applications and to establish the technology required to couple the laser energy into the system most efficiently. Continued research on each of the three system types is recommended.

  19. 970-nm ridge waveguide diode laser bars for high power DWBC systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilkens, Martin; Erbert, Götz; Wenzel, Hans; Knigge, Andrea; Crump, Paul; Maaßdorf, Andre; Fricke, Jörg; Ressel, Peter; Strohmaier, Stephan; Schmidt, Berthold; Tränkle, Günther

    2018-02-01

    de lasers are key components in material processing laser systems. While mostly used as pump sources for solid state or fiber lasers, direct diode laser systems using dense wavelength multiplexing have come on the market in recent years. These systems are realized with broad area lasers typically, resulting in beam quality inferior to disk or fiber lasers. We will present recent results of highly efficient ridge waveguide (RW) lasers, developed for dense-wavelength-beamcombining (DWBC) laser systems expecting beam qualities comparable to solid state laser systems and higher power conversion efficiencies (PCE). The newly developed RW lasers are based on vertical structures with an extreme double asymmetric large optical cavity. Besides a low vertical divergence these structures are suitable for RW-lasers with (10 μm) broad ridges, emitting in a single mode with a good beam quality. The large stripe width enables a lateral divergence below 10° (95 % power content) and a high PCE by a comparably low series resistance. We present results of single emitters and small test arrays under different external feedback conditions. Single emitters can be tuned from 950 nm to 975 nm and reach 1 W optical power with more than 55 % PCE and a beam quality of M2 < 2 over the full wavelength range. The spectral width is below 30 pm FWHM. 5 emitter arrays were stabilized using the same setup. Up to now we reached 3 W optical power, limited by power supply, with 5 narrow spectral lines.

  20. Optical Coherence Tomography–Based Corneal Power Measurement and Intraocular Lens Power Calculation Following Laser Vision Correction (An American Ophthalmological Society Thesis)

    PubMed Central

    Huang, David; Tang, Maolong; Wang, Li; Zhang, Xinbo; Armour, Rebecca L.; Gattey, Devin M.; Lombardi, Lorinna H.; Koch, Douglas D.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: To use optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure corneal power and improve the selection of intraocular lens (IOL) power in cataract surgeries after laser vision correction. Methods: Patients with previous myopic laser vision corrections were enrolled in this prospective study from two eye centers. Corneal thickness and power were measured by Fourier-domain OCT. Axial length, anterior chamber depth, and automated keratometry were measured by a partial coherence interferometer. An OCT-based IOL formula was developed. The mean absolute error of the OCT-based formula in predicting postoperative refraction was compared to two regression-based IOL formulae for eyes with previous laser vision correction. Results: Forty-six eyes of 46 patients all had uncomplicated cataract surgery with monofocal IOL implantation. The mean arithmetic prediction error of postoperative refraction was 0.05 ± 0.65 diopter (D) for the OCT formula, 0.14 ± 0.83 D for the Haigis-L formula, and 0.24 ± 0.82 D for the no-history Shammas-PL formula. The mean absolute error was 0.50 D for OCT compared to a mean absolute error of 0.67 D for Haigis-L and 0.67 D for Shammas-PL. The adjusted mean absolute error (average prediction error removed) was 0.49 D for OCT, 0.65 D for Haigis-L (P=.031), and 0.62 D for Shammas-PL (P=.044). For OCT, 61% of the eyes were within 0.5 D of prediction error, whereas 46% were within 0.5 D for both Haigis-L and Shammas-PL (P=.034). Conclusions: The predictive accuracy of OCT-based IOL power calculation was better than Haigis-L and Shammas-PL formulas in eyes after laser vision correction. PMID:24167323

  1. All-fiber high-power monolithic femtosecond laser at 1.59 µm with 63-fs pulse width

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hekmat, M. J.; Omoomi, M.; Gholami, A.; Yazdabadi, A. Bagheri; Abdollahi, M.; Hamidnejad, E.; Ebrahimi, A.; Normohamadi, H.

    2018-01-01

    In this research, by adopting an alternative novel approach to ultra-short giant pulse generation which basically originated from difficulties with traditional employed methods, an optimized Er/Yb co-doped double-clad fiber amplifier is applied to boost output average power of single-mode output pulses to a high level of 2-W at 1.59-µm central wavelength. Output pulses of approximately 63-fs pulse width at 52-MHz repetition rate are obtained in an all-fiber monolithic laser configuration. The idea of employing parabolic pulse amplification for stretching output pulses together with high-power pulse amplification using Er/Yb co-doped active fibers for compressing and boosting output average power plays crucial role in obtaining desired results. The proposed configuration enjoys massive advantages over previously reported literature which make it well-suited for high-power precision applications such as medical surgery. Detailed dynamics of pulse stretching and compressing in active fibers with different GVD parameters are numerically and experimentally investigated.

  2. Macro-channel cooled high power fiber coupled diode lasers exceeding 1.2kW of output power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koenning, Tobias; Alegria, Kim; Wang, Zuolan; Segref, Armin; Stapleton, Dean; Faßbender, Wilhelm; Flament, Marco; Rotter, Karsten; Noeske, Axel; Biesenbach, Jens

    2011-03-01

    We report on a new series of fiber coupled diode laser modules exceeding 1.2kW of single wavelength optical power from a 400um / 0.2NA fiber. The units are constructed from passively cooled laser bars as opposed to other comparably powered, commercially available modules that use micro-channel heat-sinks. Micro-channel heat sinks require cooling water to meet demanding specifications and are therefore prone to failures due to contamination and increase the overall cost to operate and maintain the laser. Dilas' new series of high power fiber coupled diode lasers are designed to eliminate micro channel coolers and their associated failure mechanisms. Low-smile soldering processes were developed to maximize the brightness available from each diode laser bar. The diode laser brightness is optimally conserved using Dilas' recently developed propriety laser bar stacking geometry and optics. A total of 24 bars are coupled into a single fiber core using a polarization multiplexing scheme. The modular design permits further power scaling through wavelength multiplexing. Other customer critical features such as industrial grade fibers, pilot beams, fiber interlocks and power monitoring are standard features on these modules. The optical design and the beam parameter calculations will be presented to explain the inherit design trade offs. Results for single and dual wavelengths modules will be presented.

  3. High power diode lasers emitting from 639 nm to 690 nm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bao, L.; Grimshaw, M.; DeVito, M.; Kanskar, M.; Dong, W.; Guan, X.; Zhang, S.; Patterson, J.; Dickerson, P.; Kennedy, K.; Li, S.; Haden, J.; Martinsen, R.

    2014-03-01

    There is increasing market demand for high power reliable red lasers for display and cinema applications. Due to the fundamental material system limit at this wavelength range, red diode lasers have lower efficiency and are more temperature sensitive, compared to 790-980 nm diode lasers. In terms of reliability, red lasers are also more sensitive to catastrophic optical mirror damage (COMD) due to the higher photon energy. Thus developing higher power-reliable red lasers is very challenging. This paper will present nLIGHT's released red products from 639 nm to 690nm, with established high performance and long-term reliability. These single emitter diode lasers can work as stand-alone singleemitter units or efficiently integrate into our compact, passively-cooled Pearl™ fiber-coupled module architectures for higher output power and improved reliability. In order to further improve power and reliability, new chip optimizations have been focused on improving epitaxial design/growth, chip configuration/processing and optical facet passivation. Initial optimization has demonstrated promising results for 639 nm diode lasers to be reliably rated at 1.5 W and 690nm diode lasers to be reliably rated at 4.0 W. Accelerated life-test has started and further design optimization are underway.

  4. The efficiency of photovoltaic cells exposed to pulsed laser light

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lowe, R. A.; Landis, G. A.; Jenkins, P.

    1993-01-01

    Future space missions may use laser power beaming systems with a free electron laser (FEL) to transmit light to a photovoltaic array receiver. To investigate the efficiency of solar cells with pulsed laser light, several types of GaAs, Si, CuInSe2, and GaSb cells were tested with the simulated pulse format of the induction and radio frequency (RF) FEL. The induction pulse format was simulated with an 800-watt average power copper vapor laser and the RF format with a frequency-doubled mode-locked Nd:YAG laser. Averaged current vs bias voltage measurements for each cell were taken at various optical power levels and the efficiency measured at the maximum power point. Experimental results show that the conversion efficiency for the cells tested is highly dependent on cell minority carrier lifetime, the width and frequency of the pulses, load impedance, and the average incident power. Three main effects were found to decrease the efficiency of solar cells exposed to simulated FEL illumination: cell series resistance, LC 'ringing', and output inductance. Improvements in efficiency were achieved by modifying the frequency response of the cell to match the spectral energy content of the laser pulse with external passive components.

  5. An automatic step adjustment method for average power analysis technique used in fiber amplifiers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xue-Ming

    2006-04-01

    An automatic step adjustment (ASA) method for average power analysis (APA) technique used in fiber amplifiers is proposed in this paper for the first time. In comparison with the traditional APA technique, the proposed method has suggested two unique merits such as a higher order accuracy and an ASA mechanism, so that it can significantly shorten the computing time and improve the solution accuracy. A test example demonstrates that, by comparing to the APA technique, the proposed method increases the computing speed by more than a hundredfold under the same errors. By computing the model equations of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, the numerical results show that our method can improve the solution accuracy by over two orders of magnitude at the same amplifying section number. The proposed method has the capacity to rapidly and effectively compute the model equations of fiber Raman amplifiers and semiconductor lasers.

  6. Loss of power output and laser fibre degradation during 120 watt lithium-triborate HPS laser vaporisation of the prostate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hermanns, Thomas; Sulser, Tullio; Hefermehl, Lukas J.; Strebel, Daniel; Michel, Maurice-Stephan; Müntener, Michael; Meier, Alexander H.; Seifert, Hans-Helge

    2009-02-01

    It has recently been shown that laser fibre deterioration leads to a significant decrease of power output during 80 W potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser vaporisation (LV) of the prostate. This decrease results in inefficient vaporisation especially towards the end of the procedure. For the new 120 W lithium-triborate (LBO) High Performance System (HPS) laser not only higher power but also changes in beam characteristics and improved fibre quality have been advertised. However, high laser power has been identified as a risk factor for laser fibre degradation. Between July and September 2008 25 laser fibres were investigated during routine 120 W LBO-LV in 20 consecutive patients. Laser beam power was measured at baseline and after the application of every 25 kJ during the LV procedure. Postoperatively, the surgeon subjectively rated the performance of the respective fibre on a scale from 1 to 4 (1 indicating perfect and 4 insufficient performance). Additionally, microscopic examination of the fibre tip was performed. Median energy applied was 212 kJ. Changes of power output were similar for all fibres. Typically, a steep decrease of power output within the first 50 kJ was followed by a continuous mild decrease until the end of the procedure. After the application of 50 kJ the median power output was 63% (58-73% interquartile range) of the baseline value. The median power output at the end of the 275 kJ-lifespan of the fibres was 42% (40-47%). The median surgeons' rating of the overall performance of the laser fibres was 2 and the median estimated final decrease of power output 60%. Some degree of degradation at the emission window was microscopically detectable in all cases after the procedure. However, even after the application of 275 kJ, these structural changes were only moderate. Minor degradation of the laser fibre was associated with a significant decrease of power output during 120 W LBO-LV. However, following an early, steep decrease, power output

  7. Continuous wave power scaling in high power broad area quantum cascade lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suttinger, M.; Leshin, J.; Go, R.; Figueiredo, P.; Shu, H.; Lyakh, A.

    2018-02-01

    Experimental and model results for high power broad area quantum cascade lasers are presented. Continuous wave power scaling from 1.62 W to 2.34 W has been experimentally demonstrated for 3.15 mm-long, high reflection-coated 5.6 μm quantum cascade lasers with 15 stage active region for active region width increased from 10 μm to 20 μm. A semi-empirical model for broad area devices operating in continuous wave mode is presented. The model uses measured pulsed transparency current, injection efficiency, waveguide losses, and differential gain as input parameters. It also takes into account active region self-heating and sub-linearity of pulsed power vs current laser characteristic. The model predicts that an 11% improvement in maximum CW power and increased wall plug efficiency can be achieved from 3.15 mm x 25 μm devices with 21 stages of the same design but half doping in the active region. For a 16-stage design with a reduced stage thickness of 300Å, pulsed roll-over current density of 6 kA/cm2 , and InGaAs waveguide layers; optical power increase of 41% is projected. Finally, the model projects that power level can be increased to 4.5 W from 3.15 mm × 31 μm devices with the baseline configuration with T0 increased from 140 K for the present design to 250 K.

  8. Modulated Pulsed Laser Sources for Imaging Lidars

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-10-01

    doped PM fiber . The ytterbium ions in the fiber are cladding-pumped to their excited states using four, 6-Watt multimode lasers at 976 nm. Yh-dop...next amplified using a fiber amplifier to an average power of 10-15 Watts. A highly efficient, periodically poled nonlinear optical material will be...establish the feasibility of both pulsing a 1064 nm laser to produce enough average power to successfully seed a Yb- doped fiber amplifier so it will

  9. A plasma microlens for ultrashort high power lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Katzir, Yiftach; Eisenmann, Shmuel; Ferber, Yair; Zigler, Arie; Hubbard, Richard F.

    2009-07-01

    We present a technique for generation of miniature plasma lens system that can be used for focusing and collimating a high intensity femtosecond laser pulse. The plasma lens was created by a nanosecond laser, which ablated a capillary entrance. The spatial configuration of the ablated plasma focused a high intensity femtosecond laser pulse. This configuration offers versatility in the plasma lens small f-number for extremely tight focusing of high power lasers with no damage threshold restrictions of regular optical components.

  10. Laser beamed power - Satellite demonstration applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Landis, Geoffrey A.; Westerlund, Larry H.

    1992-01-01

    Feasibility of using a ground-based laser to beam light to the solar arrays of orbiting satellites to a level sufficient to provide the operating power required is discussed. An example case of a GEO communications satellite near the end of life due to radiation damage of the solar arrays or battery failure is considered. It is concluded that the commercial satellite industry should be able to reap significant economic benefits through the use of power beaming which is capable of providing supplemental power for satellites with failing arrays, or primary power for failed batteries.

  11. Status and future prospects of laser fusion and high power laser applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mima, Kunioki

    2010-08-01

    In Asia, there are many institutes for the R&D of high power laser science and applications. They are 5 major institutes in Japan, 4 major institutes in China, 2 institutes in Korea, and 3 institutes in India. The recent achievements and future prospects of those institutes will be over viewed. In the laser fusion research, the FIREX-I project in Japan has been progressing. The 10kJ short pulse LFEX laser has completed and started the experiments with a single beam. About 1kJ pulse energy will be injected into a cone target. The experimental results of the FIREX experiments will be presented. As the target design for the experiments, a new target, namely, a double cone target was proposed, in which the high energy electrons are well confined and the heating efficiency is significantly improved. Together with the fusion experiments, Osaka University has carried out laboratory astrophysics experiments on photo ionizing plasmas to observe a unique X-ray spectrum from non-LTE plasmas. In 2008, Osaka university has started a new Photon research center in relation with the new program: Consortium for Photon Science and Technology: C-PhoST, in which ultra intense laser plasmas research and related education will be carried out for 10 years. At APRI, JAEA, the fundamental science on the relativistic laser plasmas and the applications of laser particle acceleration has been developed. The application of laser ion acceleration has been investigated on the beam cancer therapy since 2007. In China, The high power glass laser: Shenguan-II and a peta watt beam have been operated to work on radiation hydro dynamics at SIOFM Shanghai. The laser material and optics are developed at SIOFM and LFRC. The IAPCM and the IOP continued the studies on radiation hydrodynamics and on relativistic laser plasmas interactions. At LFRC in China, the construction of Shenguan III glass laser of 200kJ in blue has progressed and will be completed in 2012. Together with the Korean program, I will

  12. Method and apparatus for monitoring the power of a laser beam

    DOEpatents

    Paris, R.D.; Hackel, R.P.

    1996-02-06

    A method for monitoring the power of a laser beam in real time is disclosed. At least one optical fiber is placed through the laser beam, where a portion of light from the laser beam is coupled into the optical fiber. The optical fiber may be maintained in a stationary position or moved periodically over a cross section of the laser beam to couple light from each area traversed. Light reaching both fiber ends is monitored according to frequency and processed to determine the power of the laser beam. 6 figs.

  13. Method and apparatus for monitoring the power of a laser beam

    DOEpatents

    Paris, Robert D.; Hackel, Richard P.

    1996-01-01

    A method for monitoring the power of a laser beam in real time is disclosed. At least one optical fiber is placed through the laser beam, where a portion of light from the laser beam is coupled into the optical fiber. The optical fiber may be maintained in a stationary position or moved periodically over a cross section of the laser beam to couple light from each area traversed. Light reaching both fiber ends is monitored according to frequency and processed to determine the power of the laser beam.

  14. Palm-top-size, 1.5 kW peak-power, and femtosecond (160 fs) diode-pumped mode-locked Yb+3:KY(WO4)2 solid-state laser with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror.

    PubMed

    Yamazoe, Shogo; Katou, Masaki; Adachi, Takashi; Kasamatsu, Tadashi

    2010-03-01

    We report a palm-top-size femtosecond diode-pumped mode-locked Yb(+3):KY(WO(4))(2) solid-state laser with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror utilizing soliton mode locking for shortening the cavity to 50 mm. An average output power of 680 mW and a pulse width of 162 fs were obtained at 1045 nm with a repetition rate of 2.8 GHz, which led to a peak power of 1.5 kW. Average power fluctuations of a modularized laser source were found to be +/-10% for the free-running 3000 h operation and +/-1% for the power-controlled 2000 h operation.

  15. Hypersonic Inlet for a Laser Powered Propulsion System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harrland, Alan; Doolan, Con; Wheatley, Vincent; Froning, Dave

    2011-11-01

    Propulsion within the lightcraft concept is produced via laser induced detonation of an incoming hypersonic air stream. This process requires suitable engine configurations that offer good performance over all flight speeds and angles of attack to ensure the required thrust is maintained. Stream traced hypersonic inlets have demonstrated the required performance in conventional hydrocarbon fuelled scramjet engines, and has been applied to the laser powered lightcraft vehicle. This paper will outline the current methodology employed in the inlet design, with a particular focus on the performance of the lightcraft inlet at angles of attack. Fully three-dimensional turbulent computational fluid dynamics simulations have been performed on a variety of inlet configurations. The performance of the lightcraft inlets have been evaluated at differing angles of attack. An idealized laser detonation simulation has also been performed to validate that the lightcraft inlet does not unstart during the laser powered propulsion cycle.

  16. High average power, highly brilliant laser-produced plasma source for soft X-ray spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Mantouvalou, Ioanna; Witte, Katharina; Grötzsch, Daniel; Neitzel, Michael; Günther, Sabrina; Baumann, Jonas; Jung, Robert; Stiel, Holger; Kanngiesser, Birgit; Sandner, Wolfgang

    2015-03-01

    In this work, a novel laser-produced plasma source is presented which delivers pulsed broadband soft X-radiation in the range between 100 and 1200 eV. The source was designed in view of long operating hours, high stability, and cost effectiveness. It relies on a rotating and translating metal target and achieves high stability through an on-line monitoring device using a four quadrant extreme ultraviolet diode in a pinhole camera arrangement. The source can be operated with three different laser pulse durations and various target materials and is equipped with two beamlines for simultaneous experiments. Characterization measurements are presented with special emphasis on the source position and emission stability of the source. As a first application, a near edge X-ray absorption fine structure measurement on a thin polyimide foil shows the potential of the source for soft X-ray spectroscopy.

  17. Wavelength dependency in high power laser cutting and welding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Havrilla, David; Ziermann, Stephan; Holzer, Marco

    2012-03-01

    Laser cutting and welding have been around for more than 30 years. Within those three decades there has never been a greater variety of high power laser types and wavelengths to choose from than there is today. There are many considerations when choosing the right laser for any given application - capital investment, cost of ownership, footprint, serviceability, along with a myriad of other commercial & economic considerations. However, one of the most fundamental questions that must be asked and answered is this - "what type of laser is best suited for the application?". Manufacturers and users alike are realizing what, in retrospect, may seem obvious - there is no such thing as a universal laser. In many cases there is one laser type and wavelength that clearly provides the highest quality application results. This paper will examine the application fields of high power, high brightness 10.6 & 1 micron laser welding & cutting and will provide guidelines for selecting the laser that is best suited for the application. Processing speed & edge quality serve as key criteria for cutting. Whereas speed, seam quality & spatter ejection provide the paradigm for welding.

  18. Parametric Study and Multi-Criteria Optimization in Laser Cladding by a High Power Direct Diode Laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farahmand, Parisa; Kovacevic, Radovan

    2014-12-01

    In laser cladding, the performance of the deposited layers subjected to severe working conditions (e.g., wear and high temperature conditions) depends on the mechanical properties, the metallurgical bond to the substrate, and the percentage of dilution. The clad geometry and mechanical characteristics of the deposited layer are influenced greatly by the type of laser used as a heat source and process parameters used. Nowadays, the quality of fabricated coating by laser cladding and the efficiency of this process has improved thanks to the development of high-power diode lasers, with power up to 10 kW. In this study, the laser cladding by a high power direct diode laser (HPDDL) as a new heat source in laser cladding was investigated in detail. The high alloy tool steel material (AISI H13) as feedstock was deposited on mild steel (ASTM A36) by a HPDDL up to 8kW laser and with new design lateral feeding nozzle. The influences of the main process parameters (laser power, powder flow rate, and scanning speed) on the clad-bead geometry (specifically layer height and depth of the heat affected zone), and clad microhardness were studied. Multiple regression analysis was used to develop the analytical models for desired output properties according to input process parameters. The Analysis of Variance was applied to check the accuracy of the developed models. The response surface methodology (RSM) and desirability function were used for multi-criteria optimization of the cladding process. In order to investigate the effect of process parameters on the molten pool evolution, in-situ monitoring was utilized. Finally, the validation results for optimized process conditions show the predicted results were in a good agreement with measured values. The multi-criteria optimization makes it possible to acquire an efficient process for a combination of clad geometrical and mechanical characteristics control.

  19. Fragmentation and dusting of large kidney stones using compact, air-cooled, high peak power, 1940-nm, Thulium fiber laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hardy, Luke A.; Gonzalez, David A.; Irby, Pierce B.; Fried, Nathaniel M.

    2018-02-01

    Previous Thulium fiber laser lithotripsy (TFL) studies were limited to a peak power of 70 W (35 mJ / 500 μs), requiring operation in dusting mode with low pulse energy (35 mJ) and high pulse rate (300 Hz). In this study, a novel, compact, air-cooled, TFL capable of operating at up to 500 W peak power, 50 W average power, and 2000 Hz, was tested. The 1940-nm TFL was used with pulse duration (500 μs), average power (10 W), and fiber (270- μm-core) fixed, while pulse energy and pulse rate were changed. A total of 23 large uric acid (UA) stones and 16 large calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) stones were each separated into 3 modes (Group 1-"Dusting"- 33mJ/300Hz; Group 2-"Fragmentation"-200mJ/50Hz; Group 3-"Dual mode"-Fragmentation then Dusting). The fiber was held manually in contact with stone on a 2-mm-mesh sieve submerged in a flowing saline bath. UA ablation rates were 2.3+/-0.8, 2.3+/-0.2, and 4.4+/-0.8 mg/s and COM ablation rates were 0.4+/-0.1, 1.0+/-0.1, and 0.9+/-0.4 mg/s, for Groups 1, 2, and 3. Dual mode provided 2x higher UA ablation rates than other modes. COM ablation threshold is 3x higher than UA, so dusting provided lower COM ablation rates than other modes. Future studies will explore higher average laser power than 10 W for rapid TFL ablation of large stones.

  20. 2.1 μm high-power laser diode beam combining(Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berrou, Antoine P. C.; Elder, Ian F.; Lamb, Robert A.; Esser, M. J. Daniel

    2016-10-01

    Laser power and brightness scaling, in "eye safe" atmospheric transmission windows, is driving laser system research and development. High power lasers with good beam quality, at wavelength around 2.1 µm, are necessary for optical countermeasure applications. For such applications, focusing on efficiency and compactness of the system is mandatory. In order to cope with these requirements, one must consider the use of laser diodes which emit directly in the desired spectral region. The challenge for these diodes is to maintain a good beam quality factor as the output power increases. 2 µm diodes with excellent beam quality in both axes are available with output powers of 100 mW. Therefore, in order to reach multi-watt of average output power, broad-area single emitters and beam combining becomes relevant. Different solutions have been implemented in the 1.9 to 2 µm wavelength range, one of which is to stack multiple emitter bars reaching more than one hundred watt, while another is a fibre coupled diode module. The beam propagation factor of these systems is too high for long atmospheric propagation applications. Here we describe preliminary results on non-coherent beam combining of 2.1 µm high power Fabry-Perot GaSb laser diodes supplied by Brolis Semiconductors Ltd. First we evaluated single mode diodes (143 mW) with good beam quality (M2 < 1.5 for slow axis and < 1.1 for fast axis). Then we characterized broad-area single emitter diodes (808 mW) with an electrical-to-optical efficiency of 19 %. The emitter width was 90 µm with a cavity length of 1.5 mm. In our experiments we found that the slow axis multimode output beam consisted of two symmetric lobes with a total full width at half maximum (FWHM) divergence angle of 25 degrees, corresponding to a calculated beam quality factor of M2 = 25. The fast axis divergence was specified to be 44 degrees, with an expected beam quality factor close to the diffraction limit, which informed our selection of collimation

  1. Hole-boring through clouds for laser power beaming

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lipinski, R.J.; Walter, R.F.

    Power beaming to satellites with a ground-based laser can be limited by clouds. Hole-boring through the clouds with a laser has been proposed as a way to overcome this obstacle. This paper reviews the past work on laser hole-boring and concludes that hole-boring for direct beaming to satellites is likely to require 10--100 MW. However, it may be possible to use an airborne relay mirror at 10--25 km altitude for some applications in order to extend the range of the laser (e.g., for beaming to satellites near the horizon). In these cases, use of the relay mirror also would allowmore » a narrow beam between the laser and the relay, as well as the possibility of reducing the crosswind if the plane matched speed with the cloud temporarily. Under these conditions, the power requirement to bore a hole through most cirrus and cirrostratus clouds might be only 500-kW if the hole is less than 1 m in diameter and if the crosswind speed is less than 10 m/s. Overcoming cirrus and cirrostratus clouds would reduce the downtime due to weather by a factor of 2. However, 500 kW is a large laser, and it may be more effective instead to establish a second power beaming site in a separate weather zone. An assessment of optimum wavelengths for hole boring also was made, and the best options were found to be 3.0--3.4 {mu}m and above 10 {mu}m.« less

  2. Power transmission by laser beam from lunar-synchronous satellite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williams, M. D.; Deyoung, R. J.; Schuster, G. L.; Choi, S. H.; Dagle, J. E.; Coomes, E. P.; Antoniak, Z. I.; Bamberger, J. A.; Bates, J. M.; Chiu, M. A.

    1993-01-01

    The possibility of beaming power from synchronous lunar orbits (the L1 and L2 Lagrange points) to a manned long-range lunar rover is addressed. The rover and two versions of a satellite system (one powered by a nuclear reactor, the other by photovoltaics) are described in terms of their masses, geometries, power needs, missions, and technological capabilities. Laser beam power is generated by a laser diode array in the satellite and converted to 30 kW of electrical power at the rover. Present technological capabilities, with some extrapolation to near future capabilities, are used in the descriptions. The advantages of the two satellite/rover systems over other such systems and over rovers with onboard power are discussed along with the possibility of enabling other missions.

  3. 2013 R&D 100 Award: New tech could mean more power for fiber lasers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dawson, Jay

    2014-04-03

    An LLNL team of six physicists has developed a new technology that is a stepping stone to enable some of the limitations on high-power fiber lasers to be overcome. Their technology, dubbed "Efficient Mode-Converters for High-Power Fiber Amplifiers," allows the power of fiber lasers to be increased while maintaining high beam quality. Currently, fiber lasers are used in machining, on factory floors and in a number of defense applications and can produce tens of kilowatts of power.The conventional fiber laser design features a circular core and has fundamental limitations that make it impractical to allow higher laser power unless themore » core area is increased. LLNL researchers have pioneered a design to increase the laser's core area along the axis of the ribbon fiber. Their design makes it difficult to use a conventional laser beam, so the LLNL team converted the beam into a profile that propagates into the ribbon fiber and is converted back once it is amplified. The use of this LLNL technology will permit the construction of higher power lasers for lower costs and increase the power of fiber lasers from tens of kilowatts of power to about 100 kilowatts and potentially even higher.« less

  4. 2013 R&D 100 Award: New tech could mean more power for fiber lasers

    ScienceCinema

    Dawson, Jay

    2018-01-16

    An LLNL team of six physicists has developed a new technology that is a stepping stone to enable some of the limitations on high-power fiber lasers to be overcome. Their technology, dubbed "Efficient Mode-Converters for High-Power Fiber Amplifiers," allows the power of fiber lasers to be increased while maintaining high beam quality. Currently, fiber lasers are used in machining, on factory floors and in a number of defense applications and can produce tens of kilowatts of power.The conventional fiber laser design features a circular core and has fundamental limitations that make it impractical to allow higher laser power unless the core area is increased. LLNL researchers have pioneered a design to increase the laser's core area along the axis of the ribbon fiber. Their design makes it difficult to use a conventional laser beam, so the LLNL team converted the beam into a profile that propagates into the ribbon fiber and is converted back once it is amplified. The use of this LLNL technology will permit the construction of higher power lasers for lower costs and increase the power of fiber lasers from tens of kilowatts of power to about 100 kilowatts and potentially even higher.

  5. Time Averaged Transmitter Power and Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields from Mobile Phone Base Stations

    PubMed Central

    Bürgi, Alfred; Scanferla, Damiano; Lehmann, Hugo

    2014-01-01

    Models for exposure assessment of high frequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phone base stations need the technical data of the base stations as input. One of these parameters, the Equivalent Radiated Power (ERP), is a time-varying quantity, depending on communication traffic. In order to determine temporal averages of the exposure, corresponding averages of the ERP have to be available. These can be determined as duty factors, the ratios of the time-averaged power to the maximum output power according to the transmitter setting. We determine duty factors for UMTS from the data of 37 base stations in the Swisscom network. The UMTS base stations sample contains sites from different regions of Switzerland and also different site types (rural/suburban/urban/hotspot). Averaged over all regions and site types, a UMTS duty factor F ≈ 0.32 ± 0.08 for the 24 h-average is obtained, i.e., the average output power corresponds to about a third of the maximum power. We also give duty factors for GSM based on simple approximations and a lower limit for LTE estimated from the base load on the signalling channels. PMID:25105551

  6. High power laser-mechanical drilling bit and methods of use

    DOEpatents

    Grubb, Daryl L.; Kolachalam, Sharath K.; Faircloth, Brian O.; Rinzler, Charles C.; Allen, Erik C.; Underwood, Lance D.; Zediker, Mark S.

    2017-02-07

    An apparatus with a high power laser-mechanical bit for use with a laser drilling system and a method for advancing a borehole. The laser-mechanical bit has a beam path and mechanical removal devices that provide for the removal of laser-affected rock to advance a borehole.

  7. Blue 450nm high power semiconductor continuous wave laser bars exceeding rollover output power of 80W

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    König, H.; Lell, A.; Stojetz, B.; Ali, M.; Eichler, C.; Peter, M.; Löffler, A.; Strauss, U.; Baumann, M.; Balck, A.; Malchus, J.; Krause, V.

    2018-02-01

    Industrial material processing like cutting or welding of metals is rather energy efficient using direct diode or diode pumped solid state lasers. However, many applications cannot be addressed by established infrared laser technology due to fundamental material properties of the workpiece: For example materials like copper or gold have too low absorption in the near infrared wavelength range to be processed efficiently by use of existing high power laser systems. The huge interest to enable high power kW systems with more suitable wavelengths in the blue spectral range triggered the German funded research project 'BLAULAS': Therein the feasibility and capability of CW operating high power laser bars based on the GaN material system was investigated by Osram and Laserline. High performance bars were enabled by defeating fundamental challenges like material quality as well as the chip processes, both of which differ significantly from well-known IR laser bars. The research samples were assembled on actively cooled heat sinks with hard solder technology. For the first time an output power of 98W per bar at 60A drive current was achieved. Conversion efficiency as high as 46% at 50W output power was demonstrated.

  8. Effect of interface layer on the performance of high power diode laser arrays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Pu; Wang, Jingwei; Xiong, Lingling; Li, Xiaoning; Hou, Dong; Liu, Xingsheng

    2015-02-01

    Packaging is an important part of high power diode laser (HPLD) development and has become one of the key factors affecting the performance of high power diode lasers. In the package structure of HPLD, the interface layer of die bonding has significant effects on the thermal behavior of high power diode laser packages and most degradations and failures in high power diode laser packages are directly related to the interface layer. In this work, the effects of interface layer on the performance of high power diode laser array were studied numerically by modeling and experimentally. Firstly, numerical simulations using finite element method (FEM) were conducted to analyze the effects of voids in the interface layer on the temperature rise in active region of diode laser array. The correlation between junction temperature rise and voids was analyzed. According to the numerical simulation results, it was found that the local temperature rise of active region originated from the voids in the solder layer will lead to wavelength shift of some emitters. Secondly, the effects of solder interface layer on the spectrum properties of high power diode laser array were studied. It showed that the spectrum shape of diode laser array appeared "right shoulder" or "multi-peaks", which were related to the voids in the solder interface layer. Finally, "void-free" techniques were developed to minimize the voids in the solder interface layer and achieve high power diode lasers with better optical-electrical performances.

  9. A cladding-pumped, tunable holmium doped fiber laser.

    PubMed

    Simakov, Nikita; Hemming, Alexander; Clarkson, W Andrew; Haub, John; Carter, Adrian

    2013-11-18

    We present a tunable, high power cladding-pumped holmium doped fiber laser. The laser generated >15 W CW average power across a wavelength range of 2.043 - 2.171 μm, with a maximum output power of 29.7 W at 2.120 μm. The laser also produced 18.2 W when operating at 2.171 µm. To the best of our knowledge this is the highest power operation of a holmium doped laser at a wavelength >2.15 µm. We discuss the significance of background losses and fiber design for achieving efficient operation in holmium doped fibers.

  10. High power tube solid-state laser with zigzag propagation of pump and laser beam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Savich, Michael

    2015-02-01

    A novel resonator and pumping design with zigzag propagation of pumping and laser beams permits to design an improved tube Solid State Laser (SSL), solving the problem of short absorption path to produce a high power laser beam (100 - 1000kW). The novel design provides an amplifier module and laser oscillator. The tube-shaped SSL includes a gain element fiber-optically coupled to a pumping source. The fiber optic coupling facilitates light entry at compound Brewster's angle of incidence into the laser gain element and uses internal reflection to follow a "zigzag" path in a generally spiral direction along the length of the tube. Optics are arranged for zigzag propagation of the laser beam, while the cryogenic cooling system is traditional. The novel method of lasing uses advantages of cylindrical geometry to reach the high volume of gain medium with compactness and structural rigidity, attain high pump density and uniformity, and reach a low threshold without excessive increase of the temperature of the crystal. The design minimizes thermal lensing and stress effects, and provides high gain amplification, high power extraction from lasing medium, high pumping and lasing efficiency and a high beam quality.

  11. Effect of laser cavity parameters on saturation of light – current characteristics of high-power pulsed lasers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Veselov, D A; Pikhtin, N A; Lyutetskiy, A V

    2015-07-31

    We report an experimental study of power characteristics of semiconductor lasers based on MOVPE-grown asymmetric separate-confinement heterostructures with a broadened waveguide as functions of cavity length, stripe contact width and mirror reflectivities. It is shown that at high current pump levels, the variation of the cavity parameters of a semiconductor laser (width, length and mirror reflectivities) influences the light – current (L – I) characteristic saturation and maximum optical power by affecting such laser characteristics, as the current density and the optical output loss. A model is elaborated and an optical power of semiconductor lasers is calculated by taking intomore » account the dependence of the internal optical loss on pump current density and concentration distribution of charge carriers and photons along the cavity axis of the cavity. It is found that only introduction of the dependence of the internal optical loss on pump current density to the calculation model provides a good agreement between experimental and calculated L – I characteristics for all scenarios of variations in the laser cavity parameters. (lasers)« less

  12. All solid-state high power visible laser

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grossman, William M.

    1993-01-01

    The overall objective of this Phase 2 effort was to develop and deliver to NASA a high repetition rate laser-diode-pumped solid-state pulsed laser system with output in the green portion of the spectrum. The laser is for use in data communications, and high efficiency, short pulses, and low timing jitter are important features. A short-pulse 1 micron laser oscillator, a new multi-pass amplifier to boost the infrared power, and a frequency doubler to take the amplified infrared pulsed laser light into the green. This produced 1.5 W of light in the visible at a pulse repetition rate of 20 kHz in the laboratory. The pulses have a full-width at half maximum of near 1 ns. The results of this program are being commercialized.

  13. Efficient 2-μm Tm:YAP Q-switched and CW lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hays, A. D.; Cole, Brian; King, Vernon; Goldberg, Lew

    2018-02-01

    Highly efficient, diode pumped Tm:YAP lasers generating emission in the 1.85-1.94 μm range are demonstrated and characterized. Laser optical efficiencies of 51% and 45%, and electrical efficiencies of 31% and 25% are achieved under CW and Q-switched operation, respectively. Laser performance was characterized for maximum average powers up to 20W with various cavity configurations, all using an intra-cavity lens to compensate for thermal lensing in the Tm:YAP crystal. Q-switched lasers incorportating a Cr:ZnS saturable absorber (SA), resonant mechanical mirror scanner, or acousto-optic modulator were characterized. To enable higher average output powers, measurements of the thermal lens were conducted for the Tm:YAP crystal as a function of pump power and were compared to values predicted by a finiteelement- analysis (FEA) thermal-optical model of the Tm:YAP crystal. A resonator model is developed to incorporate this calculated thermal lens and its effect on laser performance. This paper will address approaches for improving the performance of Tm:YAP lasers, and means for achieving increased average output powers while maintaining high optical efficiency for both SA and mechanical Q-switching.

  14. Formation of short high-power laser radiation pulses in excimer mediums

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Losev, V. F., Sr.; Ivanov, N. G.; Panchenko, Yu. N.

    2007-06-01

    Presently an excimer mediums continue are examined as one of variants for formation of powerful and over powerful pulses of laser radiation with duration from units of nanosecond up to tens femtosecond. The researches on such powerful installations as "NIKE" (USA) and << SUPER ASHURA >>, Japan) proceed in this direction. The main advantage of excimer mediums is the opportunity to work in a frequency mode, absence of restriction on the size of active area, high uniformity of a gas working medium, high efficiency (up to 10 %) and wide spectral range of laser radiation (KrF, XeCl ~ 2nm, XeF (C-A), Xe IICl ~ 50-100 nanometers). Research in area of high quality laser beams formation in excimer mediums and its amplification in high power amplifiers are carried out the long time in Institute of High Current Electronics SB RAS, Tomsk, Russia. The wide aperture XeCl laser system of MELS-4k is used for these investigations. Last time we take part in program on development of high power excimer laser system with a petawatt level of power. This system supposes the formation and amplification high quality laser beams with different pulse duration from units of nanosecond up to tens femtosecond. We research the possibility of laser beams formation in excimer mediums with ps-ns pulse duration having the low noise and divergence near to diffraction limit. In other hand, we are developing the wide aperture XeF(C-A) amplifier with optical pump on base electron accelerator. According to our estimations of the XeF(C-A) amplifier based on the converter of e-beam energy to the Xe II* fluorescence at 172 nm will allow to obtain up to 100 TW peak power in a 30 fs pulse.

  15. High Power Laser Welding. [of stainless steel and titanium alloy structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Banas, C. M.

    1972-01-01

    A review of recent developments in high power, carbon dixoide laser welding is presented. Deep penetration welding in stainless steel to 0.5-in. thick, high speed welding in thin gage rimmed steel and gas shielded welding in Ti-6Al-4V alloy are described. The effects of laser power, power density, focusing optics, gas-shielding techniques, material properties and weld speed on weld quality and penetration are discussed. It is shown that laser welding performance in thin materials is comparable to that of electron beams. It is further shown that high quality welds, as evidenced by NDT, mechanical and metal-lographic tests, can be achieved. The potential of the laser for industrial welding applications is indicated.

  16. High power continuous-wave titanium:sapphire laser

    DOEpatents

    Erbert, G.V.; Bass, I.L.; Hackel, R.P.; Jenkins, S.L.; Kanz, V.K.; Paisner, J.A.

    1993-09-21

    A high-power continuous-wave laser resonator is provided, wherein first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth mirrors form a double-Z optical cavity. A first Ti:sapphire rod is disposed between the second and third mirrors and at the mid-point of the length of the optical cavity, and a second Ti:sapphire rod is disposed between the fourth and fifth mirrors at a quarter-length point in the optical cavity. Each Ti:sapphire rod is pumped by two counter-propagating pump beams from a pair of argon-ion lasers. For narrow band operation, a 3-plate birefringent filter and an etalon are disposed in the optical cavity so that the spectral output of the laser consists of 5 adjacent cavity modes. For increased power, seventy and eighth mirrors are disposed between the first and second mirrors to form a triple-Z optical cavity. A third Ti:sapphire rod is disposed between the seventh and eighth mirrors at the other quarter-length point in the optical cavity, and is pumped by two counter-propagating pump beams from a third pair of argon-ion lasers. 5 figures.

  17. Narrow linewidth picosecond UV pulsed laser with mega-watt peak power.

    PubMed

    Huang, Chunning; Deibele, Craig; Liu, Yun

    2013-04-08

    We demonstrate a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) burst mode laser system that generates 66 ps/402.5 MHz pulses with mega-watt peak power at 355 nm. The seed laser consists of a single frequency fiber laser (linewidth < 5 KHz), a high bandwidth electro-optic modulator (EOM), a picosecond pulse generator, and a fiber based preamplifier. A very high extinction ratio (45 dB) has been achieved by using an adaptive bias control of the EOM. The multi-stage Nd:YAG amplifier system allows a uniformly temporal shaping of the macropulse with a tunable pulse duration. The light output from the amplifier is converted to 355 nm, and over 1 MW peak power is obtained when the laser is operating in a 5-μs/10-Hz macropulse mode. The laser output has a transform-limited spectrum with a very narrow linewidth of individual longitudinal modes. The immediate application of the laser system is the laser-assisted hydrogen ion beam stripping for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS).

  18. Method and apparatus for delivering high power laser energy over long distances

    DOEpatents

    Zediker, Mark S; Rinzler, Charles C; Faircloth, Brian O; Koblick, Yeshaya; Moxley, Joel F

    2015-04-07

    Systems, devices and methods for the transmission and delivery of high power laser energy deep into the earth and for the suppression of associated nonlinear phenomena. Systems, devices and methods for the laser drilling of a borehole in the earth. These systems can deliver high power laser energy down a deep borehole, while maintaining the high power to advance such boreholes deep into the earth and at highly efficient advancement rates.

  19. NREL: News - NREL Researchers Use Sunlight to Power Laser

    Science.gov Websites

    Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Chicago powered a laser with concentrated sunlight and University of Chicago researchers developed the secondary concentrator used for the solar laser as

  20. 175 fs-long pulses from a high-power single-mode Er-doped fiber laser at 1550 nm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elahi, Parviz; Kalaycıoğlu, Hamit; Li, Huihui; Akçaalan, Önder; Ilday, F. Ömer

    2017-11-01

    Development of Er-doped ultrafast lasers have lagged behind the corresponding developments in Yb- and Tm-doped lasers, in particular, fiber lasers. Various applications benefit from operation at a central wavelength of 1.5 μm and its second harmonic, including emerging applications such as 3D processing of silicon and 3D printing based on two-photon polymerization. We report a simple, robust fiber master oscillator power amplifier operating at 1.55 μm, implementing chirp pulse amplification using single-mode fibers for diffraction-limited beam quality. The laser generates 80 nJ pulses at a repetition rate of 43 MHz, corresponding to an average power of 3.5 W, which can be compressed down to 175 fs. The generation of short pulses was achieved using a design which is guided by numerical simulations of pulse propagation and amplification and manages to overturn gain narrowing with self-phase modulation, without invoking excessive Raman scattering processes. The seed source for the two-stage amplifier is a dispersion-managed passively mode-locked oscillator, which generates a ∼40 nm-wide spectrum and 1.7-ps linearly chirped pulses.

  1. Design of a high-power, high-brightness Nd:YAG solar laser.

    PubMed

    Liang, Dawei; Almeida, Joana; Garcia, Dário

    2014-03-20

    A simple high-power, high-brightness Nd:YAG solar laser pumping approach is presented in this paper. The incoming solar radiation is both collected and concentrated by four Fresnel lenses and redirected toward a Nd:YAG laser head by four plane-folding mirrors. A fused-silica secondary concentrator is used to compress the highly concentrated solar radiation to a laser rod. Optimum pumping conditions and laser resonator parameters are found through ZEMAX and LASCAD numerical analysis. Solar laser power of 96 W is numerically calculated, corresponding to the collection efficiency of 24  W/m². A record-high solar laser beam brightness figure of merit of 9.6 W is numerically achieved.

  2. Development of Rust Stripping System using High Power Laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shirakawa, Kazuomi; Ohashi, Katsuaki; Ashidate, Shuichi; Kurosawa, Kiyoshi; Nakayama, Michio; Uchida, Yutaka; Nobusada, Yuuji

    The repainting cycle depends on removal of rust in maintenance of outdoor steel-frame structural facilities. However existing stripping process, which is usually made by hands with brushes, cannot strip the rust completely in maintenance of power transmission towers, for example. To solve this problem, we investigated laser fluence and pulse width for removal of rust using DPSSL (Diode Pumped Solid State Laser), and selected optimum laser supply. Then we checked the effect of laser stripping on prolongation of the repainting cycle compared with the conventional stripping process. Utilizing results of the research, we developed rust stripping system using DPSSL. From the results of field trial of rust removal operation using this system at high places of a power transmission tower, possibility of practical use of the system for the maintenance was confirmed.

  3. Spiking suppression of high power QCW pulse 1319 nm Nd:YAG laser with different intracavity doublers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bian, Qi; Zuo, Jun-Wei; Guo, Chuan; Xu, Chang; Shen, Yu; Zong, Nan; Bo, Yong; Peng, Qin-Jun; Chen, Hong-Bin; Cui, Da-Fu; Xu, Zu-Yan

    2016-09-01

    We describe the results of our efforts in suppressing spiking of a high power, high beam quality 1319 nm Nd:YAG microsecond-pulse laser with three different intracavity frequency doublers. The 1319 nm laser is generated by a quasi-continuous-wave diode-pumped Nd:YAG ring laser system. One potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP), two KTPs and one lithium triborate (LBO) as frequency doublers are installed in the ring resonator and tested, respectively. At 800 Hz repetition rate, with a pulse width of 100 µs, performances of spiking suppression for each case are observed. The average output power are 23.6 W, 22.7 W and 23.4 W with beam quality factors of M 2  =  2.21, 1.28 and 1.25 for one KTP, two KTPs and one LBO, respectively. The corresponding brightness are 270 MW/(cm2·sr), 780 MW/(cm2·sr) and 860 MW/(cm2·sr). With better beam quality, higher brightness, and easier maintainability, the LBO is the best option of the three. A laser rate equation model including the insertion loss of the doubler is applied for theoretical analysis of the output temporal pulse shape and power, and the simulated results agree well with the experimental data.

  4. High power, widely tunable dual-wavelength 2 μm laser based on intracavity KTP optical parametric oscillator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Dexian; Wang, Yuye; Xu, Degang; Shi, Wei; Zhong, Kai; Liu, Pengxiang; Yan, Chao; Mei, Jialin; Shi, Jia; Yao, Jianquan

    2017-01-01

    We presented a high power, widely tunable narrowband 2 μm dual-wavelength source employing intracavity optical parametric oscillator with potassium titanium oxide phosphate (KTP) crystal. Two identical KTP crystals were oriented oppositely in the OPO cavity to compensate the walk-off effect. The output average power of dual-wavelength 2 μm laser was up to 18.18 W at 10 kHz with the peak power of 165 kW. The two wavelengths can be tuned in the range of 2070.7 nm to 2191.1 nm for ordinary light while in the range of 2190.7 nm to 2065.9 nm for extraordinary light with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) about 0.8 nm. The pulse width of the tunable laser was as narrow as 11 ns. The beam quality factor M 2 was less than 4 during wavelength tuning.

  5. Hundred-watt-level high power random distributed feedback Raman fiber laser at 1150 nm and its application in mid-infrared laser generation.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hanwei; Zhou, Pu; Wang, Xiong; Du, Xueyuan; Xiao, Hu; Xu, Xiaojun

    2015-06-29

    Two kinds of hundred-watt-level random distributed feedback Raman fiber have been demonstrated. The optical efficiency can reach to as high as 84.8%. The reported power and efficiency of the random laser is the highest one as we know. We have also demonstrated that the developed random laser can be further used to pump a Ho-doped fiber laser for mid-infrared laser generation. Finally, 23 W 2050 nm laser is achieved. The presented laser can obtain high power output efficiently and conveniently and opens a new direction for high power laser sources at designed wavelength.

  6. Advanced Optical Fibers for High power Fiber lasers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-08-24

    crystal fiber cladding . Advanced Optical Fibers for High Power Fiber Lasers http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/58958 223 lengths above the second-order mode cut...brightness multimode diode lasers for a given pump waveguide dimen‐ sion. In conventional double- clad fibers, low-index polymer coatings are typically used to...was below 0.2. The fiber was passive and there was no laser demonstration in this first attempt. The first cladding - pumping demonstration in an

  7. Magnetically switched power supply system for lasers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pacala, Thomas J. (Inventor)

    1987-01-01

    A laser power supply system is described in which separate pulses are utilized to avalanche ionize the gas within the laser and then produce a sustained discharge to cause the gas to emit light energy. A pulsed voltage source is used to charge a storage device such as a distributed capacitance. A transmission line or other suitable electrical conductor connects the storage device to the laser. A saturable inductor switch is coupled in the transmission line for containing the energy within the storage device until the voltage level across the storage device reaches a predetermined level, which level is less than that required to avalanche ionize the gas. An avalanche ionization pulse generating circuit is coupled to the laser for generating a high voltage pulse of sufficient amplitude to avalanche ionize the laser gas. Once the laser gas is avalanche ionized, the energy within the storage device is discharged through the saturable inductor switch into the laser to provide the sustained discharge. The avalanche ionization generating circuit may include a separate voltage source which is connected across the laser or may be in the form of a voltage multiplier circuit connected between the storage device and the laser.

  8. Analysis of High-Power Diode Laser Heating Effects on HY-80 Steel for Laser Assisted Friction Stir Welding Applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wiechec, Maxwell; Baker, Brad; McNelley, Terry

    In this research, several conditions of high power diode laser heated HY-80 steel were characterized to determine the viability of using such lasers as a preheating source before friction stir welding in order to reduce frictional forces thereby reducing tool wear and increasing welding speeds. Differences in microstructures within heat affected zones were identified at specific laser powers and traverse speeds. Vickers hardness values were recorded and analyzed to validate the formation of additional martensite in diode laser heated regions of HY-80 steel. Conditions that produced little to no additional martensite were identified and relationships among high power diode lasermore » power, traverse speed, and martensite formation were determined. The development of heat affected zones, change in grain structure, and creation of additional martensite in HY-80 can be prevented through the optimization of laser amperage and transverse speed.« less

  9. Enhancement of laser power-efficiency by control of spatial hole burning interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ge, Li; Malik, Omer; Türeci, Hakan E.

    2014-11-01

    The laser is an out-of-equilibrium nonlinear wave system where the interplay of the cavity geometry and nonlinear wave interactions mediated by the gain medium determines the self-organized oscillation frequencies and the associated spatial field patterns. In the steady state, a constant energy flux flows through the laser from the pump to the far field, with the ratio of the total output power to the input power determining the power-efficiency. Although nonlinear wave interactions have been modelled and well understood since the early days of laser theory, their impact on the power-efficiency of a laser system is poorly understood. Here, we show that spatial hole burning interactions generally decrease the power-efficiency. We then demonstrate how spatial hole burning interactions can be controlled by a spatially tailored pump profile, thereby boosting the power-efficiency, in some cases by orders of magnitude.

  10. Long distance high power optical laser fiber break detection and continuity monitoring systems and methods

    DOEpatents

    Rinzler, Charles C.; Gray, William C.; Faircloth, Brian O.; Zediker, Mark S.

    2016-02-23

    A monitoring and detection system for use on high power laser systems, long distance high power laser systems and tools for performing high power laser operations. In particular, the monitoring and detection systems provide break detection and continuity protection for performing high power laser operations on, and in, remote and difficult to access locations.

  11. Latest development of high-power fiber lasers in SPI

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Norman, Stephen; Zervas, Mikhail N.; Appleyard, Andrew; Durkin, Michael K.; Horley, Ray; Varnham, Malcolm P.; Nilsson, Johan; Jeong, Yoonchan

    2004-06-01

    High Power Fiber Lasers (HPFLs) and High Power Fiber Amplifiers (HPFAs) promise a number of benefits in terms of their high optical efficiency, degree of integration, beam quality, reliability, spatial compactness and thermal management. These benefits are driving the rapid adoption of HPFLs in an increasingly wide range of applications and power levels ranging from a few Watts, in for example analytical applications, to high-power >1kW materials processing (machining and welding) applications. This paper describes SPI"s innovative technologies, HPFL products and their performance capabilities. The paper highlights key aspects of the design basis and provides an overview of the applications space in both the industrial and aerospace domains. Single-fiber CW lasers delivering 1kW output power at 1080nm have been demonstrated and are being commercialized for aerospace and industrial applications with wall-plug efficiencies in the range 20 to 25%, and with beam parameter products in the range 0.5 to 100 mm.mrad (corresponding to M2 = 1.5 to 300) tailored to application requirements. At power levels in the 1 - 200 W range, SPI"s proprietary cladding-pumping technology, GTWaveTM, has been employed to produce completely fiber-integrated systems using single-emitter broad-stripe multimode pump diodes. This modular construction enables an agile and flexible approach to the configuration of a range of fiber laser / amplifier systems for operation in the 1080nm and 1550nm wavelength ranges. Reliability modeling is applied to determine Systems martins such that performance specifications are robustly met throughout the designed product lifetime. An extensive Qualification and Reliability-proving programme is underway to qualify the technology building blocks that are utilized for the fiber laser cavity, pump modules, pump-driver systems and thermo-mechanical management. In addition to the CW products, pulsed fiber lasers with pulse energies exceeding 1mJ with peak pulse

  12. Flow speed of the ablation vapors generated during laser drilling of CFRP with a continuous-wave laser beam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faas, S.; Freitag, C.; Boley, S.; Berger, P.; Weber, R.; Graf, T.

    2017-03-01

    The hot plume of ablation products generated during the laser drilling process of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) with a continuous-wave laser beam was analyzed by means of high-speed imaging. The formation of compression shocks was observed within the flow of the evaporated material, which is an indication of flow speeds well above the local speed of sound. The flow speed of the hot ablation products can be estimated by analyzing the position of these compression shocks. We investigated the temporal evolution of the flow speed during the drilling process and the influence of the average laser power on the flow speed. The flow speed increases with increasing average laser powers. The moment of drilling through the material changes the conditions for the drilling process and was confirmed to influence the flow speed of the ablated material. Compression shocks can also be observed during laser cutting of CFRP with a moving laser beam.

  13. High-power lightweight external-cavity quantum cascade lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Day, Timothy; Takeuchi, Eric B.; Weida, Miles; Arnone, David; Pushkarsky, Michael; Boyden, David; Caffey, David

    2009-05-01

    Commercially available quantum cascade gain media has been integrated with advanced coating and die attach technologies, mid-IR micro-optics and telecom-style assembly and packaging to yield cutting edge performance. When combined into Daylight's external-cavity quantum cascade laser (ECqcL) platform, multi-Watt output power has been obtained. Daylight will describe their most recent results obtained from this platform, including high cw power from compact hermetically sealed packages and narrow spectral linewidth devices. Fiber-coupling and direct amplitude modulation from such multi-Watt lasers will also be described. In addition, Daylight will present the most recent results from their compact, portable, battery-operated "thermal laser pointers" that are being used for illumination and aiming applications. When combined with thermal imaging technology, such devices provide significant benefits in contrast and identification.

  14. Self-channeling of high-power laser pulses through strong atmospheric turbulence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peñano, J.; Palastro, J. P.; Hafizi, B.; Helle, M. H.; DiComo, G. P.

    2017-07-01

    We present an unusual example of truly long-range propagation of high-power laser pulses through strong atmospheric turbulence. A form of nonlinear self-channeling is achieved when the laser power is close to the self-focusing power of air and the transverse dimensions of the pulse are smaller than the coherence diameter of turbulence. In this mode, nonlinear self-focusing counteracts diffraction, and turbulence-induced spreading is greatly reduced. Furthermore, the laser intensity is below the ionization threshold so that multiphoton absorption and plasma defocusing are avoided. Simulations show that the pulse can propagate many Rayleigh lengths (several kilometers) while maintaining a high intensity. In the presence of aerosols, or other extinction mechanisms that deplete laser energy, the pulse can be chirped to maintain the channeling.

  15. Wavelength switchable high-power diode-side-pumped rod Tm:YAG Laser around 2µm.

    PubMed

    Wang, Caili; Du, Shifeng; Niu, Yanxiong; Wang, Zhichao; Zhang, Chao; Bian, Qi; Guo, Chuan; Xu, Jialin; Bo, Yong; Peng, Qinjun; Cui, Dafu; Zhang, Jingyuan; Lei, Wenqiang; Xu, Zuyan

    2013-03-25

    We report a high-power diode-side-pumped rod Tm:YAG laser operated at either 2.07 or 2.02 µm depending on the transmission of pumped output coupler. The laser yields 115W of continuous-wave output power at 2.07 µm with 5% output coupling, which is the highest output power for all solid-state 2.07 μm cw rod Tm:YAG laser reported so far. With an output coupler of 10% transmission, the center wavelength of the laser is switched to 2.02 μm with an output power of 77.1 W. This is the first observation of high-power wavelength switchable diode-side-pumped rod Tm:YAG laser around 2 µm.

  16. Laser power beaming: an emerging technology for power transmission and propulsion in space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bennett, Harold E.

    1997-05-01

    A ground based laser beam transmitted to space can be used as an electric utility for satellites. It can significantly increase the electric power available to operate a satellite or to transport it from low earth orbit (LEO) to mid earth or geosynchronous orbits. The increase in electrical power compared to that obtainable from the sun is as much as 1000% for the same size solar panels. An increase in satellite electric power is needed to meet the increasing demands for power caused by the advent of 'direct to home TV,' for increased telecommunications, or for other demands made by the burgeoning 'space highway.' Monetary savings as compared to putting up multiple satellites in the same 'slot' can be over half a billion dollars. To obtain propulsion, the laser power can be beamed through the atmosphere to an 'orbit transfer vehicle' (OTV) satellite which travels back and forth between LEO and higher earth orbits. The OTV will transport the satellite into orbit as does a rocket but does not require the heavy fuel load needed if rocket propulsion is used. Monetary savings of 300% or more in launch costs are predicted. Key elements in the proposed concept are a 100 to 200 kW free- electron laser operating at 0.84 m in the photographic infrared region of the spectrum and a novel adaptive optic telescope.

  17. Raman Spectroscopy with High Power Diode Lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Claps, Ricardo

    1998-10-01

    Our group has demonstrated in the past that it is possible to record, with a high power Diode Laser, Raman spectra of low pressure gases. An external cavity was used to lock the laser into single mode operation. Also, the use of atomic filters permitted the observation of rotational Raman lines only 1 cm-1 apart from the excitation frequency ( J.Sabbaghzadeh, M.Fink, et-all; Applied Physics ) B 60 (1995), p.261-265.. We present now an improved version of the experiment, with beamshaping optics that help to correct the highly astigmatic output of the Diode Laser; this allowed us to put 300 mW of cw power through a multi-pass cell in the sample chamber, `increasing the signal by a factor of ~ 15. We present examples of rotational and vibrational spectra from CO_2, N_2, and air. The results show that we are able to obtain spectra with a S/N ratio of 0.011 per Torr, per √s, which means that we can detect 1 Torr of these gases in a few hours of exposure, at a maximum resolution of 0.85 cm-1 over a range of 200 cm-1. The laser stability in power, frequency and bandwidth, ensures the feasibility of long exposure experiments. We plan to apply the Raman technique to study flow properties of gases under different dynamic conditions; as a result, we expect to use our instrument for the study of the vibrational Raman spectra of alkali-halide dimers in vapour phase at low pressures.

  18. Multi-focus beam shaping of high power multimode lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laskin, Alexander; Volpp, Joerg; Laskin, Vadim; Ostrun, Aleksei

    2017-08-01

    Beam shaping of powerful multimode fiber lasers, fiber-coupled solid-state and diode lasers is of great importance for improvements of industrial laser applications. Welding, cladding with millimetre scale working spots benefit from "inverseGauss" intensity profiles; performance of thick metal sheet cutting, deep penetration welding can be enhanced when distributing the laser energy along the optical axis as more efficient usage of laser energy, higher edge quality and reduction of the heat affected zone can be achieved. Building of beam shaping optics for multimode lasers encounters physical limitations due to the low beam spatial coherence of multimode fiber-coupled lasers resulting in big Beam Parameter Products (BPP) or M² values. The laser radiation emerging from a multimode fiber presents a mixture of wavefronts. The fiber end can be considered as a light source which optical properties are intermediate between a Lambertian source and a single mode laser beam. Imaging of the fiber end, using a collimator and a focusing objective, is a robust and widely used beam delivery approach. Beam shaping solutions are suggested in form of optics combining fiber end imaging and geometrical separation of focused spots either perpendicular to or along the optical axis. Thus, energy of high power lasers is distributed among multiple foci. In order to provide reliable operation with multi-kW lasers and avoid damages the optics are designed as refractive elements with smooth optical surfaces. The paper presents descriptions of multi-focus optics as well as examples of intensity profile measurements of beam caustics and application results.

  19. Recent developments in high average power driver technology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Prestwich, K.R.; Buttram, M.T.; Rohwein, G.J>

    1979-01-01

    Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) reactors will require driver systems operating with tens to hundreds of megawatts of average power. The pulse power technology that will be required to build such drivers is in a primitive state of development. Recent developments in repetitive pulse power are discussed. A high-voltage transformer has been developed and operated at 3 MV in a single pulse experiment and is being tested at 1.5 MV, 5 kj and 10 pps. A low-loss, 1 MV, 10 kj, 10 pps Marx generator is being tested. Test results from gas-dynamic spark gaps that operate both in the 100 kVmore » and 700 kV range are reported. A 250 kV, 1.5 kA/cm/sup 2/, 30 ns electron beam diode has operated stably for 1.6 x 10/sup 5/ pulses.« less

  20. Modeling of high efficiency solar cells under laser pulse for power beaming applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jain, Raj K.; Landis, Geoffrey A.

    1994-01-01

    Solar cells have been used to convert sunlight to electrical energy for many years and also offer great potential for non-solar energy conversion applications. Their greatly improved performance under monochromatic light compared to sunlight, makes them suitable as photovoltaic (PV) receivers in laser power beaming applications. Laser beamed power to a PV array receiver could provide power to satellites, an orbital transfer vehicle, or a lunar base. Gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP) solar cells have calculated efficiencies of more than 50 percent under continuous illumination at the optimum wavelength. Currently high power free-electron lasers are being developed which operate in pulsed conditions. Understanding cell behavior under a laser pulse is important in the selection of the solar cell material and the laser. An experiment by NAsA lewis and JPL at the AVLIS laser facility in Livermore, CA presented experimental data on cell performance under pulsed laser illumination. Reference 5 contains an overview of technical issues concerning the use of solar cells for laser power conversion, written before the experiments were performed. As the experimental results showed, the actual effects of pulsed operation are more complicated. Reference 6 discusses simulations of the output of GaAs concentrator solar cells under pulsed laser illumination. The present paper continues this work, and compares the output of Si and GaAs solar cells.

  1. Injection locking of a low cost high power laser diode at 461 nm

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pagett, C. J. H.; Moriya, P. H., E-mail: paulohisao@ifsc.usp.br; Celistrino Teixeira, R.

    2016-05-15

    Stable laser sources at 461 nm are important for optical cooling of strontium atoms. In most existing experiments, this wavelength is obtained by frequency doubling infrared lasers, since blue laser diodes either have low power or large emission bandwidths. Here, we show that injecting less than 10 mW of monomode laser radiation into a blue multimode 500 mW high power laser diode is capable of slaving at least 50% of the power to the desired frequency. We verify the emission bandwidth reduction by saturation spectroscopy on a strontium gas cell and by direct beating of the slave with the mastermore » laser. We also demonstrate that the laser can efficiently be used within the Zeeman slower for optical cooling of a strontium atomic beam.« less

  2. Long-duration high-efficiency operation of a continuously pulsed copper laser utilizing copper bromide as a lasant

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chen, C. J.; Bhanji, A. M.; Russell, G. R.

    1978-01-01

    A copper laser utilizing copper bromide as a lasant and neon as the buffer gas has been operated at an average laser power of between 16 and 19.5 W for a period of 68 h. Lasing was attained at a pulsing rate of 16.7 kHz in a quartz discharge tube 2.5-cm in diameter with an electrode separation of 200 cm. The laser energy/pulse and peak power/pulse corresponding to an average power of 19.5 W are 1.2 mJ and 30 kW, respectively. The ratio of laser power at 510.6 and 578.2 nm varied from 3.9 to 1.1 corresponding to a total average laser power of 4 and 18 W, respectively. The highest wall plug and capacitor efficiency measured during 68 h of operation were 0.7 and 1.1%, respectively.

  3. High power continuous-wave titanium:sapphire laser

    DOEpatents

    Erbert, Gaylen V.; Bass, Isaac L.; Hackel, Richard P.; Jenkins, Sherman L.; Kanz, Vernon K.; Paisner, Jeffrey A.

    1993-01-01

    A high-power continuous-wave laser resonator (10) is provided, wherein first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth mirrors (11-16) form a double-Z optical cavity. A first Ti:Sapphire rod (17) is disposed between the second and third mirrors (12,13) and at the mid-point of the length of the optical cavity, and a second Ti:Sapphire rod (18) is disposed between the fourth and fifth mirrors (14,15) at a quarter-length point in the optical cavity. Each Ti:Sapphire rod (17,18) is pumped by two counter-propagating pump beams from a pair of argon-ion lasers (21-22, 23-24). For narrow band operation, a 3-plate birefringent filter (36) and an etalon (37) are disposed in the optical cavity so that the spectral output of the laser consists of 5 adjacent cavity modes. For increased power, seventy and eighth mirrors (101, 192) are disposed between the first and second mirrors (11, 12) to form a triple-Z optical cavity. A third Ti:Sapphire rod (103) is disposed between the seventh and eighth mirrors (101, 102) at the other quarter-length point in the optical cavity, and is pumped by two counter-propagating pump beams from a third pair of argon-ion lasers (104, 105).

  4. Recent Accomplishments in Laser-Photovoltaic Wireless Power Transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fikes, John C.; Henley, Mark W.; Mankins, John C.; Howell, Joe T.; Fork, Richard L.; Cole, Spencer T.; Skinner, Mark

    2003-01-01

    Wireless power transmission can be accomplished over long distances using laser power sources and photovoltaic receivers. Recent research at AMOS has improved our understanding of the use of this technology for practical applications. Research by NASA, Boeing, the University of Alabama-Huntsville, the University of Colorado, Harvey Mudd College, and the Naval Postgraduate School has tested various commercial lasers and photovoltaic receiver configurations. Lasers used in testing have included gaseous argon and krypton, solid-state diodes, and fiber optic sources, at wavelengths ranging from the visible to the near infra-red. A variety of Silicon and Gallium Arsenide photovoltaic have been tested with these sources. Safe operating procedures have been established, and initial tests have been conducted in the open air at AMOS facilities. This research is progressing toward longer distance ground demonstrations of the technology and practical near-term space demonstrations.

  5. Space-based laser-powered orbital transfer vehicle (Project SLICK)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1988-01-01

    A conceptual design study of a laser-powered orbital transfer vehicle (LOTV) is presented. The LOTV, nicknamed SLICK (Space Laser Interorbital Cargo Kite), will be utilized for the transfer of 16000 kg of cargo between Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and either Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) or Low Lunar Orbit (LLO). This design concentrates primarily on the LEO/GEO scenario, which will have typical LEO-to-GEO trip time of 6 days and two return versions. One version uses an all propulsive return while the other utilizes a ballute aerobrake for the return trip. Furthermore, three return cargo options of 16000 kg, 5000 kg (standard option), and 1600 kg are considered for this scenario. The LEO/LLO scenario uses only a standard, aerobraked version. The basic concept behind the LOTV is that the power for the propulsion system is supplied by a source separate from the LOTV itself. For the LEO/GEO scenario the LOTV utilizes a direct solar-pumped iodide laser and possibly two relay stations, all orbiting at an altitude of one Earth radius and zero inclination. An additional nuclear-powered laser is placed on the Moon for the LEO/LLO scenario. The propulsion system of the LOTV consists of a single engine fueled with liquid hydrogen. The laser beam is captured and directed by a four mirror optical system through a window in the thrust chamber of the engine. There, seven plasmas are created to convert the laser beam energy into thermal energy at an efficiency of at least 50 percent. For the LEO/LLO scenario the laser propulsion is supplemented by LH2/LOX chemical thrusters.

  6. 808nm high-power high-efficiency GaAsP/GaInP laser bars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Ye; Yang, Ye; Qin, Li; Wang, Chao; Yao, Di; Liu, Yun; Wang, Lijun

    2008-11-01

    808nm high power diode lasers, which is rapidly maturing technology technically and commercially since the introduction in 1999 of complete kilowatt-scale diode laser systems, have important applications in the fields of industry and pumping solid-state lasers (DPSSL). High power and high power conversion efficiency are extremely important in diode lasers, and they could lead to new applications where space, weight and electrical power are critical. High efficiency devices generate less waste heat, which means less strain on the cooling system and more tolerance to thermal conductivity variation, a lower junction temperature and longer lifetimes. Diode lasers with Al-free materials have superior power conversion efficiency compared with conventional AlGaAs/GaAs devices because of their lower differential series resistance and higher thermal conductivity. 808nm GaAsP/GaInP broad-waveguide emitting diode laser bars with 1mm cavity length have been fabricated. The peak power can reach to 100.9W at 106.5A at quasicontinuous wave operation (200μs, 1000Hz). The maximum power conversion efficiency is 57.38%. Based on these high power laser bars, we fabricate a 1x3 arrays, the maximum power is 64.3W in continuous wave mode when the current is 25.0A. And the threshold current is 5.9A, the slope efficiency is 3.37 W/A.

  7. High-power direct diode laser output by spectral beam combining

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Hao; Meng, Huicheng; Ruan, Xu; Du, Weichuan; Wang, Zhao

    2018-03-01

    We demonstrate a spectral beam combining scheme based on multiple mini-bar stacks, which have more diode laser combining elements, to increase the combined diode laser power and realize equal beam quality in both the fast and slow axes. A spectral beam combining diode laser output of 1130 W is achieved with an operating current of 75 A. When a 9.6 X de-magnifying telescope is introduced between the output mirror and the diffraction grating, to restrain cross-talk among diode laser emitters, a 710 W spectral beam combining diode laser output is achieved at the operating current of 70 A, and the beam quality on the fast and slow axes of the combined beam is about 7.5 mm mrad and 7.3 mm mrad respectively. The power reduction is caused by the existence of a couple resonator between the rear facet of the diode laser and the fast axis collimation lens, and it should be eliminated by using diode laser chips with higher front facet transmission efficiency and a fast axis collimation lens with lower residual reflectivity.

  8. Investigation into the absorptivity change in metals with increased laser power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blidegn, M. Sc. K.; Olsen, Flemming O.

    1997-04-01

    At first glance the low absorptivity of metals in the infrared (IR) makes the use of YAG or carbon-dioxide lasers in metal processing very inefficient. However, it has been demonstrated that the absorptivity can reach significantly higher levels during the high power laser interaction. An increase which cannot be explained by the increase in temperature only. The interaction between laser light and metals is a major physical phenomena in laser material processing and when modeling processes the Drude free electron model or simplifications, such as the Hagen-Rubens relation, have often been used. This paper discusses the need to extend the Drude model taking into account interband transitions and anormal skin effect at low light intensities and a multiphoton absorption model in order to describe the increase in the absorptivity at high intensities. The model is compared with experimental results carried out at low power, and tested on experimental absorptivity measurements at high power YAG laser pulses, found in literature.

  9. Commercial mode-locked vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lubeigt, Walter; Bialkowski, Bartlomiej; Lin, Jipeng; Head, C. Robin; Hempler, Nils; Maker, Gareth T.; Malcolm, Graeme P. A.

    2017-02-01

    In recent years, M Squared Lasers have successfully commercialized a range of mode-locked vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (VECSELs) operating between 920-1050nm and producing picosecond-range pulses with average powers above 1W at pulse repetition frequencies (PRF) of 200MHz. These laser products offer a low-cost, easy-to-use and maintenance-free tool for the growing market of nonlinear microscopy. However, in order to present a credible alternative to ultrafast Ti-sapphire lasers, pulse durations below 200fs are required. In the last year, efforts have been directed to reduce the pulse duration of the Dragonfly laser system to below 200fs with a target average power above 1W at a PRF of 200MHz. This paper will describe and discuss the latest efforts undertaken to approach these targets in a laser system operating at 990nm. The relatively low PRF operation of Dragonfly lasers represents a challenging requirement for mode-locked VECSELs due to the very short upper state carrier lifetime, on the order of a few nanoseconds, which can lead to double pulsing behavior in longer cavities as the time between consecutive pulses is increased. Most notably, the design of the Dragonfly VECSEL cavity was considerably modified and the laser system extended with a nonlinear pulse stretcher and an additional compression stage. The improved Dragonfly laser system achieved pulse duration as short as 130fs with an average power of 0.85W.

  10. Target isolation system, high power laser and laser peening method and system using same

    DOEpatents

    Dane, C. Brent; Hackel, Lloyd A.; Harris, Fritz

    2007-11-06

    A system for applying a laser beam to work pieces, includes a laser system producing a high power output beam. Target delivery optics are arranged to deliver the output beam to a target work piece. A relay telescope having a telescope focal point is placed in the beam path between the laser system and the target delivery optics. The relay telescope relays an image between an image location near the output of the laser system and an image location near the target delivery optics. A baffle is placed at the telescope focal point between the target delivery optics and the laser system to block reflections from the target in the target delivery optics from returning to the laser system and causing damage.

  11. The advances and characteristics of high-power diode laser materials processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Lin

    2000-10-01

    This paper presents a review of the direct applications of high-power diode lasers for materials processing including soldering, surface modification (hardening, cladding, glazing and wetting modifications), welding, scribing, sheet metal bending, marking, engraving, paint stripping, powder sintering, synthesis, brazing and machining. The specific advantages and disadvantages of diode laser materials processing are compared with CO 2, Nd:YAG and excimer lasers. An effort is made to identify the fundamental differences in their beam/material interaction characteristics and materials behaviour. Also an appraisal of the future prospects of the high-power diode lasers for materials processing is given.

  12. Thermal and optical modeling of "blackened" tips for diode laser surgery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belikov, Andrey V.; Skrypnik, Alexei V.; Kurnyshev, Vadim Y.

    2016-04-01

    This paper presents the results of thermal and optical modeling of "blackened" tips (fiber-optic thermal converter) with different structures: film and volumetric. Film converter is created by laser radiation action on a cork or paper and it is a one-step process. As a result, a carbonized cork or paper adhered to the distal end of the optical fiber absorbs light that leads to heating of the distal end of the optical fiber. We considered the peculiarities of volumetric converters formed by sintering (second step) of the target material transferred to the tip, at irradiating the target with laser radiation (first step). We investigated the interaction between 980 nm laser radiation and converters in the air and water. As a result of experiments and modeling, it was obtain, that converter temperature and power of converter destruction depend on the environment in which it is placed. We found that film converter in the air at average power of laser radiation of 0.30+/-0.05 W is heated to 900+/-50°C and destructed, and volumetric converter in the air at average power of laser radiation of 1.0+/-0.1 W is heated to 1000+/-50°C and destructed at reaching of 4.0+/-0.1 W only. We found that film converter in the water at average power of laser radiation of 1.0+/-0.1 W is heated to 550+/-50°C and destructed at reaching of 4.0+/-0.1 W only. Volumetric converter at average power of laser radiation of4.0+/-0.1 W is heated to 450+/-50°C and is not destructed up to 7.5+/-0.1 W, it is heated to 500+/-50°C in this case. Thus, volumetric converter is more resistant to action of laser heating.

  13. Power-law scaling of plasma pressure on laser-ablated tin microdroplets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurilovich, Dmitry; Basko, Mikhail M.; Kim, Dmitrii A.; Torretti, Francesco; Schupp, Ruben; Visschers, Jim C.; Scheers, Joris; Hoekstra, Ronnie; Ubachs, Wim; Versolato, Oscar O.

    2018-01-01

    The measurement of the propulsion of metallic microdroplets exposed to nanosecond laser pulses provides an elegant method for probing the ablation pressure in a dense laser-produced plasma. We present the measurements of the propulsion velocity over three decades in the driving Nd:YAG laser pulse energy and observe a near-perfect power law dependence. Simulations performed with the RALEF-2D radiation-hydrodynamic code are shown to be in good agreement with the power law above a specific threshold energy. The simulations highlight the importance of radiative losses which significantly modify the power of the pressure scaling. Having found a good agreement between the experiment and the simulations, we investigate the analytic origins of the obtained power law and conclude that none of the available analytic theories is directly applicable for explaining our power exponent.

  14. High-power diode laser modules from 410 nm to 2200 nm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Köhler, Bernd; Kissel, Heiko; Flament, Marco; Wolf, Paul; Brand, Thomas; Biesenbach, Jens

    2010-02-01

    In this work we report on high-power diode laser modules covering a wide spectral range from 410 nm to 2200 nm. Driven by improvements in the technology of diode laser bars with non-standard wavelengths, such systems are finding a growing number of applications. Fields of application that benefit from these developments are direct medical applications, printing industry, defense technology, polymer welding and pumping of solid-sate lasers. Diode laser bars with standard wavelengths from 800 - 1000 nm are based on InGaAlAs, InGaAlP, GaAsP or InGaAs semiconductor material with an optical power of more than 100 W per bar. For shorter wavelengths from 630 - 690 nm InGaAlP semiconductor material is used with an optical power of about 5 W per bar. Extending the wavelength range beyond 1100 nm is realized by using InGaAs on InP substrates or with InAs quantum dots embedded in GaAs for wavelengths up to 1320 nm and (AlGaIn)(AsSb) for wavelengths up to 2200 nm. In these wavelength ranges the output power per bar is about 6 - 20 W. In this paper we present a detailed characterization of these diode laser bars, including measurements of power, spectral data and life time data. In addition, we will show different fiber coupled modules, ranging from 638 nm with 13 W output power (400 μm fiber, NA 0.22) up to 1940 nm with more than 50 W output power (600 μm fiber NA 0.22).

  15. Mid-IR lasers based on transition metal and rare-earth ion doped crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirov, S.; Fedorov, V.; Martyshkin, D.; Moskalev, I.; Mirov, M.; Vasilyev, S.

    2015-05-01

    We report a novel design of CW Cr2+:ZnS/ZnSe laser systems and demonstrate record output powers of 27.5 W at 2.45 μm and 13.9 W at 2.94 μm with slope efficiencies of 63.7% and 37.4%, respectively. Power scaling of ultra-fast Cr2+:ZnS/ZnSe Kerr mode-locked lasers beyond 2 W level, as well as the shortest pulse duration of 29 fs, are also reported. New development of Fe:ZnSe laser with average output power > 35 W at 4.1 μm output wavelength and 100 Hz pulse repetition rate (PRR) was achieved in a nonselective cavity. With intracavity prim selector, wavelength tunability of 3.88-4.17 μm was obtained with maximum average output power of 23 W. We also report new results on Tm-fiber pumped passively and actively Q-switched Ho:YAG laser systems. High peak power actively Q-switched Ho:YAG laser demonstrates stable operation with pulse energy > 50 mJ, 12 ns pulse duration, and 100-1000 Hz PRR which correspondents to more than 4 MW peak power. The actively Q-switched Ho:YAG laser system optimized for high repetition rate delivers 40 W average output power at 10-100 kHz PRR. The Ho:YAG laser with passive Q-switcher demonstrates constant 5 mJ output energy from 200 Hz to 2.23 kHz PRR with optical slope efficiency with respect to Tm-fiber laser of ~43%.

  16. [Development of a High Power Green Laser Therapeutic Equipment for Hyperplasia of Prostate].

    PubMed

    Liang, Jie; Kang, Hongxiang; Shen, Benjian; Zhao, Lusheng; Wu, Xinshe; Chen, Peng; Chang, Aihong; Guo Hua; Guo, Jiayu

    2015-09-01

    The basic theory of high power green laser equipment for prostate hyperplasia therapy and the components of the system developed are introduced. Considering the requirements of the clinical therapy, the working process of the high power green laser apparatus are designed and the laser with stable output at 120 W is achieved. The controlling hardware and application software are developed, and the safety step is designed. The high power green laser apparatus manufactured with characteristics of stable output, multifunctional and friendly interface provides a choices of prostate hyperplasia therapy for using nationalization instrument.

  17. High-resolution wavefront control of high-power laser systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Brase, J; Brown, C; Carrano, C

    1999-07-08

    Nearly every new large-scale laser system application at LLNL has requirements for beam control which exceed the current level of available technology. For applications such as inertial confinement fusion, laser isotope separation, laser machining, and laser the ability to transport significant power to a target while maintaining good beam quality is critical. There are many ways that laser wavefront quality can be degraded. Thermal effects due to the interaction of high-power laser or pump light with the internal optical components or with the ambient gas are common causes of wavefront degradation. For many years, adaptive optics based on thing deformablemore » glass mirrors with piezoelectric or electrostrictive actuators have be used to remove the low-order wavefront errors from high-power laser systems. These adaptive optics systems have successfully improved laser beam quality, but have also generally revealed additional high-spatial-frequency errors, both because the low-order errors have been reduced and because deformable mirrors have often introduced some high-spatial-frequency components due to manufacturing errors. Many current and emerging laser applications fall into the high-resolution category where there is an increased need for the correction of high spatial frequency aberrations which requires correctors with thousands of degrees of freedom. The largest Deformable Mirrors currently available have less than one thousand degrees of freedom at a cost of approximately $1M. A deformable mirror capable of meeting these high spatial resolution requirements would be cost prohibitive. Therefore a new approach using a different wavefront control technology is needed. One new wavefront control approach is the use of liquid-crystal (LC) spatial light modulator (SLM) technology for the controlling the phase of linearly polarized light. Current LC SLM technology provides high-spatial-resolution wavefront control, with hundreds of thousands of degrees of

  18. Coupling of high power laser diode optical power.

    PubMed

    Landry, M J; Rupert, J W; Mittas, A

    1991-06-20

    This paper describes the characteristics of optical couplers with high power laser diodes as sources. The couplers investigated include gradient-index (GRIN) lenses manufactured by Nippon Sheet Glass, a plano-convex lens, a prism, optical fibers manufactured by Ensign-Bickford and Nippon Sheet Glass, and fiber optic stub manufacture by Spec Tran. The characteristics measured included: (1) GRIN lens transmission of up to 97%, fiber transmission of up to 90%, plano-convex lens transmission of up to 92%; (2) intensity distribution contours and profiles of the beam transmitted through GRIN lenses and optical fibers; (3) the beam dimensions of a collimating system; and (4) the divergence of optical fibers of varying lengths. Spectra Diode Laboratory and McDonnell Astronautics Company/Opto Electronics Center manufactured the laser diodes sources that emitted up to 3.6 W.

  19. Systems and assemblies for transferring high power laser energy through a rotating junction

    DOEpatents

    Norton, Ryan J.; McKay, Ryan P.; Fraze, Jason D.; Rinzler, Charles C.; Grubb, Daryl L.; Faircloth, Brian O.; Zediker, Mark S.

    2016-01-26

    There are provided high power laser devices and systems for transmitting a high power laser beam across a rotating assembly, including optical slip rings and optical rotational coupling assemblies. These devices can transmit the laser beam through the rotation zone in free space or within a fiber.

  20. High-power Q-switched erbium-ytterbium codoped fiber laser using multiwalled carbon nanotubes saturable absorber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ab Razak, Mohd Zulhakimi; Saleh, Zatul Saliza; Ahmad, Fauzan; Anyi, Carol Livan; Harun, Sulaiman W.; Arof, Hamzah

    2016-10-01

    Due to an enormous potential of pulsed lasers in applications such as manufacturing, metrology, environmental sensing, and biomedical diagnostics, a high-power and stable Q-switched erbium-ytterbium codoped double-clad fiber laser (EYDFL) incorporating of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) saturable absorber (SA) made based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with a 3∶2 ratio is demonstrated. The SA was fabricated by mixing a dilute PVA solution with an MWCNTs homogeneous solution. Subsequently, the mixture was sonicated and centrifuged to produce a homogeneous suspension that was left to dry at room temperature to form the MWCNTs-PVA film. The SA was formed by inserting the film between a pair of FC/PC fiber connectors. Then, it was integrated into the EYDFL's ring cavity, which uses a 5-m-long erbium-ytterbium codoped fiber (EYDF). The lasing threshold for the Q-switched EYDFL was at 330 mW. At the maximum available pump power of 900 mW, the proposed EYDFL produced Q-switched pulses with a repetition rate of 74.85 kHz, pulsewidth of ˜3.6 μs, and an average output power of about 5 mW. The maximum energy per pulse of ˜85 nJ was obtained at pump power of ˜700 mW with peak power of 21 mW.

  1. High power operation of cladding pumped holmium-doped silica fibre lasers.

    PubMed

    Hemming, Alexander; Bennetts, Shayne; Simakov, Nikita; Davidson, Alan; Haub, John; Carter, Adrian

    2013-02-25

    We report the highest power operation of a resonantly cladding-pumped, holmium-doped silica fibre laser. The cladding pumped all-glass fibre utilises a fluorine doped glass layer to provide low loss cladding guidance of the 1.95 µm pump radiation. The operation of both single mode and large-mode area fibre lasers was demonstrated, with up to 140 W of output power achieved. A slope efficiency of 59% versus launched pump power was demonstrated. The free running emission was measured to be 2.12-2.15 µm demonstrating the potential of this architecture to address the long wavelength operation of silica based fibre lasers with high efficiency.

  2. Excimer laser annealing for low-voltage power MOSFET

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Yi; Okada, Tatsuya; Noguchi, Takashi; Mazzamuto, Fulvio; Huet, Karim

    2016-08-01

    Excimer laser annealing of lumped beam was performed to form the P-base junction for high-performance low-voltage-power MOSFET. An equivalent shallow-junction structure for the P-base junction with a uniform impurity distribution is realized by adopting excimer laser annealing (ELA). The impurity distribution in the P-base junction can be controlled precisely by the irradiated pulse energy density and the number of shots of excimer laser. High impurity activation for the shallow junction has been confirmed in the melted phase. The application of the laser annealing technology in the fabrication process of a practical low-voltage trench gate MOSFET was also examined.

  3. Development and Application of Laser Peening System for PWR Power Plants

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Masaki Yoda; Itaru Chida; Satoshi Okada

    2006-07-01

    Laser peening is a process to improve residual stress from tensile to compressive in surface layer of materials by irradiating high-power laser pulses on the material in water. Toshiba has developed a laser peening system composed of Q-switched Nd:YAG laser oscillators, laser delivery equipment and underwater remote handling equipment. We have applied the system for Japanese operating BWR power plants as a preventive maintenance measure for stress corrosion cracking (SCC) on reactor internals like core shrouds or control rod drive (CRD) penetrations since 1999. As for PWRs, alloy 600 or 182 can be susceptible to primary water stress corrosion crackingmore » (PWSCC), and some cracks or leakages caused by the PWSCC have been discovered on penetrations of reactor vessel heads (RVHs), reactor bottom-mounted instrumentation (BMI) nozzles, and others. Taking measures to meet the unconformity of the RVH penetrations, RVHs themselves have been replaced in many PWRs. On the other hand, it's too time-consuming and expensive to replace BMI nozzles, therefore, any other convenient and less expensive measures are required instead of the replacement. In Toshiba, we carried out various tests for laser-peened nickel base alloys and confirmed the effectiveness of laser peening as a preventive maintenance measure for PWSCC. We have developed a laser peening system for PWRs as well after the one for BWRs, and applied it for BMI nozzles, core deluge line nozzles and primary water inlet nozzles of Ikata Unit 1 and 2 of Shikoku Electric Power Company since 2004, which are Japanese operating PWR power plants. In this system, laser oscillators and control devices were packed into two containers placed on the operating floor inside the reactor containment vessel. Laser pulses were delivered through twin optical fibers and irradiated on two portions in parallel to reduce operation time. For BMI nozzles, we developed a tiny irradiation head for small tubes and we peened the inner surface

  4. The Beam Characteristics of High Power Diode Laser Stack

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Yuanyuan; Fu, Yueming; Lu, Hui; Cui, Yan

    2018-03-01

    Direct diode lasers have some of the most attractive features of any laser. They are very efficient, compact, wavelength versatile, low cost, and highly reliable. However, the full utilization of direct diode lasers has yet to be realized. However, the poor quality of diode laser beam itself, directly affect its application ranges, in order to better use of diode laser stack, need a proper correction of optical system, which requires accurate understanding of the diode laser beam characteristics. Diode laser could make it possible to establish the practical application because of rectangular beam patterns which are suitable to make fine bead with less power. Therefore diode laser cladding will open a new field of repairing for the damaged machinery parts which must contribute to recycling of the used machines and saving of cost.

  5. Theoretical And Experimental Investigations On The Plasma Of A CO2 High Power Laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abel, W.; Wallter, B.

    1984-03-01

    The CO2 high power laser is increasingly used in material processing. This application of the laser has to meet some requirements: at one hand the laser is a tool free of wastage, but at the other hand is to guarantee that the properties of that tool are constant in time. Therefore power, geometry and mode of the beam have to be stable over long intervalls, even if the laser is used in rough industrial environment. Otherwise laser material processing would not be competitive. The beam quality is affected by all components of the laser - by the CO2 plasma and its IR - amplification, by the resonator which at last generates the beam by optical feedback, and also by the electric power supply whose effects on the plasma may be measured at the laser beam. A transversal flow laser has been developed at the Technical University of Vienna in cooperation with VOest-Alpine AG, Linz (Austria). This laser produces 1 kW of beam power with unfolded resonator. It was subject to investigations presented in this paper.

  6. Satellite Power System (SPS) laser studies. Volume 2: Meteorological effects on laser beam propagation and direct solar pumped lasers for the SPS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beverly, R. E., III

    1980-01-01

    The primary emphasis of this research activity was to investigate the effect of the environment on laser power transmission/reception from space to ground. Potential mitigation techniques to minimize the environment effect by a judicious choice of laser operating parameters was investigated. Using these techniques, the availability of power at selected sites was determined using statistical meteorological data for each site.

  7. High power, high signal-to-noise ratio single-frequency 1μm Brillouin all-fiber laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jing; Hou, Yubin; Zhang, Qian; Jin, Dongchen; Sun, Ruoyu; Shi, Hongxing; Liu, Jiang; Wang, Pu

    2016-03-01

    We demonstrate a high-power, high signal-to-noise ratio single-frequency 1 μm Brillouin all-fiber laser with high slope efficiency. The Brillouin laser system consists of a high-power single-frequency fiber laser and a single-pass Brillouin ring cavity. The high-power single-frequency fiber laser is one-stage master-oscillator power amplifier with the maximum output power of 10.33 W, the signal-to-noise ratio of 50 dB and the slope efficiency of 46%. The Brillouin fiber laser is pumped by the amplified laser with a linewidth of 33 kHz and an output power of 2.61 W limited by the damage threshold of the optical isolator. By optimizing the length of the Brillouin ring cavity to 10 m, stable singlefrequency Brillouin fiber laser is obtained with 3 kHz linewidth owing to the linewidth narrowing effect. At the launched pump power of 2.15 W, the Brillouin fiber laser generates maximum output power of 1.4 W with a slope efficiency of 79% and the optical signal-to-noise ratio of 77 dB.

  8. A NASA high-power space-based laser research and applications program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deyoung, R. J.; Walberg, G. D.; Conway, E. J.; Jones, L. W.

    1983-01-01

    Applications of high power lasers are discussed which might fulfill the needs of NASA missions, and the technology characteristics of laser research programs are outlined. The status of the NASA programs or lasers, laser receivers, and laser propulsion is discussed, and recommendations are presented for a proposed expanded NASA program in these areas. Program elements that are critical are discussed in detail.

  9. FALCON nuclear-reactor-pumped laser program and wireless power transmission

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lipinski, R.J.; Pickard, P.S.

    1992-12-31

    FALCON is a high-power, reactor-pumped laser concept. The major strengths of a reactor-pumped laser are (1) simple, modular construction, (2) long-duration, closed-cycle capability, (3) self-contained power, (4) compact size, and (5) a variety of wavelengths (from visible to infrared). Reactor-pumped lasing has been demonstrated experimentally in various mixtures of xenon, argon, neon, and helium at wavelengths of 585, 703, 725, 1271, 1733, 1792, 2032, 2630, 2650, and 3370 nm with intrinsic efficiency as high as 2.5%. Powers up to 300 W for 2 ms have been demonstrated. Projected beam quality for FALCON is good enough that frequency doubling at reasonablemore » efficiencies could be expected to yield wavelengths at 353, 363, 636, 867, 896, 1016, 1315, 1325, and 1685 nm. Appropriate missions for FALCON are described and include power beaming to satellites, the moon, and unmanned surveillance planes; lunar mapping; space debris removal; and laser propulsion.« less

  10. FALCON nuclear-reactor-pumped laser program and wireless power transmission

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lipinski, R.J.; Pickard, P.S.

    1992-01-01

    FALCON is a high-power, reactor-pumped laser concept. The major strengths of a reactor-pumped laser are (1) simple, modular construction, (2) long-duration, closed-cycle capability, (3) self-contained power, (4) compact size, and (5) a variety of wavelengths (from visible to infrared). Reactor-pumped lasing has been demonstrated experimentally in various mixtures of xenon, argon, neon, and helium at wavelengths of 585, 703, 725, 1271, 1733, 1792, 2032, 2630, 2650, and 3370 nm with intrinsic efficiency as high as 2.5%. Powers up to 300 W for 2 ms have been demonstrated. Projected beam quality for FALCON is good enough that frequency doubling at reasonablemore » efficiencies could be expected to yield wavelengths at 353, 363, 636, 867, 896, 1016, 1315, 1325, and 1685 nm. Appropriate missions for FALCON are described and include power beaming to satellites, the moon, and unmanned surveillance planes; lunar mapping; space debris removal; and laser propulsion.« less

  11. All-fiber linearly polarized high power 2-μm single mode Tm-fiber laser for plastic processing and Ho-laser pumping applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scholle, K.; Schäfer, M.; Lamrini, S.; Wysmolek, M.; Steinke, M.; Neumann, J.; Fuhrberg, P.

    2018-02-01

    In this paper we present a high power, polarized 2 μm Thulium-doped fiber laser with high beam quality. Such laser systems are ideally suited for the processing of plastic materials which are highly transparent in the visible and 1 μm wavelength range and for the pumping of laser sources for the mid-IR wavelength region. For most applications polarized lasers are beneficial, as they can be easily protected from back reflections and combined with other laser sources or power scaled by polarization combining. The Tm-doped fiber laser is pumped in an all-fiber configuration by using a fiber coupled pump diode emitting around 790 nm. This pumping scheme allows the exploitation of the crossrelaxation process to populate the upper laser level. A compact and robust laser configuration was achieved by using an all-fiber configuration with single mode fibers and fiber Bragg gratings (FBG). Different FBG pairs with wavelength around 2 μm were tested. To achieve stable polarized output power the fibers with the FBG were 90° twisted at the splices. Stable linearly polarized output power up to 38 W with an extinction ratio of up to 50:1 was observed. With respect to the diode output power an optical-to-optical efficiency of 51 % was reached with a correspondent slope efficiency of 52 %. The emission linewidth at maximum power was measured to be < 0.3 nm which is well suitable for Ho-laser pumping. First tests of the precise processing of highly transparent plastic materials demonstrate the potentials of these laser systems.

  12. A tunable erbium-doped fiber ring laser with power-equalized output

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yeh, Chien-Hung; Lin, Ming-Ching; Chi, Sien

    2006-12-01

    We propose and demonstrate a tunable erbium-based fiber ring laser with power-equalized output. When a mode-restricting intracavity fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter (FFP-TF) is combined, the proposed resonator can guarantee a tunable laser oscillation. This proposed laser can obtain the flatter lasing wavelength in an effectively operating range of 1533.3 to 1574.6 nm without any other operating mechanism. Moreover, the performances of the output power, wavelength tuning range, and side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) were studied.

  13. Laser power and Scanning Speed Influence on the Mechanical Property of Laser Metal Deposited Titanium-Alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mahamood, Rasheedat M.; Akinlabi, Esther T.; Akinlabi, Stephen

    2015-03-01

    The influence of the laser power and the scanning speed on the microhardness of the Laser Metal Deposited Ti6Al4V, an aerospace Titanium-alloy, was studied. Ti6Al4V powder was deposited on the Ti6Al4V substrate using the Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) process, an Additive Manufacturing (AM) manufacturing technology. The laser power was varied between 1.8 kW 3 kW and the scanning speed was varied between 0.05 m/s and 0.1 m/s. The powder flow rate and the gas flow rate were kept at constant values of 2 g/min and 2 l/min respectively. The full factorial design of experiment was used to design the experiment and to also analyze the results in the Design Expert 9 software environment. The microhardness profiling was studied using Microhardness indenter performed at a load of 500 g and at a dwelling time of 15 s. The distance between indentations was maintained at a distance of 15 μm. The study revealed that as the laser power was increased, the microhardness was found to decrease and as the scanning speed was increased, the microhardness was found to also increase. The results are presented and fully discussed.

  14. Tunable high-power blue external cavity semiconductor laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ding, Ding; Lv, Xueqin; Chen, Xinyi; Wang, Fei; Zhang, Jiangyong; Che, Kaijun

    2017-09-01

    A commercially available high-power GaN-based blue laser diode has been operated in a simple Littrow-type external cavity (EC). Two kinds of EC configurations with the grating lines perpendicular (A configuration) and parallel (B configuration) to the p-n junction are evaluated. Good performance has been demonstrated for the EC laser with B configuration due to the better mode selection effect induced by the narrow feedback wavelength range from the grating. Under an injection current of 1100 mA, the spectral linewidth is narrowed significantly down to ∼0.1 nm from ∼1 nm (the free-running width), with a good wavelength-locking behavior and a higher than 35 dB-amplified spontaneous emission suppression ratio. Moreover, a tuning bandwidth of 3.6 nm from 443.9 nm to 447.5 nm is realized with output power of 1.24 W and EC coupling efficiency of 80% at the central wavelength. The grating-coupled blue EC laser with narrow spectral linewidth, flexible wavelength tunability, and high output power shows potential applications in atom cooling and trapping, high-resolution spectroscopy, second harmonic generation, and high-capacity holographic data storage.

  15. Compact and efficient 2μm Tm:YAP lasers with mechanical or passive Q-switching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cole, Brian; Goldberg, Lew

    2017-02-01

    We describe compact and efficient Q-switched diode-pumped, Tm:YAP lasers operating at 1.94μm. Laser CW and Q-switched performance is compared, using both compact mechanical as well as passive Q-switching. For passive Q-switching using a Cr:ZnS saturable absorber (unsaturated transmission of 95%), the laser produced 0.5mJ pulses with an average power of 4.4W and 6.5kW peak power, and had an optical efficiency of 30%. A resonant mirror mechanical Q-switch resulted in a 4 kHz PRF pulse train, with an optical slope efficiency of 52% and an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 41%. The laser generated 1.5 mJ, 45 ns FWHM, 33kW peak power pulses, and 6.2W of average output. A second mechanically Q-switched laser operating at 10 kHz PRF produced 1mJ, 35kW peak power pulses, generating 11W average power with an optical efficiency of 46%, and a beam quality of 1.4x diffraction limit.

  16. Biomedical effects of low-power laser controlled by electroacupuncture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kalenchits, Nadezhda I.; Nicolaenko, Andrej A.; Shpilevoj, Boris N.

    1997-12-01

    The methods and technical facilities of testing the biomedical effects caused by the influence of low-power laser radiation in the process of laser therapy are presented. Described studies have been conducted by means of the complex of fireware facilities consisting of the system of electroacupuncture diagnostics (EA) and a system of laser therapy on the basis of multichannel laser and magneto-laser devices. The task of laser therapy was concluded in undertaking acupuncture anaesthetization, achievement of antioedemic and dispersional actions, raising tone of musculus and nervous system, normalization of immunity factors under the control of system EA. The 82 percent to 95 percent agreement of the result of an electroacupuncture diagnostics with clinical diagnoses were achieved.

  17. Reduction of time-averaged irradiation speckle nonuniformity in laser-driven plasmas due to target ablation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Epstein, R.

    1997-09-01

    In inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments, irradiation uniformity is improved by passing laser beams through distributed phase plates (DPPs), which produce focused intensity profiles with well-controlled, reproducible envelopes modulated by fine random speckle. [C. B. Burckhardt, Appl. Opt. {bold 9}, 695 (1970); Y. Kato and K. Mima, Appl. Phys. B {bold 29}, 186 (1982); Y. Kato {ital et al.}, Phys. Rev. Lett. {bold 53}, 1057 (1984); Laboratory for Laser Energetics LLE Review 33, NTIS Document No. DOE/DP/40200-65, 1987 (unpublished), p. 1; Laboratory for Laser Energetics LLE Review 63, NTIS Document No. DOE/SF/19460-91, 1995 (unpublished), p. 1.] A uniformly ablating plasmamore » atmosphere acts to reduce the contribution of the speckle to the time-averaged irradiation nonuniformity by causing the intensity distribution to move relative to the absorption layer of the plasma. This occurs most directly as the absorption layer in the plasma moves with the ablation-driven flow, but it is shown that the effect of the accumulating ablated plasma on the phase of the laser light also makes a quantitatively significant contribution. Analytical results are obtained using the paraxial approximation applied to the beam propagation, and a simple statistical model is assumed for the properties of DPPs. The reduction in the time-averaged spatial spectrum of the speckle due to these effects is shown to be quantitatively significant within time intervals characteristic of atmospheric hydrodynamics under typical ICF irradiation intensities. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

  18. A Compound Algorithm for Maximum Power Point Tracking Used in Laser Power Beaming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Cheng; Liu, Qiang; Gao, Shan; Teng, Yun; Cheng, Lin; Yu, Chengtao; Peng, Kai

    2018-03-01

    With the high voltage intelligent substation developing in a pretty high speed, more and more artificial intelligent techniques have been incorporated into the power devices to meet the automation needs. For the sake of the line maintenance staff’s safety, the high voltage isolating switch draws great attention among the most important power devices because of its capability of connecting and disconnecting the high voltage circuit. However, due to the very high level voltage of the high voltage isolating switch’s working environment, the power supply system of the surveillance devices could suffer from great electromagnetic interference. Laser power beaming exhibits its merits in such situation because it can provide steady power from a distance despite the day or the night. Then the energy conversion efficiency arises as a new concern. To make as much use of the laser power as possible, our work mainly focuses on extracting maximum power from the photovoltaic (PV) panel. In this paper, we proposed a neural network based algorithm which relates both the intrinsic and the extrinsic features of the PV panel to the proportion of the voltage at the maximum power point (MPP) to the open circuit voltage of the PV panel. Simulations and experiments were carried out to verify the validness of our algorithm.

  19. Novel High Power Type-I Quantum Well Cascade Diode Lasers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-08-30

    Novel High Power Type-I Quantum Well Cascade Diode Lasers The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the author(s...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 12. DISTRIBUTION AVAILIBILITY STATEMENT 6... High Power Type-I Quantum Well Cascade Diode Lasers Report Term: 0-Other Email: leon.shterengas@stonybrook.edu Distribution Statement: 1-Approved

  20. Detection of errant laser beams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, Arthur F. D. S.; Edwards, Stanley A.; Barrett, J. A.; Bandle, Anthony M.

    1990-10-01

    The new generation of automated laser machine tools poses problems for those responsible for setting safety standards. While traditional safeguarding will frustrate full exploitation of this hybrid technology, wholesale abandonment of effective containment in favour of safety monitoring and control systems is unlikely to be acceptable. Long term, quantitative risk assessment will resolve this dilemma. Short term, guide lines will have to be derived from practical considerations of the laser facility design, materials, primary safety devices and procedures. Earlier risk assessments are reviewed relative to the emerging perspective of high average power laser installations. Aspects of extended beam delivery systems and equipment utilization and maintenance are examined to assess possible interaction with operational safety and in particular the potential to adversely influence errant laser beam occurrances (ELBO). To satisfy international safety standards for a laser enclosure which offers flexibility and is cost effective a detection system is described which continuously surveys the inside of the enclosure. Extensive trials have been carried out with high average power lasers (up to 10kW) where a range of engineering materials has been exposed to a laser beam. It is shown that the ratio of detection and shut down time to the burn through time can be an acceptable risk and thus indicate which materials will prove adequate.

  1. Characterization of diode-laser stacks for high-energy-class solid state lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pilar, Jan; Sikocinski, Pawel; Pranowicz, Alina; Divoky, Martin; Crump, P.; Staske, R.; Lucianetti, Antonio; Mocek, Tomas

    2014-03-01

    In this work, we present a comparative study of high power diode stacks produced by world's leading manufacturers such as DILAS, Jenoptik, and Quantel. The diode-laser stacks are characterized by central wavelength around 939 nm, duty cycle of 1 %, and maximum repetition rate of 10 Hz. The characterization includes peak power, electrical-to-optical efficiency, central wavelength and full width at half maximum (FWHM) as a function of diode current and cooling temperature. A cross-check of measurements performed at HiLASE-IoP and Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH) shows very good agreement between the results. Our study reveals also the presence of discontinuities in the spectra of two diode stacks. We consider the results presented here a valuable tool to optimize pump sources for ultra-high average power lasers, including laser fusion facilities.

  2. Advancements of ultra-high peak power laser diode arrays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crawford, D.; Thiagarajan, P.; Goings, J.; Caliva, B.; Smith, S.; Walker, R.

    2018-02-01

    Enhancements of laser diode epitaxy in conjunction with process and packaging improvements have led to the availability of 1cm bars capable of over 500W peak power at near-infrared wavelengths (770nm to 1100nm). Advances in cooler design allow for multi-bar stacks with bar-to-bar pitches as low as 350μm and a scalable package architecture enabled a single diode assembly with total peak powers of over 1MegaWatt of peak power. With the addition of micro-optics, overall array brightness greater than 10kW/cm2 was achieved. Performance metrics of barbased diode lasers specifically engineered for high peak power and high brightness at wavelengths and pulse conditions commonly used to pump a variety of fiber and solid-state materials are presented.

  3. Power degradation and reliability study of high-power laser bars at quasi-CW operation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Haoyu; Fan, Yong; Liu, Hui; Wang, Jingwei; Zah, Chungen; Liu, Xingsheng

    2017-02-01

    The solid state laser relies on the laser diode (LD) pumping array. Typically for high peak power quasi-CW (QCW) operation, both energy output per pulse and long term reliability are critical. With the improved bonding technique, specially Indium-free bonded diode laser bars, most of the device failures were caused by failure within laser diode itself (wearout failure), which are induced from dark line defect (DLD), bulk failure, point defect generation, facet mirror damage and etc. Measuring the reliability of LD under QCW condition will take a rather long time. Alternatively, an accelerating model could be a quicker way to estimate the LD life time under QCW operation. In this report, diode laser bars were mounted on micro channel cooler (MCC) and operated under QCW condition with different current densities and junction temperature (Tj ). The junction temperature is varied by modulating pulse width and repetition frequency. The major concern here is the power degradation due to the facet failure. Reliability models of QCW and its corresponding failures are studied. In conclusion, QCW accelerated life-time model is discussed, with a few variable parameters. The model is compared with CW model to find their relationship.

  4. High-power AlGaAs channeled substrate planar diode lasers for spaceborne communications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Connolly, J. C.; Goldstein, B.; Pultz, G. N.; Slavin, S. E.; Carlin, D. B.; Ettenberg, M.

    1988-01-01

    A high power channeled substrate planar AlGaAs diode laser with an emission wavelength of 8600 to 8800 A was developed. The optoelectronic behavior (power current, single spatial and spectral behavior, far field characteristics, modulation, and astigmatism properties) and results of computer modeling studies on the performance of the laser are discussed. Lifetest data on these devices at high output power levels is also included. In addition, a new type of channeled substrate planar laser utilizing a Bragg grating to stabilize the longitudinal mode was demonstrated. The fabrication procedures and optoelectronic properties of this new diode laser are described.

  5. 300-mW narrow-linewidth deep-ultraviolet light generation at 193 nm by frequency mixing between Yb-hybrid and Er-fiber lasers.

    PubMed

    Xuan, Hongwen; Zhao, Zhigang; Igarashi, Hironori; Ito, Shinji; Kakizaki, Kouji; Kobayashi, Yohei

    2015-04-20

    A narrow-linewidth, high average power deep-ultraviolet (DUV) coherent laser emitting at 193 nm is demonstrated by frequency mixing a Yb-hybrid laser with an Er-fiber laser. The Yb-hybrid laser consists of Yb-fiber lasers and an Yb:YAG amplifier. The average output power of the 193 nm laser is 310 mW at 6 kHz, which corresponds to a pulse energy of 51 μJ. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average power and pulse energy ever reported for a narrow-linewidth 193 nm light generated by a combination of solid-state and fiber lasers with frequency mixing. We believe this laser will be beneficial for the application of interference lithography by seeding an injection-locking ArF eximer laser.

  6. Effect of low power laser irradiation on macrophage phagocytic capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Cuixia; Song, Sheng; Tang, Yu; Zhou, Feifan

    2011-03-01

    Phagocytosis and subsequent degradation of pathogens by macrophages play a pivotal role in host innate immunity in mammals. Laser irradiation has been found to produce photobiological effects with evidence of interference with immunological functions. However, the effects of laser on the immune response have not been extensively characterized. In this study, we focused our attention on the effects of He-Ne laser on the phagocytic activity of macrophages by using flow cytometry (FCM). After irradiating at fluence of 0, 1, 2 J/cm2 with He-Ne laser (632.8 nm, 3mw), the cells were incubated with microsphere and then subjected to FACS analysis. The results showed that Low-power laser irradiation (LPLI) leads to an increase in phagocytosis on both mouse peritoneal macrophages and the murine macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7. In addition, we demonstrated that LPLI increased phagocytosis of microsphere in a dose-dependent manner, reaching a maximum at fluence of 2 J/cm2. Taken together, our results indicated that Low-power laser irradiation with appropriate dosage can enhance the phagocytosis of macrophage, and provided a theoretical base for the clinical use of the He-Ne laser.

  7. Monocrystalline CVD-diamond optics for high-power laser applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Holly, C.; Traub, M.; Hoffmann, D.; Widmann, C.; Brink, D.; Nebel, C.; Gotthardt, T.; Sözbir, M. C.; Wenzel, C.

    2016-03-01

    The potential of diamond as an optical material for high-power laser applications in the wavelength regime from the visible spectrum (VIS) to the near infrared (NIR) is investigated. Single-crystal diamonds with lateral dimensions up to 7×7mm2 are grown with microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition (MPACVD) in parallel with up to 60 substrates and are further processed to spherical optics for beam guidance and shaping. The synthetic diamonds offer superior thermal, mechanical and optical properties, including low birefringence, scattering and absorption, also around 1 μm wavelength. We present dielectric (AR and HR) coated single-crystal diamond optics which are tested under high laser power in the multi-kW regime. The thermally induced focal shift of the diamond substrates is compared to the focal shift of a standard collimating and focusing unit for laser cutting made of fused silica optics. Due to the high thermal conductivity and low absorption of the diamond substrates compared to the fused silica optics no additional focal shift caused by a thermally induced refractive index change in the diamond is observed in our experiments. We present experimental results regarding the performance of the diamond substrates with and without dielectric coatings under high power and the influences of growth induced birefringence on the optical quality. Finally, we discuss the potential of the presented diamond lenses for high-power applications in the field of laser materials processing.

  8. High-Power Broad-Area Diode Lasers and Laser Bars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erbert, Goetz; Baerwolff, Arthur; Sebastian, Juergen; Tomm, Jens

    This review presents the basic ideas and some examples of the chip technology of high-power diode lasers ( λ= 650,-1060,) in connection with the achievements of mounted single-stripe emitters in recent years.In the first section the optimization of the epitaxial layer structure for a low facet load and high conversion efficiency is discussed. The so-called broadened waveguide Large Optical Cavity (LOC) concept is described and also some advantages and disadvantages of Al-free material. The next section deals with the processing steps of epitaxial wafers to make single emitters and bars. Several possibilities to realize contact windows (implantation, insulators, and wet chemical oxidation) and laser mirrors are presented. The impact of heating in the CW regime and some aspects of reliability are the following topics. The calculation of thermal distributions in diode lasers, which shows the need for sophisticated mounting, will be given. In the last part the current state-of-the-art of single-stripe emitters will be reviewed.

  9. Low power laser trigger switching of a solid insulated spark gap.

    PubMed

    Guenther, A H; Copeland, R P; Bettis, J R

    1979-11-01

    The feasibility of reliably triggering solid dielectric insulated spark gaps by low power ( approximately 6 MW) lasers has been demonstrated. Breakdown of 10-mil Lexan dielectric sheets stressed to 70 kV was initiated by a focused 6 MW, Nd in YAG laser emitting 40 mJ in a pulse 6 ns wide at the half-peak intensity height. Delays achieved were in the tens of ns. Slight increases in laser power or electrical stress should produce shorter delays (<10 ns) and subnanosecond jitter.

  10. High-power arrays of quantum cascade laser master-oscillator power-amplifiers.

    PubMed

    Rauter, Patrick; Menzel, Stefan; Goyal, Anish K; Wang, Christine A; Sanchez, Antonio; Turner, George; Capasso, Federico

    2013-02-25

    We report on multi-wavelength arrays of master-oscillator power-amplifier quantum cascade lasers operating at wavelengths between 9.2 and 9.8 μm. All elements of the high-performance array feature longitudinal (spectral) as well as transverse single-mode emission at peak powers between 2.7 and 10 W at room temperature. The performance of two arrays that are based on different seed-section designs is thoroughly studied and compared. High output power and excellent beam quality render the arrays highly suitable for stand-off spectroscopy applications.

  11. Synthetic laser medium

    DOEpatents

    Stokowski, S.E.

    1987-10-20

    A laser medium is particularly useful in high average power solid state lasers. The laser medium includes a chromium dopant and preferably neodymium ions as codopant, and is primarily a gadolinium scandium gallium garnet, or an analog thereof. Divalent cations inhibit spiral morphology as large boules from which the laser medium is derived are grown, and a source of ions convertible between a trivalent state and a tetravalent state at a low ionization energy are in the laser medium to reduce an absorption coefficient at about one micron wavelength otherwise caused by the divalent cations. These divalent cations and convertible ions are dispersed in the laser medium. Preferred convertible ions are provided from titanium or cerium sources.

  12. Synthetic laser medium

    DOEpatents

    Stokowski, Stanley E.

    1989-01-01

    A laser medium is particularly useful in high average power solid state lasers. The laser medium includes a chormium dopant and preferably neodymium ions as codopant, and is primarily a gadolinium scandium gallium garnet, or an analog thereof. Divalent cations inhibit spiral morphology as large boules from which the laser medium is derived are grown, and a source of ions convertible between a trivalent state and a tetravalent state at a low ionization energy are in the laser medium to reduce an absorption coefficient at about one micron wavelength otherwise caused by the divalent cations. These divalent cations and convertible ions are dispersed in the laser medium. Preferred convertible ions are provided from titanium or cerium sources.

  13. Review on recent research progress on laser power measurement based on light pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lai, WenChang; Zhou, Pu

    2018-03-01

    Accurate measuring the laser power is one of the most important issue to evaluate the performance of high power laser. For the time being, most of the demonstrated technique could be attributed to direct measuring route. Indirect measuring laser power based on light pressure, which has been under intensive investigation, has the advantages such as fast response, real-time measuring and high accuracy, compared with direct measuring route. In this paper, we will review several non-traditional methods based on light pressure to precisely measure the laser power proposed recently. The system setup, measuring principle and scaling methods would be introduced and analyzed in detail. We also compare the benefit and the drawback of these methods and analyze the uncertainties of the measurements.

  14. Thrust Generation with Low-Power Continuous-Wave Laser and Aluminum Foil Interaction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Horisawa, Hideyuki; Sumida, Sota; Funaki, Ikkoh

    2010-05-06

    The micro-newton thrust generation was observed through low-power continuous-wave laser and aluminum foil interaction without any remarkable ablation of the target surface. To evaluate the thrust characteristics, a torsion-balance thrust stand capable for the measurement of the thrust level down to micro-Newton ranges was developed. In the case of an aluminum foil target with 12.5 micrometer thickness, the maximum thrust level was 15 micro-newtons when the laser power was 20 W, or about 0.75 N/MW. It was also found that the laser intensity, or laser power per unit area, irradiated on the target was significantly important on the control ofmore » the thrust even under the low-intensity level.« less

  15. Phase-locked, high power, mid-infrared quantum cascade laser arrays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, W.; Slivken, S.; Razeghi, M.

    2018-04-01

    We demonstrate phase-locked, high power quantum cascade laser arrays, which are combined using a monolithic, tree array multimode interferometer, with emission wavelengths around 4.8 μm. A maximum output power of 15 W was achieved from an eight-element laser array, which has only a slightly higher threshold current density and a similar slope efficiency compared to a Fabry-Perot laser of the same length. Calculated multimode interferometer splitting loss is on the order of 0.27 dB for the in-phase supermode. In-phase supermode operation with nearly ideal behavior is demonstrated over the working current range of the array.

  16. Fiber optic cables for transmission of high-power laser pulses in spaceflight applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomes, W. J.; Ott, M. N.; Chuska, R. F.; Switzer, R. C.; Blair, D. E.

    2017-11-01

    Lasers with high peak power pulses are commonly used in spaceflight missions for a wide range of applications, from LIDAR systems to optical communications. Due to the high optical power needed, the laser has to be located on the exterior of the satellite or coupled through a series of free space optics. This presents challenges for thermal management, radiation resistance, and mechanical design. Future applications will require multiple lasers located close together, which further complicates the design. Coupling the laser energy into a fiber optic cable allows the laser to be relocated to a more favorable position on the spacecraft. Typical fiber optic termination procedures are not sufficient for injection of these high-power laser pulses without catastrophic damage to the fiber endface. In the current study, we will review the causes of fiber damage during high-power injection and discuss our new manufacturing procedures that overcome these issues to permit fiber use with high reliability in these applications. We will also discuss the proper methods for launching the laser pulses into the fiber to avoid damage and how this is being implemented for current spaceflight missions.

  17. Fiber Optic Cables for Transmission of High-Power Laser Pulses in Spaceflight Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomes, W. J., Jr.; Ott, M. N.; Chuska, R. F.; Switzer, R. C.; Blair, D. E.

    2010-01-01

    Lasers with high peak power pulses are commonly used in spaceflight missions for a wide range of applications, from LIDAR systems to optical communications. Due to the high optical power needed, the laser has to be located on the exterior of the satellite or coupled through a series of free space optics. This presents challenges for thermal management, radiation resistance, and mechanical design. Future applications will require multiple lasers located close together, which further complicates the design. Coupling the laser energy into a fiber optic cable allows the laser to be relocated to a more favorable position on the spacecraft. Typical fiber optic termination procedures are not sufficient for injection of these high-power laser pulses without catastrophic damage to the fiber endface. In the current study, we will review the causes of fiber damage during high-power injection and discuss our new manufacturing procedures that overcome these issues to permit fiber use with high reliability in these applications. We will also discuss the proper methods for launching the laser pulses into the fiber to avoid damage and how this is being implemented for current spaceflight missions.

  18. Green high-power tunable external-cavity GaN diode laser at 515  nm.

    PubMed

    Chi, Mingjun; Jensen, Ole Bjarlin; Petersen, Paul Michael

    2016-09-15

    A 480 mW green tunable diode laser system is demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge. The laser system is based on a GaN broad-area diode laser and Littrow external-cavity feedback. The green laser system is operated in two modes by switching the polarization direction of the laser beam incident on the grating. When the laser beam is p-polarized, an output power of 50 mW with a tunable range of 9.2 nm is achieved. When the laser beam is s-polarized, an output power of 480 mW with a tunable range of 2.1 nm is obtained. This constitutes the highest output power from a tunable green diode laser system.

  19. High-power noise-like pulse generation using a 1.56-µm all-fiber laser system.

    PubMed

    Lin, Shih-Shian; Hwang, Sheng-Kwang; Liu, Jia-Ming

    2015-07-13

    We demonstrated an all-fiber, high-power noise-like pulse laser system at the 1.56-µm wavelength. A low-power noise-like pulse train generated by a ring oscillator was amplified using a two-stage amplifier, where the performance of the second-stage amplifier determined the final output power level. The optical intensity in the second-stage amplifier was managed well to avoid not only the excessive spectral broadening induced by nonlinearities but also any damage to the device. On the other hand, the power conversion efficiency of the amplifier was optimized through proper control of its pump wavelength. The pump wavelength determines the pump absorption and therefore the power conversion efficiency of the gain fiber. Through this approach, the average power of the noise-like pulse train was amplified considerably to an output of 13.1 W, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 36.1% and a pulse energy of 0.85 µJ. To the best of our knowledge, these amplified pulses have the highest average power and pulse energy for noise-like pulses in the 1.56-µm wavelength region. As a result, the net gain in the cascaded amplifier reached 30 dB. With peak and pedestal widths of 168 fs and 61.3 ps, respectively, for the amplified pulses, the pedestal-to-peak intensity ratio of the autocorrelation trace remains at the value of 0.5 required for truly noise-like pulses.

  20. Development of deep-ultraviolet metal vapor lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sabotinov, Nikola V.

    2004-06-01

    Deep ultraviolet laser generation is of great interest in connection with both the development of new industrial technologies and applications in medicine, biology, chemistry, etc. The development of metal vapor UV lasers oscillating in the pulsed mode with high pulse repetition frequencies and producing high average output powers is of particular interest for microprocessing of polymers, photolithography and fluorescence applications. At present, metal vapor lasers generate deep-UV radiation on the base of two methods. The first method is non-linear conversion of powerful laser generation from the visible region into the deep ultraviolet region. The second method is direct UV laser action on ion and atomic transitions of different metals.

  1. High Power Laser Diode Array Qualification and Guidelines for Space Flight Environments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Eegholm, Niels; Ott, Melanie; Stephen, Mark; Leidecker, Henning

    2005-01-01

    Semiconductor laser diodes emit coherent light by simulated emission generated inside the cavity formed by the cleaved end facets of a slab of semiconductor that is typically less than a millimeter in any dimension for single emitters. The diode is pumped by current injection in the p-n junction through the metallic contacts. Laser diodes emitting in the range of 0.8 micron to 1.06 micron have a wide variety of applications from pumping erbium doped fiber amplifiers, dual-clad fiber lasers, solid-state lasers used in telecom, aerospace, military, medical purposes and all the way to CD players, laser printers and other consumer and industrial products. Laser diode bars have many single emitters side by side and spaced approximately .5 mm on a single slab of semiconductor material approximately .5 mm x 10 mm. The individual emitters are connected in parallel maintaining the voltage at -2V but increasing the current to 50-100A/bar. Stacking these laser diode bars in multiple layers, 2 to 20+ high, yields high power laser diode arrays capable of emitting several hundreds of Watts. Electrically the bars are wired in series increasing the voltage by 2V/bar but maintaining the total current at 50-100A. These arrays are one of the enabling technologies for efficient, high power solid-state lasers. Traditionally these arrays are operated in QCW (Quasi CW) mode with pulse widths 10-200 (mu)s and with repetition rates of 10-200Hz. In QCW mode the wavelength and the output power of the laser reaches steady-state but the temperature does not. The advantage is a substantially higher output power than in CW mode, where the output power would be limited by the internal heating and hence the thermal and heat sinking properties of the device. The down side is a much higher thermal induced mechanical stress caused by the constant heating and cooling cycle inherent to the QCW mode.

  2. Combinatorial pulse position modulation for power-efficient free-space laser communications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Budinger, James M.; Vanderaar, M.; Wagner, P.; Bibyk, Steven

    1993-01-01

    A new modulation technique called combinatorial pulse position modulation (CPPM) is presented as a power-efficient alternative to quaternary pulse position modulation (QPPM) for direct-detection, free-space laser communications. The special case of 16C4PPM is compared to QPPM in terms of data throughput and bit error rate (BER) performance for similar laser power and pulse duty cycle requirements. The increased throughput from CPPM enables the use of forward error corrective (FEC) encoding for a net decrease in the amount of laser power required for a given data throughput compared to uncoded QPPM. A specific, practical case of coded CPPM is shown to reduce the amount of power required to transmit and receive a given data sequence by at least 4.7 dB. Hardware techniques for maximum likelihood detection and symbol timing recovery are presented.

  3. Diamond Raman laser emitting at 1194, 1419, and 597 nm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pashinin, V. P.; Ralchenko, V. G.; Bolshakov, A. P.; Ashkinazi, E. E.; Konov, V. I.

    2018-03-01

    A Raman laser based on a synthetic diamond crystal pumped by nanosecond pulses of a 1030-nm Yb : YAG laser and emitting in the IR region at the first and second Stokes wavelengths of 1194 and 1419 nm, respectively, was developed. The conversion efficiency was 34% with a slope efficiency of 50% and an average power of 1.1 W at a wavelength of 1194 nm; the average power at 1419 nm was 0.52 W. Frequency doubling of the first Stokes component in a nonlinear BBO crystal resulted in orange (597.3 nm) radiation with a pulse energy of 0.15 mJ, an average power of 0.22 W, and a maximum efficiency of 20%.

  4. Thermoelectronic laser energy conversion for power transmission in space

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Britt, E. J.; Yuen, C.

    1977-01-01

    Long distance transmission of power in space by means of laser beams is an attractive concept because of the very narrow beam divergence. Such a system requires efficient means to both generate the laser beam and to convert the light energy in the beam into useful electric output at the receiver. A plasma-type device known as a Thermo-Electronic Laser Energy Converter (TELEC) has been studied as a method of converting a 10.6 micron CO2 laser beam into electric power. In the TELEC process, electromagnetic radiation is absorbed directly in the plasma electrons producing a high electron temperature. The energetic electrons diffuse out of the plasma striking two electrodes with different areas. Since more electrons are collected by the larger electrode there is a net transport of current, and an EMF is generated in the external circuit. The smaller electrode functions as an electron emitter to provide continuity of the current. Waste heat is rejected from the large electrode. A design for a TELEC system with an input 1 MW laser beam was developed as part of the study. The calculated performance of the system showed an overall efficiency of about 42%.

  5. High-power diode laser versus electrocautery surgery on human papillomavirus lesion treatment.

    PubMed

    Baeder, Fernando Martins; Santos, Maria Teresa Botti R; Pelino, Jose Eduardo Pelizon; Duarte, Danilo Antonio; Genovese, Walter Joao

    2012-05-01

    The use of high-power lasers has facilitated and improved human papillomavirus (HPV) treatment protocols and has also become very popular in recent years. This application has been more frequently used in hospitals, especially in gynecology. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-power diode laser to remove oral lesions caused by HPV and the consequent effects on virus load following the wound tissue healing process compared with one of the most conventional surgical techniques involving electrocautery. Surgeries were performed on 5 patients who had 2 distinct lesions caused by HPV. All patients were submitted to both electrocautery and high-power diode laser. Following a 20-day period, when the area was healed, sample material was collected through curettage for virus load quantitative analysis.Observation verified the presence of virus in all the samples; however, surgeries performed with the laser also revealed a significant reduction in virus load per cell compared with those performed with electrocautery. The ease when handling the diode laser, because of the flexibility of its fibers and precision of its energy delivery system, provides high-accuracy surgery, which facilitates the treatment of large and/or multifocal lesions. The use of high-power diode laser is more effective in treatment protocols of lesions caused by HPV.

  6. Diode laser treatment for osteal and osteoarticular panaritium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Privalov, Valery A.; Krochek, Ivan V.; Lappa, Alexander V.; Poltavsky, Andrew N.; Antonov, Andrew A.

    2005-08-01

    Laser osteoperforation method, initially developed for treatment of osteomyelitis, was successfully applied to 66 patients with osteal and osteoarticular panaritium. The procedure consisted in perforation of the affected phalanx with diode laser radiation (wavelength 970nm; average power 10-12W; pulse mode 100/50 ms), delivered through quartz monofiber. Additional laser induced thermotherapy (power 2-3W; continuous mode) was fulfilled for persistent fistulas. In comparison with conventional surgery, laser osteoperforation provided faster pain relieve, edema dissipation, wound and fistula closure; good functional results; decreasing of disability cases number.

  7. High-power diode-side-pumped rod Tm:YAG laser at 2.07 μm.

    PubMed

    Wang, Caili; Niu, Yanxiong; Du, Shifeng; Zhang, Chao; Wang, Zhichao; Li, Fangqin; Xu, Jialin; Bo, Yong; Peng, Qinjun; Cui, Dafu; Zhang, Jingyuan; Xu, Zuyan

    2013-11-01

    We report a high-power diode-laser (LD) side-pumped rod Tm:YAG laser of around 2 μm. The laser was water-cooled at 8°C and yielded a maximum output power of 267 W at 2.07 μm, which is the highest output power for an all solid-state cw 2.07 μm rod Tm:YAG laser reported as far as we know. The corresponding optical-optical conversion efficiency was 20.7%, and the slope efficiency was about 29.8%, respectively.

  8. Influence of laser power on microstructure and mechanical properties of laser welded-brazed Mg to Ni coated Ti alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Caiwang; Lu, Qingshuang; Chen, Bo; Song, Xiaoguo; Li, Liqun; Feng, Jicai; Wang, Yang

    2017-03-01

    AZ31B Magnesium (Mg) and Ti-6Al-4V titanium (Ti) alloys with Ni coating were joined by laser welding-brazing process using AZ92 Mg based filler. The influence of laser power on microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. Ni coating was found to significantly promote good wetting-spreading ability of molten filler on the Ti sheet. Acceptable joints without obvious defects were obtained within a relatively wide processing window. In the process metallurgical bonding was achieved by the formation of Ti3Al phase at direct irradiation zone and Al-Ni phase followed by a layer of Mg-Al-Ni ternary compound adjacent to the fusion zone at the intermediate zone. The thickness of reaction layers increased slowly with the increasing laser power. The tensile-shear test indicated that joints produced at the laser power of 1300 W reached 2387 N fracture load, representing 88.5% joint efficiency with respect to the Mg base metal. The corresponding failure occurred in the fusion zone of the Mg base metal, while joints fractured at the interface at lower/higher laser power due to the crack or excessive intermetallic compound (IMC) formation along the interface.

  9. Development of a High Average Current Thermionic Injector for Free-Electron Lasers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-02-11

    high   average   power   FEL   should   produce   high ...The  cathode  heater   is   powered  by  a  60  Hz  AC   feed  that  floats  on  the   high  voltage  pulse... high -­‐voltage   power  supply  for  the  IOT  gun  is  a  70  kV  Rockwell  hard  tube   modulator   with  

  10. Method and apparatus for delivering high power laser energy over long distances

    DOEpatents

    Zediker, Mark S; Rinzler, Charles C; Faircloth, Brian O; Koblick, Yeshaya; Moxley, Joel F

    2013-08-20

    Systems, devices and methods for the transmission of 1 kW or more of laser energy deep into the earth and for the suppression of associated nonlinear phenomena. Systems, devices and methods for the laser drilling of a borehole in the earth. These systems can deliver high power laser energy down a deep borehole, while maintaining the high power to advance such boreholes deep into the earth and at highly efficient advancement rates.

  11. High-power 0.87-micron channel substrate planar lasers for spaceborne communications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Connolly, J. C.; Stewart, T. R.; Gilbert, D. B.; Slavin, S. E.; Carlin, D. B.

    1988-01-01

    High-power single-mode channeled-substrate planar AlGaAs diode lasers are being developed for reliable high-power operation for use as sources in spaceborne optical communication systems. The CSP laser structure has been optimized for operation at an emission wavelength of 870 nm. Such devices have exhibited output powers in excess of 80 mW CW at an operating temperature of 80 C.

  12. Transmission media appropriate laser-microwave solar power satellite system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schäfer, C. A.; Gray, D.

    2012-10-01

    As a solution to the most critical problems with Solar power Satellite (SPS) development, a system is proposed which uses laser power transmission in space to a receiver high in the atmosphere that relays the power to Earth by either cable or microwave power transmission. It has been shown in the past that such hybrid systems have the advantages of a reduction in the mass of equipment required in geostationary orbit and avoidance of radio frequency interference with other satellites and terrestrial communications systems. The advantage over a purely laser power beam SPS is that atmospheric absorption is avoided and outages due to clouds and precipitation will not occur, allowing for deployment in the equatorial zone and guaranteeing year round operation. This proposal is supported by brief literature surveys and theoretical calculations to estimate crucial parameters in this paper. In relation to this concept, we build on a recently proposed method to collect solar energy by a tethered balloon at high altitude because it enables a low-cost start for bringing the first Watt of power to Earth giving some quick return on investment, which is desperately missing in the traditional SPS concept. To tackle the significant problem of GW-class SPSs of high launch cost per kg mass brought to space, this paper introduces a concept which aims to achieve a superior power over mass ratio compared to traditional satellite designs by the use of thin-film solar cells combined with optical fibres for power delivery. To minimise the aperture sizes and cost of the transmitting and receiving components of the satellite and high altitude receiver, closed-loop laser beam pointing and target tracking is crucial for pointing a laser beam onto a target area that is of similar size to the beam's diameter. A recently developed technique based on optical phase conjugation is introduced and its applicability for maintaining power transmission between the satellite and high altitude receiver is

  13. High-power quantum-dot tapered tunable external-cavity lasers based on chirped and unchirped structures.

    PubMed

    Haggett, Stephanie; Krakowski, Michel; Montrosset, Ivo; Cataluna, Maria Ana

    2014-09-22

    A high-power tunable external cavity laser configuration with a tapered quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier at its core is presented, enabling a record output power for a broadly tunable semiconductor laser source in the 1.2 - 1.3 µm spectral region. Two distinct optical amplifiers are investigated, using either chirped or unchirped quantum-dot structures, and their merits are compared, considering the combination of tunability and high output power generation. At 1230 nm, the chirped quantum-dot laser achieved a maximum power of 0.62 W and demonstrated nearly 100-nm tunability. The unchirped laser enabled a tunability range of 32 nm and at 1254 nm generated a maximum power of 0.97 W, representing a 22-fold increase in output power compared with similar narrow-ridge external-cavity lasers at the same current density.

  14. Analysis of laser jamming to satellite-based detector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Si-wen; Guo, Li-hong; Guo, Ru-hai

    2009-07-01

    The reconnaissance satellite, communication satellite and navigation satellite used in the military applications have played more and more important role in the advanced technique wars and already become the significant support and aid system for military actions. With the development of all kinds of satellites, anti-satellite laser weapons emerge as the times require. The experiments and analyses of laser disturbing CCD (charge coupled detector) in near ground have been studied by many research groups, but their results are not suitable to the case that using laser disturbs the satellite-based detector. Because the distance between the satellite-based detector and the ground is very large, it is difficult to damage it directly. However the optical receive system of satellite detector has large optical gain, so laser disturbing satellite detector is possible. In order to determine its feasibility, the theoretical analyses and experimental study are carried out in the paper. Firstly, the influence factors of laser disturbing satellite detector are analyzed in detail, which including laser power density on the surface of the detector after long distance transmission, and laser power density threshold for disturbing etc. These factors are not only induced by the satellite orbit, but dependence on the following parameters: laser average power in the ground, laser beam quality, tracing and aiming precision and atmospheric transmission. A calculation model is developed by considering all factors which then the power density entering into the detector can be calculated. Secondly, the laser disturbing experiment is performed by using LD (laser diode) with the wavelength 808 nm disturbing CCD 5 kilometer away, which the disturbing threshold value is obtained as 3.55×10-4mW/cm2 that coincides with other researcher's results. Finally, using the theoretical model, the energy density of laser on the photosensitive surface of MSTI-3 satellite detector is estimated as about 100m

  15. Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Jie; Sun, Yurun; Zhao, Yongming; Yu, Shuzhen; Dong, Jianrong; Xue, Jiping; Xue, Chi; Wang, Jin; Lu, Yunqing; Ding, Yanwen

    2018-04-01

    Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converters (LPCs) with n+-GaAs/p+-Al0.37Ga0.63As heterostructure tunnel junctions (TJs) have been designed and grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) for converting the power of 808 nm lasers. A maximum conversion efficiency η c of 56.9% ± 4% is obtained for cells with an aperture of 3.14 mm2 at an input laser power of 0.2 W, while dropping to 43.3% at 1.5 W. Measured current–voltage (I–V) characteristics indicate that the performance of the LPC can be further improved by increasing the tunneling current density of TJs and optimizing the thicknesses of sub-cells to achieve current matching in LPC. Project financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61376065) and Zhongtian Technology Group Co. Ltd.

  16. Laser beam-plasma plume interaction during laser welding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoffman, Jacek; Moscicki, Tomasz; Szymanski, Zygmunt

    2003-10-01

    Laser welding process is unstable because the keyhole wall performs oscillations which results in the oscillations of plasma plume over the keyhole mouth. The characteristic frequencies are equal to 0.5-4 kHz. Since plasma plume absorbs and refracts laser radiation, plasma oscillations modulate the laser beam before it reaches the workpiece. In this work temporary electron densities and temperatures are determined in the peaks of plasma bursts during welding with a continuous wave CO2 laser. It has been found that during strong bursts the plasma plume over the keyhole consists of metal vapour only, being not diluted by the shielding gas. As expected the values of electron density are about two times higher in peaks than their time-averaged values. Since the plasma absorption coefficient scales as ~N2e/T3/2 (for CO2 laser radiation) the results show that the power of the laser beam reaching the metal surface is modulated by the plasma plume oscillations. The attenuation factor equals 4-6% of the laser power but it is expected that it is doubled by the refraction effect. The results, together with the analysis of the colour pictures from streak camera, allow also interpretation of the dynamics of the plasma plume.

  17. Meteorological effects on laser propagation for power transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beverly, R. E., III

    1982-01-01

    An examination of possible laser operating parameters for power transmission to earth from solar power satellites is presented, with particular attention paid to assuring optimal delivery at midlatitudes. The degradation of beam efficiency due to molecular scattering, molecular absorption, aerosol scattering, and aerosol absorption during beam propagation through the atmosphere can be alleviated by judicious choice of wavelength windows, elevating the receptor sites, using a vertical propagation path, or by hole boring, i.e., vaporizing the aerosol particles in the beam path. Analyses are given for the beam propagation through fog, haze, clouds, and snow using various transitions. Only weapons-quality lasers are seen as being capable of boring through clouds and aerosols, employing a CW beam with superimposed pulses at high power densities. It is concluded that further short wavelength transmission experiments be performed to demonstrate transmission feasibility with the CW/pulsed mode of beam propagation.

  18. High-Power, High-Intensity Laser Propagation and Interactions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-03-10

    wave Brillouin mixing [89,90]. transmitted beam is phase conjugated target initial wave front nn  1 turbulent air Figure 14. Using phase and...discussed in connection with both high-power and high-intensity lasers is propagation in a turbulent atmosphere . Laser propagation in atmospheric ... turbulence can results in beam centroid wander, spreading and intensity scintillation. A phase conjugation technique to mitigate the effects of atmospheric

  19. Influence of laser power on the penetration depth and geometry of scanning tracks in selective laser melting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stopyra, Wojciech; Kurzac, Jarosław; Gruber, Konrad; Kurzynowski, Tomasz; Chlebus, Edward

    2016-12-01

    SLM technology allows production of a fully functional objects from metal and ceramic powders, with true density of more than 99,9%. The quality of manufactured items in SLM method affects more than 100 parameters, which can be divided into fixed and variable. Fixed parameters are those whose value before the process should be defined and maintained in an appropriate range during the process, e.g. chemical composition and morphology of the powder, oxygen level in working chamber, heating temperature of the substrate plate. In SLM technology, five parameters are variables that optimal set allows to produce parts without defects (pores, cracks) and with an acceptable speed. These parameters are: laser power, distance between points, time of exposure, distance between lines and layer thickness. To develop optimal parameters thin walls or single track experiments are performed, to select the best sets narrowed to three parameters: laser power, exposure time and distance between points. In this paper, the effect of laser power on the penetration depth and geometry of scanned single track was shown. In this experiment, titanium (grade 2) substrate plate was used and scanned by fibre laser of 1064 nm wavelength. For each track width, height and penetration depth of laser beam was measured.

  20. Large aspheric optics for high-power, high-energy laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geyl, Roland; Houbre, Francois

    2001-12-01

    SAGEM, within its REOSC high performance optics product line, has developed through the years a specific knowledge in large plano, spherical and aspherical optics for high energy or high power laser. This paper is aimed to illustrate the application of aspheric optics for such laser application with several examples of increasing optical surface complexity.

  1. High power, high contrast hybrid femtosecond laser systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dabu, Razvan

    2017-06-01

    For many research applications a very high laser intensity of more than 1022 W/cm2 in the focused beam is required. If a laser intensity of about 1011W/cm2 is reached on the target before the main laser pulse, the generated pre-plasma disturbs the experiment. High power femtosecond lasers must be tightly focused to get high intensity and in the same time must have a high enough intensity contrast of the temporally compressed amplified pulses. Reaching an intensity contrast in the range of 1012 represents a challenging task for a Ti:sapphire CPA laser. Hybrid femtosecond lasers combine optical parametric chirped pulsed amplification (OPCPA) in nonlinear crystals with the chirped pulse amplification (CPA) in laser active media. OPCPA provides large amplification spectral bandwidth and improves the intensity contrast of the amplified pulses. A key feature of these systems consists in the adaptation of the parametric amplification phase-matching bandwidth of nonlinear crystals to the spectral gain bandwidth of laser amplifying Ti:sapphire crystals. OPCPA in BBO crystals up to mJ energy level in the laser Front-End, followed by CPA up to ten/hundred Joules in large aperture Ti:sapphire crystals, represents a suitable solution for PW-class femtosecond lasers. The configuration and expected output beam characteristics of the hybrid amplification 2 × 10 PW ELI-NP laser are described.

  2. Improvements of high-power diode laser line generators open up new application fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meinschien, J.; Bayer, A.; Bruns, P.; Aschke, L.; Lissotschenko, V. N.

    2009-02-01

    Beam shaping improvements of line generators based on high power diode lasers lead to new application fields as hardening, annealing or cutting of various materials. Of special interest is the laser treatment of silicon. An overview of the wide variety of applications is presented with special emphasis of the relevance of unique laser beam parameters like power density and beam uniformity. Complementary to vision application and plastic processing, these new application markets become more and more important and can now be addressed by high power diode laser line generators. Herewith, a family of high power diode laser line generators is presented that covers this wide spectrum of application fields with very different requirements, including new applications as cutting of silicon or glass, as well as the beam shaping concepts behind it. A laser that generates a 5m long and 4mm wide homogeneous laser line is shown with peak intensities of 0.2W/cm2 for inspection of railway catenaries as well as a laser that generates a homogeneous intensity distribution of 60mm x 2mm size with peak intensities of 225W/cm2 for plastic processing. For the annealing of silicon surfaces, a laser was designed that generates an extraordinary uniform intensity distribution with residual inhomogeneities (contrast ratio) of less than 3% over a line length of 11mm and peak intensities of up to 75kW/cm2. Ultimately, a laser line is shown with a peak intensity of 250kW/cm2 used for cutting applications. Results of various application tests performed with the above mentioned lasers are discussed, particularly the surface treatment of silicon and the cutting of glass.

  3. High-power, fixed, and tunable wavelength, grating-free cascaded Raman fiber lasers.

    PubMed

    Balaswamy, V; Arun, S; Aparanji, Santosh; Choudhury, Vishal; Supradeepa, V R

    2018-04-01

    Cascaded Raman lasers enable high powers at various wavelength bands inaccessible with conventional rare-earth-doped lasers. The input and output wavelengths of conventional implementations are fixed by the constituent fiber gratings necessary for cascaded Raman conversion. We demonstrate here a simple architecture for high-power, fixed, and wavelength tunable, grating-free, cascaded Raman conversion between different wavelength bands. The architecture is based on the recently proposed distributed feedback Raman lasers. Here, we implement a module which converts the ytterbium band to the eye-safe 1.5 μm region. We demonstrate pump-limited output powers of over 30 W in fixed and continuously wavelength tunable configurations.

  4. High-power, fixed, and tunable wavelength, grating-free cascaded Raman fiber lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balaswamy, V.; Arun, S.; Aparanji, Santosh; Choudhury, Vishal; Supradeepa, V. R.

    2018-04-01

    Cascaded Raman lasers enable high powers at various wavelength bands inaccessible with conventional rare-earth doped lasers. The input and output wavelengths of conventional implementations are fixed by the constituent fiber gratings necessary for cascaded Raman conversion. We demonstrate here, a simple architecture for high power, fixed and wavelength tunable, grating-free, cascaded Raman conversion between different wavelength bands. The architecture is based on the recently proposed distributed feedback Raman lasers. Here, we implement a module which converts the Ytterbium band to the eye-safe 1.5micron region. We demonstrate pump-limited output powers of over 30W in fixed and continuously wavelength tunable configurations.

  5. Single frequency 1083nm ytterbium doped fiber master oscillator power amplifier laser.

    PubMed

    Huang, Shenghong; Qin, Guanshi; Shirakawa, Akira; Musha, Mitsuru; Ueda, Ken-Ichi

    2005-09-05

    Single frequency 1083nm ytterbium fiber master oscillator power amplifier system was demonstrated. The oscillator was a linear fiber cavity with loop mirror filter and polarization controller. The loop mirror with unpumped ytterbium fiber as a narrow bandwidth filter discriminated and selected laser longitudinal modes efficiently. Spatial hole burning effect was restrained by adjusting polarization controller appropriately in the linear cavity. The amplifier was 5 m ytterbium doped fiber pumped by 976nm pigtail coupled laser diode. The linewidth of the single frequency laser was about 2 KHz. Output power up to 177 mW was produced under the launched pump power of 332 mW.

  6. Powered by a laser beam directed at it from a pedestal, a model plane makes the first flight of an aircraft powered by laser energy inside a building at NASA Marshall.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-09-18

    Powered by a laser beam directed at it from a center pedestal, a lightweight model plane makes the first flight of an aircraft powered by laser energy inside a building at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

  7. Compact CH 4 sensor system based on a continuous-wave, low power consumption, room temperature interband cascade laser

    DOE PAGES

    Dong, Lei; Li, Chunguang; Sanchez, Nancy P.; ...

    2016-01-05

    A tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy-based methane sensor, employing a dense-pattern multi-pass gas cell and a 3.3 µm, CW, DFB, room temperature interband cascade laser (ICL), is reported. The optical integration based on an advanced folded optical path design and an efficient ICL control system with appropriate electrical power management resulted in a CH 4 sensor with a small footprint (32 x 20 x 17 cm 3) and low-power consumption (6 W). Polynomial and least-squares fit algorithms are employed to remove the baseline of the spectral scan and retrieve CH 4 concentrations, respectively. An Allan-Werle deviation analysis shows that themore » measurement precision can reach 1.4 ppb for a 60 s averaging time. Continuous measurements covering a seven-day period were performed to demonstrate the stability and robustness of the reported CH 4 sensor system.« less

  8. Compact CH 4 sensor system based on a continuous-wave, low power consumption, room temperature interband cascade laser

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dong, Lei; Li, Chunguang; Sanchez, Nancy P.

    A tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy-based methane sensor, employing a dense-pattern multi-pass gas cell and a 3.3 µm, CW, DFB, room temperature interband cascade laser (ICL), is reported. The optical integration based on an advanced folded optical path design and an efficient ICL control system with appropriate electrical power management resulted in a CH 4 sensor with a small footprint (32 x 20 x 17 cm 3) and low-power consumption (6 W). Polynomial and least-squares fit algorithms are employed to remove the baseline of the spectral scan and retrieve CH 4 concentrations, respectively. An Allan-Werle deviation analysis shows that themore » measurement precision can reach 1.4 ppb for a 60 s averaging time. Continuous measurements covering a seven-day period were performed to demonstrate the stability and robustness of the reported CH 4 sensor system.« less

  9. Solid state laser media driven by remote nuclear powered fluorescence

    DOEpatents

    Prelas, Mark A.

    1992-01-01

    An apparatus is provided for driving a solid state laser by a nuclear powered fluorescence source which is located remote from the fluorescence source. A nuclear reaction produced in a reaction chamber generates fluorescence or photons. The photons are collected from the chamber into a waveguide, such as a fiber optic waveguide. The waveguide transports the photons to the remote laser for exciting the laser.

  10. Modematic: a fast laser beam analyzing system for high power CO2-laser beams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olsen, Flemming O.; Ulrich, Dan

    2003-03-01

    The performance of an industrial laser is very much depending upon the characteristics of the laser beam. The ISO standards 11146 and 11154 describing test methods for laser beam parameters have been approved. To implement these methods in industry is difficult and especially for the infrared laser sources, such as the CO2-laser, the availabl analyzing systems are slow, difficult to apply and having limited reliability due to the nature of the detection methods. In an EUREKA-project the goal was defined to develop a laser beam analyzing system dedicated to high power CO2-lasers, which could fulfill the demands for an entire analyzing system, automating the time consuming pre-alignment and beam conditioning work required before a beam mode analyses, automating the analyzing sequences and data analysis required to determine the laser beam caustics and last but not least to deliver reliable close to real time data to the operator. The results of this project work will be described in this paper. The research project has led to the development of the Modematic laser beam analyzer, which is ready for the market.

  11. Driver development of IFE power plant in Japan Collaborative process with industry and industrial applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakai, S.; Yamanaka, M.; Kitagawa, Y.; Fujita, K.; Heya, M.; Mima, K.; Izawa, Y.; Nakatsuka, M.; Murakami, M.; Ueda, K.; Sasaki, T.; Mori, Y.; Kanabe, T.; Hiruma, T.; Kan, H.; Kawashima, T.

    2006-06-01

    The typical specifications of the laser driver for a commercial IFE power plant are (1) total energy (MJ/pulse) with a tailored 20-40 ns pulse, (2) repetition operation (˜ 10 Hz), (3) efficiency (˜ 10%) with enough robustness and low cost. The key elements of the DPSSL driver technology are under development with HALNA. The HALNA 10 (High Average-power Laser for Nuclear-fusion Application) demonstrated 10 J × 10 Hz operation and the HALNA 100 (100 J × 10 Hz) is now under construction. By using the high average power and high intensity lasers, new industrial applications are being proceeded. The collaborative process for the development of high power laser with industry and for the industrial applications is effective and essential in the development of the laser driver for IFE power plant.

  12. High power fiber coupled diode lasers for display and lighting applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drovs, Simon; Unger, Andreas; Dürsch, Sascha; Köhler, Bernd; Biesenbach, Jens

    2017-02-01

    The performance of diode lasers in the visible spectral range has been continuously improved within the last few years, which was mainly driven by the goal to replace arc lamps in cinema or home projectors. In addition, the availability of such high power visible diode lasers also enables new applications in the medical field, but also the usage as pump sources for other solid state lasers. This paper summarizes the latest developments of fiber coupled sources with output power from 1.4 W to 120 W coupled into 100 μm to 400 μm fibers in the spectral range around 405 nm and 640 nm. New developments also include the use of fiber coupled multi single emitter arrays at 450 nm, as well as very compact modules with multi-W output power.

  13. Stone Attenuation Values Measured by Average Hounsfield Units and Stone Volume as Predictors of Total Laser Energy Required During Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy Using Holmium:Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet Lasers.

    PubMed

    Ofude, Mitsuo; Shima, Takashi; Yotsuyanagi, Satoshi; Ikeda, Daisuke

    2017-04-01

    To evaluate the predictors of the total laser energy (TLE) required during ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URS) using the holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) laser for a single ureteral stone. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 93 URS procedures performed for a single ureteral stone in our institution from November 2011 to September 2015. We evaluated the association between TLE and preoperative clinical data, such as age, sex, body mass index, and noncontrast computed tomographic findings, including stone laterality, location, maximum diameter, volume, stone attenuation values measured using average Hounsfield units (HUs), and presence of secondary signs (severe hydronephrosis, tissue rim sign, and perinephric stranding). The mean maximum stone diameter, volume, and average HUs were 9.2 ± 3.8 mm, 283.2 ± 341.4 mm 3 , and 863 ± 297, respectively. The mean TLE and operative time were 2.93 ± 3.27 kJ and 59.1 ± 28.1 minutes, respectively. Maximum stone diameter, volume, average HUs, severe hydronephrosis, and tissue rim sign were significantly correlated with TLE (Spearman's rho analysis). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis defining stone volume, average HUs, severe hydronephrosis, and tissue rim sign as explanatory variables showed that stone volume and average HUs were significant predictors of TLE (standardized coefficients of 0.565 and 0.320, respectively; adjusted R 2  = 0.55, F = 54.7, P <.001). Stone attenuation values measured by average HUs and stone volume were strong predictors of TLE during URS using Ho:YAG laser procedures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. High-precision laser microcutting and laser microdrilling using diffractive beam-splitting and high-precision flexible beam alignment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zibner, F.; Fornaroli, C.; Holtkamp, J.; Shachaf, Lior; Kaplan, Natan; Gillner, A.

    2017-08-01

    High-precision laser micro machining gains more importance in industrial applications every month. Optical systems like the helical optics offer highest quality together with controllable and adjustable drilling geometry, thus as taper angle, aspect ratio and heat effected zone. The helical optics is based on a rotating Dove-prism which is mounted in a hollow shaft engine together with other optical elements like wedge prisms and plane plates. Although the achieved quality can be interpreted as extremely high the low process efficiency is a main reason that this manufacturing technology has only limited demand within the industrial market. The objective of the research studies presented in this paper is to dramatically increase process efficiency as well as process flexibility. During the last years, the average power of commercial ultra-short pulsed laser sources has increased significantly. The efficient utilization of the high average laser power in the field of material processing requires an effective distribution of the laser power onto the work piece. One approach to increase the efficiency is the application of beam splitting devices to enable parallel processing. Multi beam processing is used to parallelize the fabrication of periodic structures as most application only require a partial amount of the emitted ultra-short pulsed laser power. In order to achieve highest flexibility while using multi beam processing the single beams are diverted and re-guided in a way that enables the opportunity to process with each partial beam on locally apart probes or semimanufactures.

  15. Transmyocardial laser revascularization with a high-power (800 W) CO2 laser: clinical report with 50 cases

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qu, Zheng; Zhang, Zhaoguang; Ye, Jianguang; Yu, Jianbo

    1999-09-01

    This paper reports the clinical experience in transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR) with high power CO2 laser and evaluates the preliminary results of TMLR. TMLR may improve angina pectoris and myocardial perfusion significantly. To switch on the laser in proper order may be helpful to shorten duration of surgery. A gentle removal of fat on the apex may increase the successful transmyocardial penetration.

  16. High-power laser diodes with high polarization purity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosenkrantz, Etai; Yanson, Dan; Peleg, Ophir; Blonder, Moshe; Rappaport, Noam; Klumel, Genady

    2017-02-01

    Fiber-coupled laser diode modules employ power scaling of single emitters for fiber laser pumping. To this end, techniques such as geometrical, spectral and polarization beam combining (PBC) are used. For PBC, linear polarization with high degree of purity is important, as any non-perfectly polarized light leads to losses and heating. Furthermore, PBC is typically performed in a collimated portion of the beams, which also cancels the angular dependence of the PBC element, e.g., beam-splitter. However, we discovered that single emitters have variable degrees of polarization, which depends both on the operating current and far-field divergence. We present data to show angle-resolved polarization measurements that correlate with the ignition of high-order modes in the slow-axis emission of the emitter. We demonstrate that the ultimate laser brightness includes not only the standard parameters such as power, emitting area and beam divergence, but also the degree of polarization (DoP), which is a strong function of the latter. Improved slow-axis divergence, therefore, contributes not only to high brightness but also high beam combining efficiency through polarization.

  17. Power scaling of ultrafast laser inscribed waveguide lasers in chromium and iron doped zinc selenide.

    PubMed

    McDaniel, Sean A; Lancaster, Adam; Evans, Jonathan W; Kar, Ajoy K; Cook, Gary

    2016-02-22

    We report demonstration of Watt level waveguide lasers fabricated using Ultrafast Laser Inscription (ULI). The waveguides were fabricated in bulk chromium and iron doped zinc selenide crystals with a chirped pulse Yb fiber laser. The depressed cladding structure in Fe:ZnSe produced output powers of 1 W with a threshold of 50 mW and a slope efficiency of 58%, while a similar structure produced 5.1 W of output in Cr:ZnSe with a laser threshold of 350 mW and a slope efficiency of 41%. These results represent the current state-of-the-art for ULI waveguides in zinc based chalcogenides.

  18. Continuous-wave and quasi-continuous wave thulium-doped all-fiber laser: implementation on kidney stone fragmentations.

    PubMed

    Pal, Debasis; Ghosh, Aditi; Sen, Ranjan; Pal, Atasi

    2016-08-10

    A continuous-wave (CW) as well as quasi-continuous wave (QCW) thulium-doped all-fiber laser at 1.94 μm has been designed for targeting applications in urology. The thulium-doped active fiber with an octagonal-shaped inner cladding is pumped at 793 nm to achieve stable CW laser power of 10 W with 32% lasing efficiency (against launched pump power). The linear variation of laser power with pump offers a scope of further power scaling. A QCW operation with variation of duty cycle from 0.5% to 90%, repetition rate from 0.1 Hz to 1 kHz, and pulse width from 40 μs to 2 s has been presented. Laser power of 9.5 W in CW mode of operation and average power of 5.2 W with energy range of 10.4-104 mJ in QCW mode of operation has been employed to fragment calcium oxalate monohydrate kidney stones (size of 1.5-4 cm) having different colors and composition. Dependence of ablation threshold, ablation rate, and average fragmented particle size on the average power and energy has been studied. One minute of laser exposure results in fragmentation of a stone surface with ablation rate of 8  mg/min having minimum particle size of 6.54 μm with an average size of 20-100 μm ensuring the natural removal of fragmented parts through the urethra.

  19. Contact diode laser: high power application through fiberoptic cutting tips.

    PubMed

    Wafapoor, H; Peyman, G A; Moritera, T

    1994-01-01

    Diode laser energy has been applied through a fiberoptic probe using a power setting of 2.5 watts (W) in the continuous mode. In this study we employed high-power diode laser energy (4 to 12 W, continuous wave) to incise ocular tissue through a fiberoptic probe using 100 microns and 300 microns tips. The retina was photocoagulated with a 300 microns orb tip. No bleeding occurred at the incision sites. Histologic evaluation revealed coagulation into the healthy tissue ranging from 10 to 50 microns.

  20. Tapered fiber based high power random laser.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hanwei; Du, Xueyuan; Zhou, Pu; Wang, Xiaolin; Xu, Xiaojun

    2016-04-18

    We propose a novel high power random fiber laser (RFL) based on tapered fiber. It can overcome the power scaling limitation of RFL while maintaining good beam quality to a certain extent. An output power of 26.5 W has been achieved in a half-open cavity with one kilometer long tapered fiber whose core diameter gradually changes from 8 μm to 20 μm. The steady-state light propagation equations have been modified by taking into account the effective core area to demonstrate the tapered RFL through numerical calculations. The numerical model effectively describes the power characteristics of the tapered fiber based RFL, and both the calculating and experimental results show higher power exporting potential compared with the conventional single mode RFL.