1.9 THz Quantum-cascade Lasers with One-well Injector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, Sushil; Williams, Benjamin S.; Hu, Qing; Reno, John L.

2006-01-01

We report terahertz quantum-cascade lasers operating predominantly at 1.90 THz with side modes as low as 1.86 THz (lambda approx. equal to 161 micrometers, planck's constant omega approx. equal to 7.7 meV). This is the longest wavelength to date of any solid-state laser that operates without assistance of a magnetic field. Carriers are injected into the upper radiative state by using a single quantum-well injector, which resulted in a significant reduction of free-carrier losses. The laser operated up to a heat-sink temperature of 110 K in pulsed mode, 95 K in continuous wave (cw) mode, and the threshold current density at 5 K was approx. 140 A per square centimeters.

Linearly Polarized Single-Frequency Oscillations of Laser-Diode-Pumped Microchip Ceramic Nd:YAG Lasers with Forced Ince-Gaussian Mode Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otsuka, Kenju; Nemoto, Kana; Kamikariya, Koji; Miyasaka, Yoshihiko; Chu, Shu-Chun

2007-09-01

Detailed oscillation spectra and polarization properties have been examined in laser-diode-pumped (LD-pumped) microchip ceramic (i.e., polycrystalline) Nd:YAG lasers and the inherent segregation of lasing patterns into local modes possessing different polarization states was observed. Single-frequency linearly-polarized stable oscillations were realized by forcing the laser to Ince-Gaussian mode operations by adjusting azimuthal cavity symmetry.

Evidence of dissipative solitons in Yb³⁺:CaYAlO₄.

PubMed

Tan, W D; Tang, D Y; Xu, C W; Zhang, J; Xu, X D; Li, D Z; Xu, J

2011-09-12

Operation of an end-pumped Yb³⁺:CaYAlO₄ laser operating in the positive dispersion regime is experimentally investigated. The laser emitted strongly chirped pulses with extremely steep spectral edges, resembling the characteristics of dissipative solitons observed in fiber lasers. The results show that dissipative soliton emission constitutes another operating regime for mode locked Yb³⁺-doped solid state lasers, which can be explored for the generation of stable large energy femtosecond pulses.

Broad-gain (Δλ/λ0

PubMed

Fujita, Kazuue; Furuta, Shinichi; Dougakiuchi, Tatsuo; Sugiyama, Atsushi; Edamura, Tadataka; Yamanishi, Masamichi

2011-01-31

Broad-gain operation of λ~8.7 μm quantum cascade lasers based on dual-upper-state to multiple-lower-state transition design is reported. The devices exhibit surprisingly wide (~500 cm(-1)) electroluminescence spectra which are very insensitive to voltage and temperature changes above room temperature. With recourse to the temperature-insensitivity of electroluminescence spectra, the lasers demonstrate an extremely-weak temperature-dependence of laser performances: T0-value of 510 K, associated with a room temperature threshold current density of 2.6 kA/cm2. In addition, despite such wide gain spectra, room temperature, continuous wave operation of the laser with buried hetero structure is achieved.

Development of longitudinally excited CO2 laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masroon, N. S.; Tanaka, M.; Tei, M.; Uno, K.; Tsuyama, M.; Nakano, H.

2018-05-01

Simple, compact, and affordable discharged-pumped CO2 laser controlled by a fast high voltage solid state switch has been developed. In this study, longitudinal excitation scheme has been adapted for simple configuration. In the longitudinal excitation scheme, the discharge is produced along the direction of the laser axis, and the electrodes are well separated with a small discharge cross-section. Triggered spark gap switch is usually used to switch out the high voltage because of simple and low cost. However, the triggered spark gap operates in the arc mode and suffer from recovery problem causing a short life time and low efficiency for high repetition rate operation. As a result, there is now considerable interest in replacing triggered spark gap switch with solid state switches. Solid state switches have significant advantages compared to triggered spark gap switch which include longer service lifetime, low cost and stable high trigger pulse. We have developed simple and low cost fast high voltage solid state switch that consists of series connected-MOSFETs. It has been installed to the longitudinally excited CO2 laser to realize the gap switch less operation. Characteristics of laser oscillation by varying the discharge length, charging voltage, capacitance and gas pressure have been evaluated. Longer discharge length produce high power of laser oscillation. Optimum charging voltage and gas pressure were existed for longitudinally excited CO2 laser.

Watt-level widely tunable single-mode emission by injection-locking of a multimode Fabry-Perot quantum cascade laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chevalier, Paul; Piccardo, Marco; Anand, Sajant; Mejia, Enrique A.; Wang, Yongrui; Mansuripur, Tobias S.; Xie, Feng; Lascola, Kevin; Belyanin, Alexey; Capasso, Federico

2018-02-01

Free-running Fabry-Perot lasers normally operate in a single-mode regime until the pumping current is increased beyond the single-mode instability threshold, above which they evolve into a multimode state. As a result of this instability, the single-mode operation of these lasers is typically constrained to few percents of their output power range, this being an undesired limitation in spectroscopy applications. In order to expand the span of single-mode operation, we use an optical injection seed generated by an external-cavity single-mode laser source to force the Fabry-Perot quantum cascade laser into a single-mode state in the high current range, where it would otherwise operate in a multimode regime. Utilizing this approach, we achieve single-mode emission at room temperature with a tuning range of 36 cm-1 and stable continuous-wave output power exceeding 1 W at 4.5 μm. Far-field measurements show that a single transverse mode is emitted up to the highest optical power, indicating that the beam properties of the seeded Fabry-Perot laser remain unchanged as compared to free-running operation.

Improving Lifetime of Quasi-CW Laser Diode Arrays for Pumping 2-Micron Solid State Lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amzajerdian, Farzin; Meadows, Byron L.; Baker, Nathaniel R.; Barnes, Bruce W.; Singh, Upendra N.; Kavaya, Michael J.

2007-01-01

Operating high power laser diode arrays in long pulse regime of about 1 msec, which is required for pumping 2-micron thulium and holmium-based lasers, greatly limits their useful lifetime. This paper describes performance of laser diode arrays operating in long pulse mode and presents experimental data on the active region temperature and pulse-to-pulse thermal cycling that are the primary cause of their premature failure and rapid degradation. This paper will then offer a viable approach for determining the optimum design and operational parameters leading to the maximum attainable lifetime.

Theory of repetitively pulsed operation of diode lasers subject to delayed feedback

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

Napartovich, A P; Sukharev, A G

2015-03-31

Repetitively pulsed operation of a diode laser with delayed feedback has been studied theoretically at varying feedback parameters and pump power levels. A new approach has been proposed that allows one to reduce the system of Lang–Kobayashi equations for a steady-state repetitively pulsed operation mode to a first-order nonlinear differential equation. We present partial solutions that allow the pulse shape to be predicted. (lasers)

Double Tunneling Injection Quantum Dot Lasers for High Speed Operation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-23

Double Tunneling-Injection Quantum Dot Lasers for High -Speed Operation The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 12. DISTRIBUTION AVAILIBILITY STATEMENT 6...State University Title: Double Tunneling-Injection Quantum Dot Lasers for High -Speed Operation Report Term: 0-Other Email: asryan@vt.edu Distribution

Diode pumped solid-state laser oscillators for spectroscopic applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, R. L.; Basu, S.; Fan, T. Y.; Kozlovsky, W. J.; Nabors, C. D.; Nilsson, A.; Huber, G.

1987-01-01

The rapid improvement in diode laser pump sources has led to the recent progress in diode laser pumped solid state lasers. To date, electrical efficiencies of greater than 10 percent were demonstrated. As diode laser costs decrease with increased production volume, diode laser and diode laser array pumped solid state lasers will replace the traditional flashlamp pumped Nd:YAG laser sources. The use of laser diode array pumping of slab geometry lasers will allow efficient, high peak and average power solid state laser sources to be developed. Perhaps the greatest impact of diode laser pumped solid state lasers will be in spectroscopic applications of miniature, monolithic devices. Single-stripe diode-pumped operation of a continuous-wave 946 nm Nd:YAG laser with less than 10 m/w threshold was demonstrated. A slope efficiency of 16 percent near threshold was shown with a projected slope efficiency well above a threshold of 34 percent based on results under Rhodamine 6G dye-laser pumping. Nonlinear crystals for second-harmonic generation of this source were evaluated. The KNbO3 and periodically poled LiNbO3 appear to be the most promising.

Computational model for operation of 2 mum co-doped Tm,Ho solid state lasers.

PubMed

Louchev, Oleg A; Urata, Yoshiharu; Saito, Norihito; Wada, Satoshi

2007-09-17

A computational model for operation of co-doped Tm,Ho solid-state lasers is developed coupling (i) 8-level rate equations with (ii) TEM00 laser beam distribution, and (iii) complex heat dissipation model. Simulations done for Q-switched approximately 0.1 J giant pulse generation by Tm,Ho:YLF laser show that approximately 43% of the 785 nm light diode side-pumped energy is directly transformed into the heat inside the crystal, whereas approximately 45% is the spontaneously emitted radiation from (3)F(4), (5)I(7) , (3)H(4) and (3)H(5) levels. In water-cooled operation this radiation is absorbed inside the thermal boundary layer where the heat transfer is dominated by heat conduction. In high-power operation the resulting temperature increase is shown to lead to (i) significant decrease in giant pulse energy and (ii) thermal lensing.

Remote Operations of Laser Guide Star Systems: Gemini Observatory.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oram, Richard J.; Fesquet, Vincent; Wyman, Robert; D'Orgeville, Celine

2011-03-01

The Gemini North telescope, equipped with a 14W laser, has been providing Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGS AO) regular science queue observations for worldwide astronomers since February 2007. The new 55W laser system for MCAO was installed on the Gemini South telescope in May 2010. In this paper, we comment on how Gemini Observatory developed regular remote operation of the Laser Guide Star Facility and high-power solid-state laser as routine normal operations. Fully remote operation of the LGSF from the Hilo base facility HBF was initially trialed and then optimized and became the standard operating procedure (SOP) for LGS operation in December 2008. From an engineering perspective remote operation demands stable, well characterized and base-lined equipment sets. In the effort to produce consistent, stable and controlled laser parameters (power, wavelength and beam quality) we completed a failure mode effect analysis of the laser system and sub systems that initiated a campaign of hardware upgrades and procedural improvements to the routine maintenance operations. Finally, we provide an overview of normal operation procedures during LGS runs and present a snapshot of data accumulated over several years that describes the overall LGS AO observing efficiency at the Gemini North telescope.

Pulsed solid state lasers for medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kertesz, Ivan; Danileiko, A. Y.; Denker, Boris I.; Kroo, Norbert; Osiko, Vyacheslav V.; Prokhorov, Alexander M.

1994-02-01

The effect on living tissues of different pulsed solid state lasers: Nd:YAG ((lambda) equals 1.06 micrometers ) Er:glass (1.54 micrometers ), Ho:YAG (2.1 micrometers ) and Er:YAG (2.94 micrometers ) is compared with the continuous wave Nd:YAG- and CO2-lasers used in operating theaters. Portable Er:glass- and Er:YAG-lasers are developed for surgery/cosmetics and HIV-safe blood testing.

Vector solitons with locked and precessing states of polarization.

PubMed

Sergeyev, Sergey V; Mou, Chengbo; Rozhin, Aleksey; Turitsyn, Sergei K

2012-11-19

We demonstrate experimentally new families of vector solitons with locked and precessing states of polarization for fundamental and multipulse soliton operations in a carbon nanotube mode-locked fiber laser with anomalous dispersion laser cavity.

Corneal reshaping using a pulsed UV solid-state laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Qiushi; Simon, Gabriel; Parel, Jean-Marie A.; Shen, Jin-Hui; Takesue, Yoshiko

1993-06-01

Replacing the gas ArF (193 nm) excimer laser with a solid state laser source in the far-UV spectrum region would eliminate the hazards of a gas laser and would reduce its size which is desirable for photo-refractive keratectomy (PRK). In this study, we investigated corneal reshaping using a frequency-quintupled (213 nm) pulsed (10 ns) Nd:YAG laser coupled to a computer-controlled optical scanning delivery system. Corneal topographic measurements showed myopic corrections ranging from 2.3 to 6.1 diopters. Post-operative examination with the slit-lamp and operating microscope demonstrated a smoothly ablated surface without corneal haze. Histological results showed a smoothly sloping surface without recognizable steps. The surface quality and cellular effects were similar to that of previously described excimer PRK. Our study demonstrated that a UV solid state laser coupled to an optical scanning delivery system is capable of reshaping the corneal surface with the advantage of producing customized, aspheric corrections without corneal haze which may improve the quality of vision following PRK.

Laser frequency stabilization using a commercial wavelength meter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Couturier, Luc; Nosske, Ingo; Hu, Fachao; Tan, Canzhu; Qiao, Chang; Jiang, Y. H.; Chen, Peng; Weidemüller, Matthias

2018-04-01

We present the characterization of a laser frequency stabilization scheme using a state-of-the-art wavelength meter based on solid Fizeau interferometers. For a frequency-doubled Ti-sapphire laser operated at 461 nm, an absolute Allan deviation below 10-9 with a standard deviation of 1 MHz over 10 h is achieved. Using this laser for cooling and trapping of strontium atoms, the wavemeter scheme provides excellent stability in single-channel operation. Multi-channel operation with a multimode fiber switch results in fluctuations of the atomic fluorescence correlated to residual frequency excursions of the laser. The wavemeter-based frequency stabilization scheme can be applied to a wide range of atoms and molecules for laser spectroscopy, cooling, and trapping.

Emerging solid-state laser technology by lidar/DIAL remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Killinger, Dennis

1992-01-01

Significant progress has been made in recent years in the development of new, solid-state laser sources. This talk will present an overview of some of the new developments in solid-state lasers, and their application toward lidar/DIAL measurements of the atmosphere. Newly emerging lasers such as Ho:YAG, Tm:YAG, OPO, and Ti:Sapphire will be covered, along with the spectroscopic parameters required for differential operational modes of atmospheric remote sensing including Doppler-Windshear lidar, Tunable laser detection of water/CO2, and broad linewidth OPO's for open path detection of pollutant hydrocarbon gases. Additional considerations of emerging laser technology for lidar/DIAL will also be covered.

Solid State Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-21

266-nm, l-,W, 500-ps laser pulse from a frequency-quadrupled Nd:YAG microchip laser operating at 10 kHz. Fluorescence and elastic scattering from the...on Solid State Research xv Organization xxiii QUANTUM ELECTRONICS 1.1 Fluorescence-Cued Laser -Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Detection of Bioaerosols...2. ELECTRO-OfI’ICAL MATERIALS AND DEVICES 2.1 Narrow-Linewidth, High-Power 1556-nm Slab-Coupled Optical Waveguide External-Cavity Laser 7 3

Mode Locking of Lasers with Atomic Layer Graphene

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

polarization components. As in order to obtain the vector soliton operation in a mode locked fiber laser no any polarization ...oscilloscope traces of a polarization locked vector soliton operation state. Figure 21: Oscilloscope traces of pulse train in a phase locked vector ... locked vector solitons , where the polarization of the solitons emitted by the laser is fixed, the polarization of the

The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) Laser Transmitter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Afzal, Robert S.; Yu, Anthony W.; Dallas, Joseph L.; Melak, Anthony; Lukemir, Alan; Ramos-Izqueirdo, L.; Mamakos, William

2007-01-01

The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), launched in January 2003, is a laser altimeter and lidar for the Earth Observing System's (EOS) ICESat mission. GLAS accommodates three, sequentially operated, diode-pumped, solid-state, Nd:YAG laser transmitters. The laser transmitter requirements, design and qualification test results for this space-based remote sensing instrument is summarized and presented

Advanced helium magnetometer for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slocum, Robert E.

1987-01-01

The goal of this effort was demonstration of the concepts for an advanced helium magnetometer which meets the demands of future NASA earth orbiting, interplanetary, solar, and interstellar missions. The technical effort focused on optical pumping of helium with tunable solid state lasers. We were able to demonstrate the concept of a laser pumped helium magnetometer with improved accuracy, low power, and sensitivity of the order of 1 pT. A number of technical approaches were investigated for building a solid state laser tunable to the helium absorption line at 1083 nm. The laser selected was an Nd-doped LNA crystal pumped by a diode laser. Two laboratory versions of the lanthanum neodymium hexa-aluminate (LNA) laser were fabricated and used to conduct optical pumping experiments in helium and demonstrate laser pumped magnetometer concepts for both the low field vector mode and the scalar mode of operation. A digital resonance spectrometer was designed and built in order to evaluate the helium resonance signals and observe scalar magnetometer operation. The results indicate that the laser pumped sensor in the VHM mode is 45 times more sensitive than a lamp pumped sensor for identical system noise levels. A study was made of typical laser pumped resonance signals in the conventional magnetic resonance mode. The laser pumped sensor was operated as a scalar magnetometer, and it is concluded that magnetometers with 1 pT sensitivity can be achieved with the use of laser pumping and stable laser pump sources.

Tunable solid-state lasers - An emerging technology for remote sensing of planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, Norman P.; Allario, Frank

1988-01-01

The present development status and prospective (1990s) performance-improvement evaluation of tunable solid-state laser technology notes recent trends toward spectrum coverage over the 0.20-14.0 microns range, in addition to dramatic increases in efficiency, service life, and reliability. It is judged that the Ti:Al2O3 laser and the AgGaSe2 optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Ho:YAG laser could cover the near-IR and mid-IR regions of the spectrum. Laser diodes operating at 0.78 microns should provide an excellent pump for a Ho:YAG laser.

Gas Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dixit, S. K.

The field of gas lasers, started with the invention of He-Ne laser in 1961, has witnessed tremendous growth in terms of technology development, research into gaseous gain medium, resonator physics and application in widely diverse arenas. This was possible due to high versatility of gas lasers in terms of operating wavelengths, power, beam quality and mode of operation. In recent years, there is a definite trend to replace the gas lasers, wherever possible, by more efficient and compact solid-state lasers. However, for many industrial, medical and military applications, the gas lasers still rule the roost due to their high-power capabilities with good beam quality at specific wavelengths. This chapter presents a short review covering the operating principle, important technical details and application potential of all the important gas lasers such as He-Ne, CO2, argon ion, copper vapour, excimer and chemical lasers. These neutral atoms, ions and molecule gas lasers are discussed as per applicable electrical, chemical and optical excitation schemes. The optically pumped gas lasers, recently experiencing resurgence, are discussed in the context of far infrared THz molecular lasers, diode-pumped alkali lasers and optically pumped gas-filled hollow-core fibre lasers.

High-power pulse repetitive HF(DF) laser with a solid-state pump generator

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

Velikanov, S D; Domazhirov, A P; Zaretskiy, N A

2015-11-30

Operation of a repetitively pulsed electric-discharge HF(DF) laser with an all-solid-state pump generator based on FID switches is demonstrated. The energy stored in the pump generator capacitors was 880 J at an open-circuit voltage of 240 kV and a discharge pulse repetition rate of 25 Hz. The specific energy extractions were 3.8 and 3.4 J L{sup -1} for the HF and DF lasers, respectively. The possibilities of improving the output laser characteristics are discussed. (lasers)

Full System Operations of Mercury: A Diode Pumped Solid-State Laser

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

Bibeau, C.; Bayramian, A.J.; Armstrong, P.

Operation of the Mercury laser with two amplifiers has yielded 30 Joules at 1 Hz and 12 Joules at 10 Hz with over 8x10{sup 4} shots on the system. Static distortions in the Yb:S-FAP amplifiers were corrected by a magneto-rheological finishing technique.

Full System Operations of Mercury; A Diode-Pumped Solid-State Laser

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

Bayramian, A J; Armstrong, P; Beach, R J

Operation of the Mercury laser with two amplifiers activated has yielded 30 Joules at 1 Hz and 12 Joules at 10 Hz and over 8 x 10{sup 4} shots on the system. Static distortions in the Yb:S-FAP amplifiers were corrected by magneto rheological finishing technique.

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.

High Power Laser Diode Arrays for 2-Micron Solid State Coherent Lidars Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amzajerdian, Farzin; Meadows, Byron; Kavaya, Michael J.; Singh, Upendra; Sudesh, Vikas; Baker, Nathaniel

2003-01-01

Laser diode arrays are critical components of any diode-pumped solid state laser systems, constraining their performance and reliability. Laser diode arrays (LDAs) are used as the pump source for energizing the solid state lasing media to generate an intense coherent laser beam with a high spatial and spectral quality. The solid state laser design and the characteristics of its lasing materials define the operating wavelength, pulse duration, and power of the laser diodes. The pump requirements for high pulse energy 2-micron solid state lasers are substantially different from those of more widely used 1-micron lasers and in many aspects more challenging [1]. Furthermore, the reliability and lifetime demanded by many coherent lidar applications, such as global wind profiling from space and long-range clear air turbulence detection from aircraft, are beyond the capability of currently available LDAs. In addition to the need for more reliable LDAs with longer lifetime, further improvement in the operational parameters of high power quasi-cw LDAs, such as electrical efficiency, brightness, and duty cycle, are also necessary for developing cost-effective 2-micron coherent lidar systems for applications that impose stringent size, heat dissipation, and power constraints. Global wind sounding from space is one of such applications, which is the main driver for this work as part of NASA s Laser Risk Reduction Program. This paper discusses the current state of the 792 nm LDA technology and the technology areas being pursued toward improving their performance. The design and development of a unique characterization facility for addressing the specific issues associated with the LDAs for pumping 2-micron coherent lidar transmitters and identifying areas of technological improvement will be described. Finally, the results of measurements to date on various standard laser diode packages, as well as custom-designed packages with potentially longer lifetime, will be reported.

Comparative research on medicine application with 0.53-um, 1.06-um, and 1.32-um Nd:YAG lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yahua; Li, Zhenjia; Zhu, Changhong; Huang, Yizhong

1996-09-01

Because of its high power and excellent optical features, laser has almost been applied to everywhere of medical research and clinic. Over the past several years, laser medical has achieved a rapid progress, and laser medical instruments has developed promptly, each new wavelength can be successfully applied in diagnostic and treatment of diseases. Among the medical lasers, Nd:YAG solid-state laser systems have proven useful in surgical use operate, such as neurosurgery, gastroenterology, cardioangiology, urology, gynecology, dermatology and ENT. As with other solid-state lasers, the Nd:YAG laser can be made to emit various wavelengths by means of suitable resonator configurations and some newest solid-state laser technology, pumped by the Krypton lamp, the Nd:YAG laser at room temperature exhibits transition at 1.06 micrometer Nd:YAG, using nonlinear crystal and Q-switch to double its frequency can attain 0.53 micrometer green beam. In our laser systems, the efficiency at 1.06 micrometer is more than 3 percent, an efficiency of 0.5 percent at 1.32 micrometer and 0.53 micrometer can be attained. For a power of 100w at 1.06 micrometer, 15w at 1.32 micrometer and 0.53 micrometer can therefore be produced. All of three kinds Nd:YAG laser hold these characteristics: high output power; optical fiber transition that can be cooperated with endoscope. The paper mainly discusses laser operating characteristics and clinic applications of three kinds wavelengths at 0.53 micrometer 1.06 micrometer and 1.32 micrometer Nd:YAG laser systems.

Solid-state lasers for coherent communication and remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, Robert L.

1990-01-01

Laser development, high efficiency, high power second harmonic generation, operation of optical parametric oscillators for wavelength diversity and tunability, and studies in coherent communications are reviewed.

Single Frequency Monolithic Solid State Green Laser as a Potential Source for Vibrometry Systems

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

Sotor, Jaroslaw Z.; Antonczak, Arkadiusz J.; Abramski, Krzysztof M.

2010-05-28

In this paper miniature, monolithic single frequency solid state laser operating at 532 nm is presented. Developed Nd:GdVO{sub 4}/YVO{sub 4}/KTP consist of three crystal bonded together with a UV adhesive. The single frequency operation was obtained in wide temperature range from 17 deg. C to 27 deg. C. The laser operated with output power up to 90 mW at 532 nm. The total optical efficiency (808 nm to 532 nm) was 9.5%. Power stability was at the level of +-0.8% and the long term frequency stability was approximately 3centre dot10{sup -8}. The beam has a Gaussian profile and the M2more » parameter was below 1.1.« less

Cryogenic Eyesafer Laser Optimization for Use Without Liquid Nitrogen

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

liquid cryogens. This calls for optimal performance around 125–150 K—high enough for reasonably efficient operation of a Stirling cooler. We...state laser system with an optimum operating temperature somewhat higher—ideally 125–150 K—can be identified, then a Stirling cooler can be used to...needed to optimize laser performance in the desired temperature range. This did not include actual use of Stirling coolers, but rather involved both

CW molecular iodine laser pumped with a low power DPSSL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luhs, W.; Wellegehausen, B.; Goyal, M.

2017-04-01

Cw oscillation of molecular iodine on many lines in the range of 557-802 nm pumped with a low power common diode pumped and frequency doubled solid state laser DPSSL is reported. The DPSSL is temperature stabilized, operates in single frequency and can be tuned by about 2 nm at 532 nm. Operation conditions of this simple and low cost iodine ring laser will be described and possible applications will be discussed.

ARPA solid state laser and nonlinear materials program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moulton, Peter F.

1994-06-01

The Research Division of Schwartz Electro-Optics, as part of the ARPA Solid State Laser and Nonlinear Materials Program, conducted a three-year study 'Erbium-Laser-Based Infrared Sources.' The aim of the study was to improve the understanding of semiconductor-laser-pumped, infrared (IR) solid state lasers based on the trivalent rare-earth ion erbium (Er) doped into a variety of host crystals. The initial program plan emphasized operation of erbium-doped materials on the 2.8-3.0 micrometers laser transition. Pulsed, Q-switched sources using that transition, when employed as a pump source for parametric oscillators, can provide tunable mid-IR energy. The dynamics of erbium lasers are more complex than conventional neodymium (Nd)-doped lasers and we intended to use pump-probe techniques to measure the level and temporal behavior of gain in various materials. To do so we constructed a number of different cw Er-doped lasers as probe sources and employed the Cr:LiSAF(LiSrAlF6) laser as a pulsed pump source that would simulate pulsed diode arrays. We identified the 970-nm wavelength pump band of Er as the most efficient and were able to make use of recently developed cw and pulsed InGaAs strained-quantum-well diode lasers in the effort. At the conclusion of the program we demonstrated the first pulsed diode bar pumping of the most promising materials for pulsed operation, the oxide garnets YSGG and GGG and the fluoride BaY2F8.

Development of a solid-state sodium Doppler lidar using an all-fiber-coupled injection seeding unit for simultaneous temperature and wind measurements in the mesopause region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Guotao; Xia, Yuan; Cheng, Xuewu; Du, Lifang; Wang, Jihong; Xun, Yuchang

2017-04-01

We present a solid-state sodium (Na) Doppler lidar developed at YanQing Station, Beijing, China (40°N, 116°E) to achieve simultaneous wind and temperature measurements of mesopause region. The 589nm pulse laser is produced by two injection seeded 1064nm and 1319nm Nd:YAG pulse lasers using the sum-frequency generation (SFG) technique. An all-fiber-coupled seeding laser unit was designed to enable absolute laser frequency locking and cycling the measurements among three different operating frequencies. Experimental observations were carried out using this Na lidar system and the preliminary results were described and compared with the temperature of the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) and the horizontal wind of the meteor Radar, demonstrating the reliability and good performance of this lidar system. The all-fiber-coupled injection seeding configuration together with the solid-state Nd:YAG lasers make the Na Doppler lidar more compact and greatly reduce the system maintenance, which is conducive to transportable and unattended operation.

Low-threshold, CW, all-solid-state Ti:Al2O3 laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, James; Finch, Andrew; Rines, David M.; Rines, Glen A.; Moulton, Peter F.

1991-01-01

A CW Ti:Al2O3 ring laser with a threshold power of 119 mW is demonstrated. It provides a tunable source of single-frequency, diffraction-limited radiation that is suitable for injection seeding. The Ti:Al2O3 laser is operated with a diode-laser-pumped, frequency-doubled, Nd:YAG laser as the sole pump source.

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.

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.

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.

Polarization characteristic of a room-temperature Co:MgF2 laser.

PubMed

Zhang, Zengming M; Cui, Yiben B; Li, Fuli L; Zhang, Guobin B; Pu, Qirong R; Xu, Gaojie J

2002-02-20

A study of the polarization characteristic of a Co:MgF2 laser with a 1320-nm YAG pumping laser at room temperature is reported. The thresholds, output energies, and efficiencies of the laser are given at the various polarization states. The more intensive emission is in the pi-polarization pump laser and sigma-polarization laser operation. Performances of the Co:MgF2 lasers are similar for the polarized and unpolarized laser pumping along the optical axis of the crystal.

Frequency stabilization of diode-laser-pumped solid state lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, Robert L.

1988-01-01

The goal of the NASA Sunlite program is to fly two diode-laser-pumped solid-state lasers on the space shuttle and while doing so to perform a measurement of their frequency stability and temporal coherence. These measurements will be made by combining the outputs of the two lasers on an optical radiation detector and spectrally analyzing the beat note. Diode-laser-pumped solid-state lasers have several characteristics that will make them useful in space borne experiments. First, this laser has high electrical efficiency. Second, it is of a technology that enables scaling to higher powers in the future. Third, the laser can be made extremely reliable, which is crucial for many space based applications. Fourth, they are frequency and amplitude stable and have high temporal coherence. Diode-laser-pumped solid-state lasers are inherently efficient. Recent results have shown 59 percent slope efficiency for a diode-laser-pumped solid-state laser. As for reliability, the laser proposed should be capable of continuous operation. This is possible because the diode lasers can be remote from the solid state gain medium by coupling through optical fibers. Diode lasers are constructed with optical detectors for monitoring their output power built into their mounting case. A computer can actively monitor the output of each diode laser. If it sees any variation in the output power that might indicate a problem, the computer can turn off that diode laser and turn on a backup diode laser. As for stability requirements, it is now generally believed that any laser can be stabilized if the laser has a frequency actuator capable of tuning the laser frequency as far as it is likely to drift in a measurement time.

Vacuum ultraviolet laser

DOEpatents

Berkowitz, Joseph; Ruscic, Branko M.; Greene, John P.

1986-01-01

Transitions from the 2p.sup.4 (.sup.1 S.sub.0)3s .sup.2 S.sub.1/2 state of atomic fluorine to all allowed lower states produces laser emission at six new wavelengths: 680.7 .ANG., 682.6 .ANG., 3592.7 .ANG., 3574.1 .ANG., 6089.2 .ANG., and 6046.8 .ANG.. Coherent radiation at these new wavelengths can be generated in an atomic fluorine laser operated as an amplifier or as an oscillator.

Efficient laser operation of Nd3+:Lu2O3 at various wavelengths between 917 nm and 1463 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Brunn, P.; Heuer, A. M.; Fornasiero, L.; Huber, G.; Kränkel, C.

2016-08-01

Even though the first Nd3+-doped sesquioxide lasers have been realized more than 50 years ago, up to now no reports on efficient laser operation of Nd3+:doped sesquioxides can be found. In this work, we review the favorable spectroscopic properties of the sesquioxide Nd3+:Lu2O3 in terms of ground state absorption, stimulated emission, and excited state absorption cross sections as well as the upper level lifetime. Making use of these properties, we achieved efficient laser performance on eight different laser transitions in the wavelength range between 917 nm and 1463 nm under Ti:sapphire laser pumping using state-of-the-art HEM-grown Nd3+:Lu2O3 crystals with good optical quality. At the strongest transition around 1076 nm we determined a slope efficiency of 69%, which represents the highest efficiency ever obtained for a Nd3+-doped sesquioxide. Furthermore, we could generate watt level output powers and high slope efficiencies for seven other transitions. Lasers at 917 nm, 1053 nm, 1108 nm and 1463 nm were realized for the first time and the latter represents one of the longest laser wavelengths obtained on the 4F3/2  →  4I13/2 transition in Nd3+-doped materials.

Simultaneous multi-state stimulated emission in quantum dot lasers: experiment and analytical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korenev, V. V.; Savelyev, A. V.; Zhukov, A. E.; Omelchenko, A. V.; Maximov, M. V.; Shernyakov, Yu. M.

2012-06-01

The theoretical investigation of the double-state lasing phenomena in InAs/InGaAs quantum dot lasers has been carried out. The new mechanism of the ground-state lasing quenching, which takes place in quantum dot (QD) laser operating in double-state lasing regime at high pump level, was proposed. The difference between electron and hole capture rates causes the depletion of the hole levels and consequently leads to the decrease of an output lasing power via QD ground state with the growth of injection. Moreover, it was shown that the hole-to-electron capture rates ratio strongly affects both the light-current curve and the key laser parameters. The model of the simultaneous lasing through the ground and excited QD states was developed which allows to describe the observed quenching quantitatively.

Cladding For Transversely-Pumped Laser Rod

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, Robert L.; Fan, Tso Yee

1989-01-01

Combination of suitable dimensioning and cladding of neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet of similar solid-state laser provides for more efficient utilization of transversely-incident pump light from diode lasers. New design overcomes some of limitations of longitudinal- and older transverse-pumping concepts and promotes operation at higher output powers in TEM00 mode.

Λ-enhanced grey molasses on the D2 transition of Rubidium-87 atoms.

PubMed

Rosi, Sara; Burchianti, Alessia; Conclave, Stefano; Naik, Devang S; Roati, Giacomo; Fort, Chiara; Minardi, Francesco

2018-01-22

Laser cooling based on dark states, i.e. states decoupled from light, has proven to be effective to increase the phase-space density of cold trapped atoms. Dark-states cooling requires open atomic transitions, in contrast to the ordinary laser cooling used for example in magneto-optical traps (MOTs), which operate on closed atomic transitions. For alkali atoms, dark-states cooling is therefore commonly operated on the D 1 transition nS 1/2  → nP 1/2 . We show that, for 87 Rb, thanks to the large hyperfine structure separations the use of this transition is not strictly necessary and that "quasi-dark state" cooling is efficient also on the D 2 line, 5S 1/2  → 5P 3/2 . We report temperatures as low as (4.0 ± 0.3) μK and an increase of almost an order of magnitude in the phase space density with respect to ordinary laser sub-Doppler cooling.

Diode-pumped DUV cw all-solid-state laser to replace argon ion lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanger, Ekhard; Liu, B.; Gries, Wolfgang

2000-04-01

The slim series DELTATRAINTM-worldwide the first integrated cw diode-pumped all-solid-state DUV laser at 266 nm with a compact, slim design-has been developed. The slim design minimizes the DUV DPSSL footprint and thus greatly facilitates the replacement of commonly used gas ion lasers, including these with intra-cavity frequency doubling, in numerous industrial and scientific applications. Such a replacement will result in an operation cost reduction by several thousands US$DLR each year for one unit. Owing to its unique geometry-invariant frequency doubling cavity- based on the LAS patent-pending DeltaConcept architecture- this DUV laser provides excellent beam-pointing stability of <2 (mu) rad/ degree(s)C and power stability of <2%. The newest design of the cavity block has adopted a cemented resonator with each component positioned precisely inside a compact monolithic metal block. The automatic and precise crystal shifter ensures long operation lifetime of > 5000 hours of whole 266 nm laser. The microprocessor controlled power supply provides an automatic control of the whole 266 nm laser, making this DUV laser a hands-off system which can meet tough requirements posed by numerous industrial and scientific applications. It will replace the commonplace ion laser as the future DUV laser of choice.

Digital optical signal processing with polarization-bistable semiconductor lasers

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

Jai-Ming Liu,; Ying-Chin Chen,

1985-04-01

The operations of a complete set of optical AND, NAND, OR, and NOR gates and clocked optical S-R, D, J-K, and T flip-flops are demonstrated, based on direct polarization switching and polarization bistability, which we have recently observed in InGaAsP/InP semiconductor lasers. By operating the laser in the direct-polarizationswitchable mode, the output of the laser can be directly switched between the TM00 and TE00 modes with high extinction ratios by changing the injection-current level, and optical logic gates are constructed with two optoelectronic switches or photodetectors. In the polarization-bistable mode, the laser exhibits controllable hysteresis loops in the polarization-resolved powermore » versus current characteristics. When the laser is biased in the middle of the hysteresis loop, the light output can be switched between the two polarization states by injection of short electrical or optical pulses, and clocked optical flip-flops are constructed with a few optoelectronic switches and/or photodetectors. The 1 and 0 states of these devices are defined through polarization changes of the laser and direct complement functions are obtainable from the TE and TM output signals from the same laser. Switching of the polarization-bistable lasers with fast-rising current pulses has an instrument-limited mode-switching time on the order of 1 ns. With fast optoelectronic switches and/or fast photodetectors, the overall switching speed of the logic gates and flip-flops is limited by the polarizationbistable laser to <1 ns. We have demonstrated the operations of these devices using optical signals generated by semiconductor lasers. The proposed schemes of our devices are compatible with monolithic integration based on current fabrication technology and are applicable to other types of bistable semiconductor lasers.« less

Solid state lasers based on chromium- and neodymium-activated scandium garnets operating in the Q-switched mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denisov, A. L.; Zharikov, E. V.; Zavartsev, Iu. D.; Zagumennyi, A. I.; Lutts, G. B.

1991-02-01

The development of passively Q-switched and self-Q-switched lasers based on chromium-containing scandium garnets with phototropic centers is reported. The lasers operate over a wide frequency repetition rate with a mean output up to 100 W. The characteristics of phototropic absorption in the 1-micron region are examined, and the possibility of lasing at the weak transition of the Nd(3+) ion in chromium-containing scandium garnets with phototropic centers is discussed.

Silica-coated gold nanorods as saturable absorber for bound-state pulse generation in a fiber laser with near-zero dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xude; Luo, Aiping; Luo, Zhichao; Liu, Meng; Zou, Feng; Zhu, Yanfang; Xue, Jianping; Xu, Wencheng

2017-11-01

We presented a bound-state operation in a fiber laser with near-zero anomalous dispersion based on a silica-coated gold nanorods (GNRs@SiO2) saturable absorber (SA). Using a balanced twin detector measurement technique, the modulation depth and nonsaturable loss of the GNRs@SiO2 SA were measured to be approximately 3.5% and 39.3%, respectively. By virtue of the highly nonlinear effect of the GNRs@SiO2 SA, the bound-state pulses could be easily observed. Besides the lower-order bound-state pulses with two, three, and four solitons, the higher-order bound states with up to 12 solitons were also obtained in the laser cavity. The pulse profiles of the higher-order bound states were further reconstructed theoretically. The experimental results would give further insight towards understanding the complex nonlinear dynamics of bound-state pulses in fiber lasers.

Laser ion source for high brightness heavy ion beam

DOE PAGES

Okamura, M.

2016-09-01

A laser ion source is known as a high current high charge state heavy ion source. But, we place great emphasis on the capability to realize a high brightness ion source. A laser ion source has a pinpoint small volume where materials are ionized and can achieve quite uniform low temperature ion beam. Those features may enable us to realize very small emittance beams. Furthermore, a low charge state high brightness laser ion source was successfully commissioned in Brookhaven National Laboratory in 2014. Now most of all the solid based heavy ions are being provided from the laser ion sourcemore » for regular operation.« less

Period locking due to delayed feedback in a laser with saturable absorber.

PubMed

Carr, T W

2003-08-01

We consider laser with saturable absorber operating in the pulsating regime that is subject to delayed feedback. Alone, both the saturable absorber and delayed feedback cause the clockwise output to become unstable to periodic output via Hopf bifurcations. The delay feedback causes the laser pulse period to lock to an integer fraction of the feedback time. We derive a map from the original model to describe the periodic pulsations of the laser. Equations for the period of the laser predict the occurrence of the different locking states as well as the value of the pump when there is a switch between the locked states.

Selective removal of natural caries lesions from dentin and tooth occlusal surfaces using a diode-pumped Er:YAG laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jew, Jamison; Chan, Kenneth H.; Darling, Cynthia L.; Fried, Daniel

2017-02-01

Selective removal of caries lesions with high precision is best accomplished using lasers operating at high pulse repetition rates utilizing small spot sizes. Conventional flash-lamp pumped Er:YAG lasers are poorly suited for this purpose, but new diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) Er:YAG lasers have become available operating at high pulse repetition rates. Microradiography was used to determine the mineral content of the demineralized dentin of 200-μm thick sections with natural caries lesions prior to laser ablation. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of a DPSS Er:YAG laser for the selective removal of demineralized dentin and natural occlusal lesions on extracted teeth.

Progress in high duty cycle, highly efficient fiber coupled 940-nm pump modules for high-energy class solid-state lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Platz, R.; Frevert, C.; Eppich, B.; Rieprich, J.; Ginolas, A.; Kreutzmann, S.; Knigge, S.; Erbert, G.; Crump, P.

2018-03-01

Diode lasers pump sources for future high-energy-class laser systems based on Yb-doped solid state amplifiers must deliver high optical intensities, high conversion efficiency (ηE = > 50%) at high repetition rates (f = 100 Hz) and long pulse widths (τ = 0.5…2 ms). Over the last decade, a series of pump modules has been developed at the Ferdinand-BraunInstitut to address these needs. The latest modules use novel wide-aperture single emitter diode lasers in passively side cooled stacks, operate at τ = 1 ms, f = 100…200 Hz and deliver 5…6 kW optical output power from a fiber with 1.9 mm core diameter and NA of 0.22, for spatial brightness BΩ > 1 MW/cm2 sr. The performance to date and latest developments in these high brightness modules are summarized here with recent work focusing on extending operation to other pumping conditions, as needed for alternative solid state laser designs. Specifically, the electro-optic, spectral and beam propagation characteristics of the module and its components are studied as a function of τ for a fixed duty cycle DC = 10% for τ = 1...100 ms, and first data is shown for continuous wave operation. Clear potential is seen to fulfill more demanding specifications without design changes. For example, high power long-pulse operation is demonstrated, with a power of > 5 kW at τ = 100 ms. Higher brightness operation is also confirmed at DC = 10% and τ = 1 ms, with > 5 kW delivered in a beam with BΩ > 4 MW/cm2 sr.

Cryogenic Tm: YAG Laser in the Near Infrared

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-29

Applications Group. The focus of his work at Lincoln Laboratory has been solid-state lasers including microchip lasers , external-cavity diode lasers ...REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR PAPER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (DOUBLE-CLICK HERE TO EDIT) < Cryogenic Tm:YAG Laser in the Near Infrared* Tso Yee Fan...Senior Member, IEEE, Juan R. Ochoa, and Patricia A. Reed Abstract- Thulium laser operation on the 3H4 - 3H6 transition at 823 nm has been demonstrated

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.

Remote sensing of atmospheric pressure and sea state using laser altimeters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, C. S.

1985-01-01

Short-pulse multicolor laser ranging systems are currently being developed for satellite ranging applications. These systems use Q-switched pulsed lasers and streak-tube cameras to provide timing accuracies approaching a few picoseconds. Satellite laser ranging systems have been used to evaluate many important geophysical phenomena such as fault motion, polar motion and solid earth tides, by measuring the orbital perturbations of retroreflector equipped satellites. Some existing operational systems provide range resolution approaching a few millimeters. There is currently considerable interest in adapting these highly accurate systems for use as airborne and satellite based altimeters. Potential applications include the measurement of sea state, ground topography and atmospheric pressure. This paper reviews recent progress in the development of multicolor laser altimeters for use in monitoring sea state and atmospheric pressure.

Nanocrystal waveguide (NOW) laser

DOEpatents

Simpson, John T.; Simpson, Marcus L.; Withrow, Stephen P.; White, Clark W.; Jaiswal, Supriya L.

2005-02-08

A solid state laser includes an optical waveguide and a laser cavity including at least one subwavelength mirror disposed in or on the optical waveguide. A plurality of photoluminescent nanocrystals are disposed in the laser cavity. The reflective subwavelength mirror can be a pair of subwavelength resonant gratings (SWG), a pair of photonic crystal structures (PC), or a distributed feedback structure. In the case of a pair of mirrors, a PC which is substantially transmissive at an operating wavelength of the laser can be disposed in the laser cavity between the subwavelength mirrors to improve the mode structure, coherence and overall efficiency of the laser. A method for forming a solid state laser includes the steps of providing an optical waveguide, creating a laser cavity in the optical waveguide by disposing at least one subwavelength mirror on or in the waveguide, and positioning a plurality of photoluminescent nanocrystals in the laser cavity.

Fast widely-tunable single-frequency 2-micron laser for remote-sensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Sammy W.; Hale, Charley P.

2017-08-01

We are developing a family of fast, widely-tunable cw diode-pumped single frequency solid-state lasers, called Swift. The Swift laser architecture is compatible with operation using many different solid-state laser crystals for operation at various emission lines between 1 and 2.1 micron. The initial prototype Swift laser using a Tm,Ho:YLF laser crystal near 2.05 micron wavelength achieved over 100 mW of single frequency cw output power, up to 50 GHz-wide, fast, mode-hop-free piezoelectric tunability, and 100 kHz/ms frequency stability. For the Tm,Ho:YLF laser material, the fast 50 GHz tuning range can be centered at any wavelength from 2047-2059 nm using appropriate intracavity spectral filters. The frequency stability and power are sufficient to serve as the local oscillator (LO) laser in long-range coherent wind-measuring lidar systems, as well as a frequency-agile master oscillator (MO) or injection-seed source for larger pulsed transmitter lasers. The rapid and wide frequency tunablity meets the requirements for integrated-path or range-resolved differential absorption lidar or applications where targets with significantly different line of sight velocities (Doppler shifts) must be tracked. Initial demonstration of an even more compact version of the Swift is also described which requires less prime power and produces less waste heat.

Single-mode, All-Solid-State Nd:YAG Laser Pumped UV Converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Narasimha S.; Armstrong, Darrell, J.; Edwards, William C.; Singh, Upendra N.

2008-01-01

In this paper, the status of a high-energy, all solid-state Nd:YAG laser pumped nonlinear optics based UV converter development is discussed. The high-energy UV transmitter technology is being developed for ozone sensing applications from space based platforms using differential lidar technique. The goal is to generate greater than 200 mJ/pulse with 10-50 Hz PRF at wavelengths of 308 nm and 320 nm. A diode-pumped, all-solid-state and single longitudinal mode Nd:YAG laser designed to provide conductively cooled operation at 1064 nm has been built and tested. Currently, this pump laser provides an output pulse energy of >1 J/pulse at 50 Hz PRF and a pulsewidth of 22 ns with an electrical-to-optical system efficiency of greater than 7% and a M(sup 2) value of <2. The single frequency UV converter arrangement basically consists of an IR Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) and a Sum Frequency Generator (SFG) setups that are pumped by 532 nm wavelength obtained via Second Harmonic Generation (SHG). In this paper, the operation of an inter cavity SFG with CW laser seeding scheme generating 320 nm wavelength is presented. Efforts are underway to improve conversion efficiency of this mJ class UV converter by modifying the spatial beam profile of the pump laser.

Modeling the effect of heatsink performance in high-peak-power laser-diode-bar pump sources for solid-state lasers 011 011

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

Honea, E.C., LLNL

We derive approximate expressions for transient output power and wavelength chirp of high- peak-power laser-diode bars assuming one-dimensional heat flow and linear temperature dependences for chirp and efficiency. The model is derived for pulse durations, 10 < {tau} < 1000 ps, typically used for diode-pumped solid-state lasers and is in good agreement with experimental data for Si heatsink mounted 940 nm laser-diode bars operating at 100 W/cm. The analytic expressions are more flexible and easily used than the results of operating point dependent numerical modeling. In addition, the analytic expressions used here can be integrated to describe the energy permore » unit wavelength for a given pulse duration, initial emission bandwidth and heatsink material. We find that the figure-of-merit for a heatsink material in this application is ({rho}C{sub p}K) where {rho}C{sub p} is the volumetric heat capacity and K is the thermal conductivity. As an example of the utility of the derived expressions, we determine an effective absorption coefficient as a function of pump pulse duration for a diode-pumped solid-state laser utilizing Yb:Sr{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F (Yb:S-FAP) as the gain medium.« less

A solid state tunable laser for resonance measurements of atmospheric sodium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Philbrick, C. R.; Bufton, J. L.; Gardner, C. S.

1985-01-01

The measurement of wave dynamics in the upper mesosphere using a solid-state laser to excite the resonance fluorescence line of sodium is examined. Two Nd:YAG lasers are employed to produce the sodium resonance line. The method involves mixing the 1064 nm radiation with that from a second Nd:YAG operating at 1319 nm in a nonlinear infrared crystal to directly produce 589 nm radiation by sum frequency generation. The use of the transmitter to measure the sodium layer from the Space Shuttle Platform is proposed. A diagram of the laser transmitter is presented.

Ultrafast time scale X-rotation of cold atom storage qubit using Rubidium clock states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yunheung; Lee, Han-Gyeol; Kim, Hyosub; Jo, Hanlae; Ahn, Jaewook

2017-04-01

Ultrafast-time-scale optical interaction is a local operation on the electronic subspace of an atom, thus leaving its nuclear state intact. However, because atomic clock states are maximally entangled states of the electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom, their entire Hilbert space should be accessible only with local operations and classical communications (LOCC). Therefore, it may be possible to achieve hyperfine qubit gates only with electronic transitions. Here we show an experimental implementation of ultrafast X-rotation of atomic hyperfine qubits, in which an optical Rabi oscillation induces a geometric phase between the constituent fine-structure states, thus bringing about the X-rotation between the two ground hyperfine levels. In experiments, cold atoms in a magneto-optical trap were controlled with a femtosecond laser pulse from a Ti:sapphire laser amplifier. Absorption imaging of the as-controlled atoms initially in the ground hyperfine state manifested polarization dependence, strongly agreeing with the theory. The result indicates that single laser pulse implementations of THz clock speed qubit controls are feasible for atomic storage qubits. Samsung Science and Technology Foundation [SSTF-BA1301-12].

System for beaming power from earth to a high altitude platform

DOEpatents

Friedman, Herbert W.; Porter, Terry J.

2002-01-01

Power is transmitted to a high altitude platform by an array of diode pumped solid state lasers each operated at a single range of laser wavelengths outside of infrared and without using adaptive optics. Each laser produces a beam with a desired arrival spot size. An aircraft avoidance system uses a radar system for automatic control of the shutters of the lasers.

Stable donutlike vortex beam generation from lasers with controlled Ince-Gaussian modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Shu-Chun; Otsuka, Kenju

2007-11-01

This study proposes a three-lens configuration for generating a stable donutlike vortex laser beam with controlled Ince-Gaussian mode (IGM) operation in the model of laser-diode (LD)-pumped solid-state lasers. Simply controlling the lateral off-axis position of the pump beam's focus on the laser crystal can generate a desired donutlike vortex beam from the proposed simple and easily made three-lens configuration, a proposed astigmatic mode converter assembled into one body with a concave-convex laser cavity.

Terahertz lasers and amplifiers based on resonant optical phonon scattering to achieve population inversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hu, Qing (Inventor); Williams, Benjamin S. (Inventor)

2007-01-01

The present invention provides quantum cascade lasers and amplifier that operate in a frequency range of about 1 Terahertz to about 10 Terahertz. In one aspect, a quantum cascade laser of the invention includes a semiconductor heterostructure that provides a plurality of lasing modules connected in series. Each lasing module includes a plurality of quantum well structure that collectively generate at least an upper lasing state, a lower lasing state, and a relaxation state such that the upper and the lower lasing states are separated by an energy corresponding to an optical frequency in a range of about 1 to about 10 Terahertz. The lower lasing state is selectively depopulated via resonant LO-phonon scattering of electrons into the relaxation state.

Terahertz lasers and amplifiers based on resonant optical phonon scattering to achieve population inversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Benjamin S. (Inventor); Hu, Qing (Inventor)

2009-01-01

The present invention provides quantum cascade lasers and amplifier that operate in a frequency range of about 1 Terahertz to about 10 Terahertz. In one aspect, a quantum cascade laser of the invention includes a semiconductor heterostructure that provides a plurality of lasing modules connected in series. Each lasing module includes a plurality of quantum well structure that collectively generate at least an upper lasing state, a lower lasing state, and a relaxation state such that the upper and the lower lasing states are separated by an energy corresponding to an optical frequency in a range of about 1 to about 10 Terahertz. The lower lasing state is selectively depopulated via resonant LO-phonon scattering of electrons into the relaxation state.

Compact erbium lasers in the IR photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Baining; Eichler, Hans J.; Sperlich, O.; Holschbach, A.; Kayser, M.

1996-09-01

Erbium lasers deliver laser radiation near 3 micrometers and are a promising alternative to excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (UV-PRK). In addition to easier handling due to all solid state technology, especially when operated in the fundamental mode, IR-PRK eliminates the potential of mutagenic side effects associated with UV-PRK. However, a successful IR-PRK for the clinic treatment in the near future demands both technological development of erbium lasers in different operation modes and clinical investigation of interaction between 3 micrometers radiation and human corneas. The excellent cooperation between university, company and hospital makes this possible. Uncoated thin plates made from infrared materials were found to be effective etalon reflectors with high damage threshold as high as 1 GW/cm2 for erbium lasers. Four kinds of such reflectors were successfully tested in Q-switched Er:YAG-laser at 2.94 micrometers and Er:Cr:YSGG-laser at 2.80 micrometers. Very stable operation of our erbium lasers with high output energy both in free-running and Q-switched modes is realized. First infrared photorefractive keratectomy (IR-PRK) for myopic correction in human corneas by a free-running erbium laser based on our new construction concepts was achieved.

Advanced technologies in the ASI MLRO towards a new generation laser ranging system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varghese, Thomas; Bianco, Giuseppe

1994-01-01

Matera Laser Ranging Observatory (MLRO) is a high performance, highly automated optical and astronomical observatory currently under design and development by AlliedSignal for the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It is projected to become operational at the Centro Geodesia Spaziale in Matera, Italy, in 1997. MLRO, based on a 1.5-meter astronomical quality telescope, will perform ranging to spacecraft in earthbound orbits, lunar reflectors, and specially equipped deep space missions. The primary emphasis during design is to incorporate state-of-the-art technologies to produce an intelligent, automated, high accuracy ranging system that will mimic the characteristic features of a fifth generation laser ranging system. The telescope has multiple ports and foci to support future experiments in the areas of laser communications, lidar, astrometry, etc. The key features providing state-of-the-art ranging performance include: a diode-pumped picosecond (50 ps) laser, high speed (3-5 GHz) optoelectronic detection and signal processing, and a high accuracy (6 ps) high resolution (less than 2 ps) time measurement capability. The above combination of technologies is expected to yield millimeter laser ranging precision and accuracy on targets up to 300,000 km, surpassing the best operational instrument performance to date by a factor of five or more. Distributed processing and control using a state-of-the-art computing environment provides the framework for efficient operation, system optimization, and diagnostics. A computationally intelligent environment permits optimal planning, scheduling, tracking, and data processing. It also supports remote access, monitor, and control for joint experiments with other observatories.

Efficient upconversion-pumped continuous wave Er3+:LiLuF4 lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moglia, Francesca; Müller, Sebastian; Reichert, Fabian; Metz, Philip W.; Calmano, Thomas; Kränkel, Christian; Heumann, Ernst; Huber, Günter

2015-04-01

We report on detailed spectroscopic investigations and efficient visible upconversion laser operation of Er3+:LiLuF4. This material allows for efficient resonant excited-state-absorption (ESA) pumping at 974 nm. Under spectroscopic conditions without external feedback, ESA at the laser wavelength of 552 nm prevails stimulated emission. Under lasing conditions in a resonant cavity, the high intracavity photon density bleaches the ESA at 552 nm, allowing for efficient cw laser operation. We obtained the highest output power of any room-temperature crystalline upconversion laser. The laser achieves a cw output power of 774 mW at a slope efficiency of 19% with respect to the incident pump power delivered by an optically-pumped semiconductor laser. The absorption efficiency of the pump radiation is estimated to be below 50%. To exploit the high confinement in waveguides for this laser, we employed femtosecond-laser pulses to inscribe a cladding of parallel tracks of modified material into Er3+:LiLuF4 crystals. The core material allows for low-loss waveguiding at pump and laser wavelengths. Under Ti:sapphire pumping at 974 nm, the first crystalline upconversion waveguide laser has been realized. We obtained waveguide-laser operation with up to 10 mW of output power at 553 nm.

Threshold analysis of pulsed lasers with application to a room-temperature Co:MgF2 laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, James; Welford, David; Moulton, Peter F.

1989-01-01

Rate-equation calculations are used to model accurately the near-threshold behavior of a Co:MgF2 laser operating at room temperature. The results demonstrate the limitations of the conventional threshold analysis in cases of practical interest. This conclusion is applicable to pulsed solid-state lasers in general. The calculations, together with experimental data, are used to determine emission cross sections for the Co:MgF2 laser.

One-Joule-per-Pulse Q-Switched 2-micron Solid State Laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yu, Jirong; Trieu, Bo C.; Modlin, Ed A.; Singh, Upendra N.; Kavaya, Michael J.; Chen, Songsheng; Bai, Yingxin; Petzar, Pual J.; Petros, Mulugeta

2005-01-01

Q-switched output of 1.1 J per pulse at 2-micron wavelength has been achieved in a diode pumped Ho:Tm:LuLF laser using a side-pumped rod configuration in a Master-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier (MOPA) architecture. This is the first time that a 2-micron laser has broken the Joule per pulse barrier for Q-switched operation. The total system efficiency reaches 5% and 6.2% for single and double pulse operation, respectively. The system produces excellent 1.4 times of transform limited beam quality.

99 W mid-IR operation of a ZGP OPO at 25% duty cycle.

PubMed

Hemming, Alexander; Richards, Jim; Davidson, Alan; Carmody, Neil; Bennetts, Shayne; Simakov, Nikita; Haub, John

2013-04-22

We have demonstrated the highest reported output power from a mid-IR ZGP OPO. The laser is a cascaded hybrid system consisting of a thulium fibre laser, Ho:YAG solid state laser and a Zinc Germanium Phosphide parametric oscillator. The system produces 27 W of output power in the 3-5 μm wavelength range with an M(2) = 4.0 when operating in a repetitively q-switched mode, and a modulated peak output power of 99 W at a reduced duty cycle of 25%.

Vortex operation in Er:LuYAG crystal laser at ∼1.6 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qiyao; Zhao, Yongguang; Zhou, Wei; Shen, Deyuan

2017-09-01

An Er3+-doped Lu1.5Y1.5Al5O12 (Er:LuYAG) solid-state laser with direct generation of optical vortex is reported. The vortex laser operation was realized through being pumped by an annular beam at 1532 nm, which was reformatted by a specially fabricated optical mirror. With two different laser output couplers of 10% and 20% transmissions, pure LG01 mode lasers with right-handedness at 1647.7 nm and 1619.5 nm were yielded from a simple two-mirror cavity, respectively, without any helicity control optical element. Furthermore, stable pulse trains at 1647.7 nm have been achieved via employing an acousto-optic Q-switch, and ∼0.66 mJ pulsed energy and ∼65 ns pulse duration were finally obtained at 1 kHz repetition rate, corresponding to a peak power of ∼10.2 kW. The generated pulse vortex maintained LG01 mode with well-determined right-handedness, as in the case of cw laser operation.

LASERS IN MEDICINE: Structure of matrices for the transformation of laser radiation by biofractals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angel'skii, O. V.; Ushenko, A. G.; Arkhelyuk, A. D.; Ermolenko, S. B.; Burkovets, D. N.

1999-12-01

The changes in the state of polarisation of laser radiation transformed by biofractal objects are examined. The orientational angular structure of the matrix elements of the operator representing the optical properties of biofractals with different morphological structures (mineralised collagen fibres and myosin bundles) is investigated. An optical model for the description of fractal laser fields under the conditions of single light scattering is proposed.

Double-Pulsed 2-micron Laser Transmitter for Multiple Lidar Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Upendra N.; Yu, Jirong

2002-01-01

A high energy double-pulsed Ho:Tm:YLF 2-micron laser amplifier has been demonstrated. 600 mJ per pulse pair under Q-switch operation is achieved with the gain of 4.4. This solid-state laser source can be used as lidar transmitter for multiple lidar applications such as coherent wind and carbon dioxide measurements.

Properties of a vector soliton laser passively mode-locked by a fiber-based semiconductor saturable absorber operating in transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouyang, Chunmei; Wang, Honghai; Shum, Ping; Fu, Songnian; Wong, Jia Haur; Wu, Kan; Lim, Desmond Rodney Chin Siong; Wong, Vincent Kwok Huei; Lee, Kenneth Eng Kian

2011-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate a passively mode-locked fiber laser employing a fiber-based semiconductor saturable absorber (SSA) operating in transmission. Polarization rotation locked vector solitons are observed in the laser. Due to the intrinsic dynamic feature of the laser, period-doubling of these vector solitons has also been observed. Furthermore, extra spectral sidebands are formed on the optical spectrum, caused by the energy exchange between the two orthogonal polarization components of the vector solitons. By careful reduction of the pump power together with fine adjustment to the cavity birefringence, period-one state can further be obtained. Additionally, the phase noise properties of the vector soliton fiber laser have also been characterized experimentally and analytically.

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.

Laser engines operating by resonance absorption. [thermodynamic feasibility study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garbuny, M.; Pechersky, M. J.

1976-01-01

Basic tutorial article on the thermodynamic feasibility of laser engines at the present state of the art. Three main options are considered: (1) laser power applied externally to a heat reservoir (boiler approach); (2) internal heating of working fluid by resonance absorption; and (3) direct conversion of selective excitation into work. Only (2) is considered practically feasible at present. Basic concepts and variants, efficiency relations, upper temperature limits of laser engines, selection of absorbing gases, engine walls, bleaching, thermodynamic cycles of optimized laser engines, laser-powered turbines, laser heat pumps are discussed. Photon engines and laser dissociation engines are also considered.

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.

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.

Fundamentals of metasurface lasers based on resonant dark states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Droulias, Sotiris; Jain, Aditya; Koschny, Thomas; Soukoulis, Costas M.

2017-10-01

Recently, our group proposed a metamaterial laser design based on explicitly coupled dark resonant states in low-loss dielectrics, which conceptually separates the gain-coupled resonant photonic state responsible for macroscopic stimulated emission from the coupling to specific free-space propagating modes, allowing independent adjustment of the lasing state and its coherent radiation output. Due to this functionality, it is now possible to make lasers that can overcome the trade-off between system dimensions and Q factor, especially for surface emitting lasers with deeply subwavelength thickness. Here, we give a detailed discussion of the key functionality and benefits of this design, such as radiation damping tunability, directionality, subwavelength integration, and simple layer-by-layer fabrication. We examine in detail the fundamental design tradeoffs that establish the principle of operation and must be taken into account and give guidance for realistic implementations.

Measurements of copper ground-state and metastable level population densities in a copper-chloride laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nerheim, N. M.

1977-01-01

The population densities of both the ground and the 2D(5/2) metastable states of copper atoms in a double-pulsed copper-chloride laser are correlated with laser energy as a function of time after the dissociation current pulse. Time-resolved density variations of the ground and excited copper atoms were derived from measurements of optical absorption at 324.7 and 510.6 nm, respectively, over a wide range of operating conditions in laser tubes with diameters of 4 to 40 mm. The minimum delay between the two current pulses at which lasing was observed is shown to be a function of the initial density and subsequent decay of the metastable state. Similarly, the maximum delay is shown to be a function of the initial density and decay of the ground state.

Status of the laser ion source at IMP

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

Sha, S.; Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049; School of Nuclear science and technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 73000

2012-02-15

A laser (Nd:YAG laser, 3 J, 1064 nm, 8-10 ns) ion source has been built and under development at IMP to provide pulsed high-charge-state heavy ion beams to a radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) for upgrading the IMP accelerators with a new low-energy beam injector. The laser ion source currently operates in a direct plasma injection scheme to inject the high charge state ions produced from a solid target into the RFQ. The maximum power density on the target was about 8.4 x 10{sup 12} W/cm{sup 2}. The preliminary experimental results will be presented and discussed in this paper.

Efficient 10 kW diode-pumped Nd:YAG rod laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akiyama, Yasuhiro; Takada, Hiroyuki; Sasaki, Mitsuo; Yuasa, Hiroshi; Nishida, Naoto

2003-03-01

As a tool for high speed and high precision material processing such as cutting and welding, we developed a rod-type all-solid-state laser with an average power of more than 10 kW, an electrical-optical efficiency of more than 20%, and a laser head volume of less than 0.05 m3. We developed a highly efficient diode pumped module, and successfully obtained electrical-optical efficiencies of 22% in CW operation and 26% in QCW operation at multi-kW output powers. We also succeeded to reduce the laser head volume, and obtained the output power of 12 kW with an efficiency of 23%, and laser head volume of 0.045 m3. We transferred the technology to SHIBAURA mechatronics corp., who started to provide the LD pumped Nd:YAG laser system with output power up to 4.5 kW. We are now continuing development for further high power laser equipment.

Nonlinear pulse shaping and polarization dynamics in mode-locked fiber lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boscolo, Sonia; Sergeyev, Sergey V.; Mou, Chengbo; Tsatourian, Veronika; Turitsyn, Sergei; Finot, Christophe; Mikhailov, Vitaly; Rabin, Bryan; Westbrook, Paul S.

2014-03-01

We review our recent progress on the study of new nonlinear mechanisms of pulse shaping in passively mode-locked fiber lasers. These include a mode-locking regime featuring pulses with a triangular distribution of the intensity, and spectral compression arising from nonlinear pulse propagation. We also report on our recent experimental studies unveiling new types of vector solitons with processing states of polarization for multi-pulse and tightly bound-state soliton (soliton molecule) operations in a carbon nanotube (CNT) mode-locked fiber laser with anomalous dispersion cavity.

Tetravalent Chromium (Cr(4+)) as Laser-Active Ion for Tunable Solid-State Lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seas, A.; Petricevic, V.; Alfano, Robert R.

1993-01-01

During 10/31/92 - 3/31/93, the following summarizes our major accomplishments: (1) the self-mode-locked operation of the Cr:forsterite laser was achieved; (2) synchronous pumping was used to mode lock the forsterite laser resulting in picosecond pulses, which in turn provided the starting mechanism for self-mode-locking; and (3) the pulses generated had a FWHW of 105 fs and were tunable between 1230 - 1270 nm.

Scalable Creation of Long-Lived Multipartite Entanglement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufmann, H.; Ruster, T.; Schmiegelow, C. T.; Luda, M. A.; Kaushal, V.; Schulz, J.; von Lindenfels, D.; Schmidt-Kaler, F.; Poschinger, U. G.

2017-10-01

We demonstrate the deterministic generation of multipartite entanglement based on scalable methods. Four qubits are encoded in 40Ca+, stored in a microstructured segmented Paul trap. These qubits are sequentially entangled by laser-driven pairwise gate operations. Between these, the qubit register is dynamically reconfigured via ion shuttling operations, where ion crystals are separated and merged, and ions are moved in and out of a fixed laser interaction zone. A sequence consisting of three pairwise entangling gates yields a four-ion Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state |ψ ⟩=(1 /√{2 })(|0000 ⟩+|1111 ⟩) , and full quantum state tomography reveals a state fidelity of 94.4(3)%. We analyze the decoherence of this state and employ dynamic decoupling on the spatially distributed constituents to maintain 69(5)% coherence at a storage time of 1.1 sec.

Development of a solid-state sodium Doppler lidar using an all-fiber-coupled injection seeding unit for simultaneous temperature and wind measurements in the mesopause region.

PubMed

Xia, Yuan; Du, LiFang; Cheng, XueWu; Li, FaQuan; Wang, JiHong; Wang, ZeLong; Yang, Yong; Lin, Xin; Xun, YuChang; Gong, ShunSheng; Yang, GuoTao

2017-03-06

A solid-state sodium (Na) Doppler lidar developed at YanQing Station, Beijing, China (40°N, 116°E) aiming to simultaneous wind and temperature measurement of mesopause region was reported. The 589 nm pulse laser was produced by two injection seeded 1064 nm and 1319 nm Nd:YAG pulse lasers using the sum-frequency generation (SFG) technique. A fiber amplifier is implemented to boost the seed power at 1064 nm, enabling a robust, all-fiber-coupled design for seeding laser unit, absolute laser frequency locking, and cyclic three-frequency switching necessary for simultaneous temperature and wind measurements. The all-fiber-coupled injection seeding configuration together with the solid-state Nd:YAG lasers make the Na Doppler lidar more compact and greatly reduce the system maintenance, which is conducive to transportable and unattended operation. A preliminary observational result obtained with this solid-state sodium Doppler lidar was also reported in this paper.

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.

Different polarization dynamic states in a vector Yb-doped fiber laser.

PubMed

Li, Xingliang; Zhang, Shumin; Han, Huiyun; Han, Mengmeng; Zhang, Huaxing; Zhao, Luming; Wen, Fang; Yang, Zhenjun

2015-04-20

Different polarization dynamic states in an unidirectional, vector, Yb-doped fiber ring laser have been observed. A rich variety of dynamic states, including group velocity locked polarization domains and their splitting into regularly distributed multiple domains, polarization locked square pulses and their harmonic mode locking counterparts, and dissipative soliton resonances have all been observed with different operating parameters. We have also shown experimentally details of the conditions under which polarization-domain-wall dark pulses and bright square pulses form.

High efficiency laser-pumped emerald lasers

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

Lai, S.T.

1987-09-25

Highly efficient laser operation has been achieved in emerald. In a quasi-cw laser-pumped emerald laser, 64% output slope efficiency has been measured at 768 nm, corresponding to a laser quantum yield of 76%. An output power of 1.6 W was reached at 3.6 W of pump power at 647.1 nm from a krypton laser, and was pump power limited. The emerald laser has a tuning range of 720 to 842 nm. The round trip loss excluding the excited state absorption (ESA) is 0.4%/cm. These results indicate the high laser efficiency and the high optical quality of the emerald attainable inmore » the present laser.« less

Fundamentals of metasurface lasers based on resonant dark states

DOE PAGES

Droulias, Sotiris; Jain, Aditya; Koschny, Thomas; ...

2017-10-30

Recently, our group proposed a metamaterial laser design based on explicitly coupled dark resonant states in low-loss dielectrics, which conceptually separates the gain-coupled resonant photonic state responsible for macroscopic stimulated emission from the coupling to specific free-space propagating modes, allowing independent adjustment of the lasing state and its coherent radiation output. Due to this functionality, it is now possible to make lasers that can overcome the trade-off between system dimensions and Q factor, especially for surface emitting lasers with deeply subwavelength thickness. In this paper, we give a detailed discussion of the key functionality and benefits of this design, suchmore » as radiation damping tunability, directionality, subwavelength integration, and simple layer-by-layer fabrication. Finally, we examine in detail the fundamental design tradeoffs that establish the principle of operation and must be taken into account and give guidance for realistic implementations.« less

Inversion of the resonance line of Sr/+/ produced by optically pumping Sr atoms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, W. R.; Falcone, R. W.

1978-01-01

A description is presented of an experiment which demonstrates the selective production of excited-state ions by an optical absorption from neutrals. An inversion on the resonance line of Sr(+) was produced by laser excitation of a two-electron transition, followed by ionization of one of the excited electrons by the same laser. A pulsed, mode-locked laser operating at 2680 A was used to excite atoms from the Sr ground level. The same laser then ionized the excited atoms. The 2680-A pump beam was generated by frequency doubling the output of a synchronously pumped mode-locked dye laser in a KDP crystal. It is pointed out that the reported results are significant for the construction of vacuum-ultraviolet and X-ray lasers. Many of the proposed methods for making such lasers depend on the selective production of excited-state ions.

Post-mortem characterization of fs laser-generated micro-pillars in Li(Ni1/3Mn1/3Co1/3)O2 electrodes by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smyrek, P.; Zheng, Y.; Seifert, H. J.; Pfleging, W.

2016-03-01

NMC thick films were prepared by tape-casting and subsequent ultrafast laser-structuring. The lithium distribution in electrochemically cycled and unstructured or fs laser-structured NMC cathodes was investigated by using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The main goal is to develop an optimized three dimensional cell architecture with improved electrochemical properties based on studies of the homogeneity of the local State-of-Charge. LIBS experiments were carried out using a LIBS workstation equipped with a mode-locked diode pumped solid state Nd:YAG laser operating at a wavelength of 1063 nm. The element distribution was investigated using two different techniques: element mapping and element depth-profiling of the unstructured / fs laser-structured electrode surface. Results achieved from post-mortem studies using LIBS will be presented.

High repetition ration solid state switched CO2 TEA laser employed in industrial ultrasonic testing of aircraft parts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Bergmann, Hubertus; Morkel, Francois; Stehmann, Timo

2015-02-01

Laser Ultrasonic Testing (UT) is an important technique for the non-destructive inspection of composite parts in the aerospace industry. In laser UT a high power, short pulse probe laser is scanned across the material surface, generating ultrasound waves which can be detected by a second low power laser system and are used to draw a defect map of the part. We report on the design and testing of a transversely excited atmospheric pressure (TEA) CO2 laser system specifically optimised for laser UT. The laser is excited by a novel solid-state switched pulsing system and utilises either spark or corona preionisation. It provides short output pulses of less than 100 ns at repetition rates of up to 1 kHz, optimised for efficient ultrasonic wave generation. The system has been designed for highly reliable operation under industrial conditions and a long term test with total pulse counts in excess of 5 billion laser pulses is reported.

Solid state laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rines, Glen A. (Inventor); Moulton, Peter F. (Inventor); Harrison, James (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A wavelength-tunable, injection-seeded, dispersion-compensated, dispersively-pumped solid state laser includes a lasing medium; a highly reflective mirror; an output coupler; at least one isosceles Brewster prism oriented to the minimum deviation angle between the medium and the mirror for directing light of different wavelengths along different paths; means for varying the angle of the highly reflective mirror relative to the light from at least one Brewster angle for selecting a predetermined laser operating wavelength; a dispersion compensation apparatus associated with the lasing medium; a laser injection seeding port disposed between the dispersion compensation apparatus and one of the mirror and coupler and including a reflective surface at an acute non-Brewster angle to the laser beam for introducing a seed input; a dispersion compensation apparatus associated with the laser medium including opposite chirality optical elements; the lasing medium including a pump surface disposed at an acute angle to the laser beam to define a discrete path for the pumping laser beam separate from the pumped laser beam.

Evaluation of Ho:KPb2Cl5 as a Diode-Pumpable Mid-IR Laser Material

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

is the decay of the upper laser level without emitting light , due to the simultaneous emission of enough lattice vibrational quanta (phonons) to...have an energy level spacing that can result in emission at the desired laser wavelength, and that state must emit light efficiently. It is also...extremely desirable that it absorb light in the wavelength region where laser diodes operate most efficiently, approximately 800–1000 nm. This enables

Use of a novel tunable solid state disk laser as a diagnostic system for laser-induced fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paa, Wolfgang; Triebel, Wolfgang

2004-09-01

An all solid state disk laser system-named "Advanced Disk Laser (ADL)" -particularly tailored for laser induced fluorescence (LIF) in combustion processes is presented. The system currently under development comprises an Yb:YAG-seedlaser and a regenerative amplifier. Both are based on the disk laser concept as a new laser architecture. This allows a tunable, compact, efficient diode pumped solid state laser (DPSSL) system with repetition rates in the kHz region. After frequency conversion to the UV-spectral region via third and fourth harmonics generation, this laser-due to its unique properties such as single-frequency operation, wavelength tuneability and excellent beam profile-is well suited for excitation of small molecules such as formaldehyde, OH, NO or O2, which are characteristic for combustion processes. Using the method of planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) we observed concentration distributions of formaldehyde in cool and hot flames of a specially designed diethyl-ether burner. The images recorded with 1 kHz repetition rate allow visualizing the distribution of formaldehyde on a 1 ms time scale. This demonstrates for the first time the usability of this novel laser for LIF measurements and is the first step towards integration of the ADL into capsules for drop towers and the international space station.

Erosion rate diagnostics in ion thrusters using laser-induced fluorescence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaeta, C. J.; Matossian, J. N.; Turley, R. S.; Beattie, J. R.; Williams, J. D.; Williamson, W. S.

1993-01-01

We have used laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) to monitor the charge-exchange ion erosion of the molybdenum accelerator electrode in ion thrusters. This real-time, nonintrusive method was implemented by operating a 30cm-diam ring-cusp thruster using xenon propellant. With the thruster operating at a total power of 5 kW, laser radiation at a wavelength of 390 nm (corresponding to a ground state atomic transition of molybdenum) was directed through the extracted ion beam adjacent to the downstream surface of the molybdenum accelerator electrode. Molybdenum atoms, sputtered from this surface as a result of charge-exchange ion erosion, were excited by the laser radiation. The intensity of the laser-induced fluorescence radiation, which is proportional to the sputter rate of the molybdenum atoms, was measured and correlated with variations in thruster operating conditions such as accelerator electrode voltage, accelerator electrode current, and test facility background pressure. We also demonstrated that the LIF technique has sufficient sensitivity and spatial resolution to evaluate accelerator electrode lifetime in ground-based test facilities.

High-resolution measurements of surface topography with airborne laser altimetry and the global positioning system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garvin, James B.; Bufton, Jack L.; Cavanaugh, John F.; Krabill, William B.; Clem, Thomas D.; Frederick, Earl B.; Ward, John L.

1991-01-01

Recently, an airborne lidar system that measures laser pulse time-of-flight and the distortion of the pulse waveform upon reflection from earth surface terrain features was developed and is now operational. This instrument is combined with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and a two-axis gyroscope for accurate recovery of aircraft position and pointing attitude. The laser altimeter system is mounted on a high-altitude aircraft platform and operated in a repetitively-pulsed mode for measurements of surface elevation profiles at nadir. The laser transmitter makes use of recently developed short-pulse diode-pumped solid-state laser technology in Q-switched Nd:YAG operating at its fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm. A reflector telescope and silicon avalanche photodiode are the basis of the optical receiver. A high-speed time-interval unit and a separate high-bandwidth waveform digitizer under microcomputer control are used to process the backscattered pulses for measurements of terrain. Other aspects of the lidar system are briefly discussed.

Turnable Blue-Green LIDAR Transmitter Demonstration: Injection Laser Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-30

5-1 5.2 Baseline Requirements ............................................. 5-1 5.3 Optical Parametric Oscillator Using Beta Barium Borate... optical parametric oscillators , and organic dye lasers. Tunable solid state lasers such as Ti: sapphire operate in the infrared and would have to be...The same is true of I frequency mixing schemes. Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) are attractive because of their extremely wide potential tuning

III-Nitride Nanowire Lasers

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

Wright, Jeremy Benjamin

2014-07-01

In recent years there has been a tremendous interest in nanoscale optoelectronic devices. Among these devices are semiconductor nanowires whose diameters range from 10-100 nm. To date, nanowires have been grown using many semiconducting material systems and have been utilized as light emitting diodes, photodetectors, and solar cells. Nanowires possess a relatively large index contrast relative to their dielectric environment and can be used as lasers. A key gure of merit that allows for nanowire lasing is the relatively high optical con nement factor. In this work, I discuss the optical characterization of 3 types of III-nitride nanowire laser devices.more » Two devices were designed to reduce the number of lasing modes to achieve singlemode operation. The third device implements low-group velocity mode lasing with a photonic crystal constructed of an array of nanowires. Single-mode operation is necessary in any application where high beam quality and single frequency operation is required. III-Nitride nanowire lasers typically operate in a combined multi-longitudinal and multi-transverse mode state. Two schemes are introduced here for controlling the optical modes and achieving single-mode op eration. The rst method involves reducing the diameter of individual nanowires to the cut-o condition, where only one optical mode propagates in the wire. The second method employs distributed feedback (DFB) to achieve single-mode lasing by placing individual GaN nanowires onto substrates with etched gratings. The nanowire-grating substrate acted as a distributed feedback mirror producing single mode operation at 370 nm with a mode suppression ratio (MSR) of 17 dB. The usage of lasers for solid state lighting has the potential to further reduce U.S. lighting energy usage through an increase in emitter e ciency. Advances in nanowire fabrication, speci cally a two-step top-down approach, have allowed for the demonstration of a multi-color array of lasers on a single chip that emit vertically. By tuning the geometrical properties of the individual lasers across the array, each individual nanowire laser produced a di erent emission wavelength yielding a near continuum of laser wavelengths. I successfully fabricated an array of emitters spanning a bandwidth of 60 nm on a single chip. This was achieved in the blue-violet using III-nitride photonic crystal nanowire lasers.« less

Visible high-power laser sources for today and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolka, Gregory L.

1995-04-01

The diversity and proliferation of 'real-world' laser applications continues to put increasing demand on laser technology. New system constraints, often dictated by the operation environment, stretch the capabilities of conventional laboratory lasers. As the applications proliferate, so too do the users. Today's laser user is often not a laser engineer, but rather views the laser simply as a tool to help him perform his job. For lasers to reach their true market potential, laser designers must respond to these user-mandated requirements with simple, compact, rugged devices. Traditional commercial lasers are far too large, bulky and complex for many of these new applications. Design techniques for shrinking, simplifying the ruggedizing solid-state lasers for today's applications will be discussed.

Measurements of population densities of metastable and resonant levels of argon using laser induced fluorescence

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

Nikolić, M.; Newton, J.; Sukenik, C. I.

2015-01-14

We present a new approach to measure population densities of Ar I metastable and resonant excited states in low temperature Ar plasmas at pressures higher than 1 Torr. This approach combines the time resolved laser induced fluorescence technique with the kinetic model of Ar. The kinetic model of Ar is based on calculating the population rates of metastable and resonant levels by including contributions from the processes that affect population densities of Ar I excited states. In particular, we included collisional quenching processes between atoms in the ground state and excited states, since we are investigating plasma at higher pressures. Wemore » also determined time resolved population densities of Ar I 2 p excited states by employing optical emission spectroscopy technique. Time resolved Ar I excited state populations are presented for the case of the post-discharge of the supersonic flowing microwave discharge at pressures of 1.7 and 2.3 Torr. The experimental set-up consists of a pulsed tunable dye laser operating in the near infrared region and a cylindrical resonance cavity operating in TE{sub 111} mode at 2.45 GHz. Results show that time resolved population densities of Ar I metastable and resonant states oscillate with twice the frequency of the discharge.« less

Scalable Creation of Long-Lived Multipartite Entanglement.

PubMed

Kaufmann, H; Ruster, T; Schmiegelow, C T; Luda, M A; Kaushal, V; Schulz, J; von Lindenfels, D; Schmidt-Kaler, F; Poschinger, U G

2017-10-13

We demonstrate the deterministic generation of multipartite entanglement based on scalable methods. Four qubits are encoded in ^{40}Ca^{+}, stored in a microstructured segmented Paul trap. These qubits are sequentially entangled by laser-driven pairwise gate operations. Between these, the qubit register is dynamically reconfigured via ion shuttling operations, where ion crystals are separated and merged, and ions are moved in and out of a fixed laser interaction zone. A sequence consisting of three pairwise entangling gates yields a four-ion Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state |ψ⟩=(1/sqrt[2])(|0000⟩+|1111⟩), and full quantum state tomography reveals a state fidelity of 94.4(3)%. We analyze the decoherence of this state and employ dynamic decoupling on the spatially distributed constituents to maintain 69(5)% coherence at a storage time of 1.1 sec.

Semiconductor ring lasers coupled by a single waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coomans, W.; Gelens, L.; Van der Sande, G.; Mezosi, G.; Sorel, M.; Danckaert, J.; Verschaffelt, G.

2012-06-01

We experimentally and theoretically study the characteristics of semiconductor ring lasers bidirectionally coupled by a single bus waveguide. This configuration has, e.g., been suggested for use as an optical memory and as an optical neural network motif. The main results are that the coupling can destabilize the state in which both rings lase in the same direction, and it brings to life a state with equal powers at both outputs. These are both undesirable for optical memory operation. Although the coupling between the rings is bidirectional, the destabilization occurs due to behavior similar to an optically injected laser system.

High Energy, Single-Mode, All-Solid-State Nd:YAG Laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Narasimha S.; Singh, Upendra N.; Hovis, Floyd

2006-01-01

In this paper, recent progress made in the design and development of an all-solid-state, single longitudinal mode, conductively cooled Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm wavelength for UV lidar for ozone sensing applications is presented. Currently, this pump laser provides an output pulse energy of greater than 1.1 J/pulse at 50 Hz PRF and a pulsewidth of 22 ns. The spatial profile of the output beam is a rectangular super Gaussian. Electrical-to-optical system efficiency of greater than 7% and a minimum M(sup 2) value of less than 2 have been achieved.

Reduction of timing jitter in a Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser by direct bleaching of a Cr4+:YAG saturable absorber.

PubMed

Cole, Brian; Goldberg, Lew; Trussell, C Ward; Hays, Alan; Schilling, Bradley W; McIntosh, Chris

2009-02-02

A method for optical triggering of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser by direct bleaching of a Cr:YAG saturable absorber is described. This method involves the bleaching of a thin sheet of the saturable absorber from a direction orthogonal to the lasing axis using a single laser diode bar, where the Cr:YAG transmission increased from a non-bleached value of 47% to a bleached value of 63%. For steady state operation of a passively Q-switched laser (PRF=10 Hz), the pulse-to-pulse timing jitter showed approximately 12X reduction in standard deviation, from 241 nsec for free running operation to 20 nsec with optical triggering.

Ceramic planar waveguide laser of non-aqueous tape casting fabricated YAG/Yb:YAG/YAG

PubMed Central

Wang, Chao; Li, Wenxue; Yang, Chao; Bai, Dongbi; Li, Jiang; Ge, Lin; Pan, Yubai; Zeng, Heping

2016-01-01

Ceramic YAG/Yb:YAG/YAG planar waveguide lasers were realized on continuous-wave and mode-locked operations. The straight waveguide, fabricated by non-aqueous tape casting and solid state reactive sintering, enabled highly efficient diode-pumped waveguide continuous-wave laser with the slope efficiency of 66% and average output power of more than 3 W. The influence of the waveguide structure on the wavelength tunability was also experimentally investiccgated with a dispersive prism. Passively mode-locked operation of the ceramic waveguide laser was achieved by using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM), output 2.95 ps pulses with maximum power of 385 mW at the central wavelength of 1030 nm. PMID:27535577

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.

New PbSnTe heterojunction laser diode structures with improved performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fonstad, C. G.; Kasemset, D.; Hsieh, H. H.; Rotter, S.

1980-01-01

Several recent advances in the state-of-the-art of lead tin telluride double heterojunction laser diodes are summarized. Continuous Wave operation to 120 K and pulsed operation to 166 K with single, lowest order transverse mode emission to in excess of four times threshold at 80 K were achieved in buried stripe lasers fabricated by liquid phase epitaxy in the lattice-matched system, lead-tin telluride-lead telluride selenide. At the same time, liquid phase epitaxy was used to produce PbSnTe distributed feedback lasers with much broader continuous single mode tuning ranges than are available from Fabry-Perot lasers. The physics and philosophy behind these advances is as important as the structures and performance of the specific devices embodying the advances, particularly since structures are continually being evolved and the performance continues to be improved.

Laser-induced damage of coatings on Yb:YAG crystals at cryogenic condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, He; Zhang, Weili; Chen, Shunli; Zhu, Meiping; He, Hongbo; Fan, Zhengxiu

2011-12-01

As large amounts of heat need to be dissipated during laser operation, some diode pumped solid state lasers (DPSSL), especially Yb:YAG laser, operate at cryogenic condition. This work investigated the laser induced damage of coatings (high-reflective and anti-reflective coatings) on Yb:YAG crystals at cryogenic temperature and room temperature. The results show that the damage threshold of coatings at cryogenic temperature is lower than the one at room temperature. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), optical profiler, step profiler and Atomic force microscope (AFM) were used to obtain the damage morphology, size and depth. Taking alteration of physical parameters, microstructure of coatings and the environmental pollution into consideration, we analyzed the key factor of lowering the coating damage threshold at cryogenic conditions. The results are important to understand the mechanisms leading to damage at cryogenic condition.

Modular package for cooling a laser diode array

DOEpatents

Mundinger, David C.; Benett, William J.; Beach, Raymond J.

1992-01-01

A laser diode array is disclosed that includes a plurality of planar packages and active cooling. The laser diode array may be operated in a long duty cycle, or in continuous operation. A laser diode bar and a microchannel heat sink are thermally coupled in a compact, thin planar package having the laser diode bar located proximate to one edge. In an array, a number of such thin planar packages are secured together in a stacked configuration, in close proximity so that the laser diodes are spaced closely. The cooling means includes a microchannel heat sink that is attached proximate to the laser bar so that it absorbs heat generated by laser operation. To provide the coolant to the microchannels, each thin planar package comprises a thin inlet manifold and a thin outlet manifold connected to an inlet corridor and an outlet corridor. The inlet corridor comprises a hole extending through each of the packages in the array, and the outlet corridor comprises a hole extending through each of the packages in the array. The inlet and outlet corridors are connected to a conventional coolant circulation system. The laser diode array with active cooling has application as an optical pump for high power solid state lasers. Further, it can be incorporated in equipment such as communications devices and active sensors, and in military and space applications, and it can be useful in applications having space constraints and energy limitations.

Application of confocal laser microscopy for monitoring mesh implants in herniology

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

Zakharov, V P; Belokonev, V I; Bratchenko, I A

2011-04-30

The state of the surface of mesh implants and their encapsulation region in herniology is investigated by laser confocal microscopy. A correlation between the probability of developing relapses and the size and density of implant microdefects is experimentally shown. The applicability limits of differential reverse scattering for monitoring the post-operation state of implant and adjacent tissues are established based on model numerical experiments. (optical technologies in biophysics and medicine)

Infrared Spectroscopic Measurement of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticle Shallow Trap State Energies

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-10

energy from the immediately preceding pulse burst. Continuous operation of a laser directed onto a target leads to vaporization operation. In this...1988, (92), 5196-5201. 93. Wang, Y.; Herron, N., Quantum Size Effects on the Exciton Energy of Cds Clusters . Physical Review B 1990, 42 (11...Nanoparticles by Pulsed Laser Ablation: Ambient Pressure Dependence of Crystallization. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 2003, 42, L 479–L 481. 186. Kawasaki, K.; Despres, J

High temperature semiconductor diode laser pumps for high energy laser applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Jenna; Semenic, Tadej; Guinn, Keith; Leisher, Paul O.; Bhunia, Avijit; Mashanovitch, Milan; Renner, Daniel

2018-02-01

Existing thermal management technologies for diode laser pumps place a significant load on the size, weight and power consumption of High Power Solid State and Fiber Laser systems, thus making current laser systems very large, heavy, and inefficient in many important practical applications. To mitigate this thermal management burden, it is desirable for diode pumps to operate efficiently at high heat sink temperatures. In this work, we have developed a scalable cooling architecture, based on jet-impingement technology with industrial coolant, for efficient cooling of diode laser bars. We have demonstrated 60% electrical-to-optical efficiency from a 9xx nm two-bar laser stack operating with propylene-glycolwater coolant, at 50 °C coolant temperature. To our knowledge, this is the highest efficiency achieved from a diode stack using 50 °C industrial fluid coolant. The output power is greater than 100 W per bar. Stacks with additional laser bars are currently in development, as this cooler architecture is scalable to a 1 kW system. This work will enable compact and robust fiber-coupled diode pump modules for high energy laser applications.

Airborne laser sensors and integrated systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabatini, Roberto; Richardson, Mark A.; Gardi, Alessandro; Ramasamy, Subramanian

2015-11-01

The underlying principles and technologies enabling the design and operation of airborne laser sensors are introduced and a detailed review of state-of-the-art avionic systems for civil and military applications is presented. Airborne lasers including Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), Laser Range Finders (LRF), and Laser Weapon Systems (LWS) are extensively used today and new promising technologies are being explored. Most laser systems are active devices that operate in a manner very similar to microwave radars but at much higher frequencies (e.g., LIDAR and LRF). Other devices (e.g., laser target designators and beam-riders) are used to precisely direct Laser Guided Weapons (LGW) against ground targets. The integration of both functions is often encountered in modern military avionics navigation-attack systems. The beneficial effects of airborne lasers including the use of smaller components and remarkable angular resolution have resulted in a host of manned and unmanned aircraft applications. On the other hand, laser sensors performance are much more sensitive to the vagaries of the atmosphere and are thus generally restricted to shorter ranges than microwave systems. Hence it is of paramount importance to analyse the performance of laser sensors and systems in various weather and environmental conditions. Additionally, it is important to define airborne laser safety criteria, since several systems currently in service operate in the near infrared with considerable risk for the naked human eye. Therefore, appropriate methods for predicting and evaluating the performance of infrared laser sensors/systems are presented, taking into account laser safety issues. For aircraft experimental activities with laser systems, it is essential to define test requirements taking into account the specific conditions for operational employment of the systems in the intended scenarios and to verify the performance in realistic environments at the test ranges. To support the development of such requirements, useful guidelines are provided for test and evaluation of airborne laser systems including laboratory, ground and flight test activities.

Optical coatings on laser crystals for HiPER project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oulehla, Jindrich; Pokorný, Pavel; Lazar, Josef

2011-12-01

In this contribution we present a technology for deposition of interference coatings for optical components designed to operate as active media in power pulsed lasers. The aim of the technology is to prepare crystals for lasers for the HiPER project (High Power laser Energy Research facility) which should demonstrate the feasibility of laser driven fusion as a future energy source. Diode pumped solid state lasers (DPSSL) are the most likely option for fusion ignition. The choice of the material for the lasers' active medium is critical. Some of the most important properties include the ability to be antireflection coated to reduce the energy losses and increase the overall efficiency. This contribution deals with some of the materials considered to be candidates for slabs serving as the active medium of the DPSSLs. We tested Yb:YAG and Yb:CaF2 samples. As large amounts of heat need to be dissipated during laser operation, cryogenic cooling is necessary. Appropriate coating materials and techniques need to be chosen. Therefore differences between available coating techniques are investigated in terms of adhesion, enduring of stress from temperature shocks, etc. Coated samples were placed into cryogenic environment in order to simulate conditions similar to those in real life operation. Optical microscopy was used for coating investigation after the conducted experiments.

AR coatings on laser crystals for HiPER project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oulehla, Jindřich; Pokorný, Pavel

2010-08-01

In this contribution we present a technology for deposition of interference coatings for optical components designed to operate as active media in power pulsed lasers. The aim of the technology is to prepare crystals for lasers for the HiPER project (High Power laser Energy Research) which should demonstrate the feasibility of laser driven fusion as a future energy source. Diode pumped solid state lasers (DPSSL) are the most likely option for fusion ignition. The choice of material for the lasers active medium is critical. Some of the most important properties include the ability to be antireflection coated to reduce the energy losses and increase the overall efficiency. This contribution deals with some of the materials considered to be candidates for slabs serving as the active medium of the DPSSLs. We tested Yb:YAG, Yb:CaF2 samples. As large amounts of heat need to be dissipated during laser operation, cryogenic cooling is necessary. Appropriate coating materials and techniques need to be chosen. Therefore differences between available coating techniques are investigated in terms of adhesion, enduring of stress resulting from temperature shocks, etc. Coated samples were placed into cryogenic environment in order to simulate conditions similar to those in real life operation. Optical microscopy was used for coating investigation after the conducted experiments.

Evaluation of the performance of small diode pumped UV solid state (DPSS) Nd:YAG lasers as new radiation sources for atmospheric pressure laser ionization mass spectrometry (APLI-MS).

PubMed

Kersten, Hendrik; Lorenz, Matthias; Brockmann, Klaus J; Benter, Thorsten

2011-06-01

The performance of a KrF* bench top excimer laser and a compact diode pumped UV solid state (DPSS) Nd:YAG laser as photo-ionizing source in LC-APLI MS is compared. The commonly applied bench-top excimer laser, operating at 248 nm, provides power densities of the order of low MW/cm(2) on an illuminated area of 0.5 cm(2) (8 mJ/pulse, 5 ns pulse duration, beam waist area 0.5 cm(2), 3 MW/cm(2)). The DPSS laser, operating at 266 nm, provides higher power densities, however, on a two orders of magnitude smaller illuminated area (60 μJ/pulse, 1 ns pulse duration, beam waist area 2 × 10(-3) cm(2), 30 MW/cm(2)). In a common LC-APLI MS setup with direct infusion of a 10 nM pyrene solution, the DPSS laser yields a significantly smaller ion signal (0.9%) and signal to noise ratio (1.4%) compared with the excimer laser. With respect to the determined low detection limits (LODs) for PAHs of 0.1 fmol using an excimer laser, LODs in DPSS laser LC-APLI MS in the low pmol regime are expected. The advantages of the DPSS laser with respect to applicability (size, cost, simplicity) may render this light source the preferred one for APLI applications not focusing on ultimately high sensitivities. Furthermore, the impact of adjustable ion source parameters on the performance of both laser systems is discussed in terms of the spatial sensitivity distribution described by the distribution of ion acceptance (DIA) measurements. Perspectives concerning the impact on future APLI-MS applications are given.

Compact high-pulse-energy ultraviolet laser source for ozone lidar measurements.

PubMed

Elsayed, Khaled A; DeYoung, Russell J; Petway, Larry B; Edwards, William C; Barnes, James C; Elsayed-Ali, Hani E

2003-11-20

An all solid-state Ti:sapphire laser differential absorption lidar transmitter was developed. This all-solid-state laser provides a compact, robust, and highly reliable laser transmitter for potential application in differential absorption lidar measurements of atmospheric ozone. Two compact, high-energy-pulsed, and injection-seeded Ti:sapphire lasers operating at a pulse repetition frequency of 30 Hz and wavelengths of 867 and 900 nm, with M2 of 1.3, have been experimentally demonstrated and their properties compared with model results. The output pulse energy was 115 mJ at 867 nm and 105 mJ at 900 nm, with a slope efficiency of 40% and 32%, respectively. At these energies, the beam quality was good enough so that we were able to achieve 30 mJ of ultraviolet laser output at 289 and 300 nm after frequency tripling with two lithium triborate nonlinear crystals.

Experiments with Lasers and Frequency Doublers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachor, H.-A.; Taubman, M.; White, A. G.; Ralph, T.; McClelland, D. E.

1996-01-01

Solid state laser sources, such as diode-pumped Nd:YAG lasers, have given us CW laser light of high power with unprecedented stability and low noise performance. In these lasers most of the technical sources of noise can be eliminated allowing them to be operated close to the theoretical noise limit set by the quantum properties of light. The next step of reducing the noise below the standard limit is known as squeezing. We present experimental progress in generating reliably squeezed light using the process of frequency doubling. We emphasize the long term stability that makes this a truly practical source of squeezed light. Our experimental results match noise spectra calculated with our recently developed models of coupled systems which include the noise generated inside the laser and its interaction with the frequency doubler. We conclude with some observations on evaluating quadrature squeezed states of light.

Data acquisition, remote control and equipment monitoring for ISOLDE RILIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossel, R. E.; Fedosseev, V. N.; Marsh, B. A.; Richter, D.; Rothe, S.; Wendt, K. D. A.

2013-12-01

With a steadily increasing on-line operation time up to a record 3000 h in the year 2012, the Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source (RILIS) is one of the key components of the ISOLDE on-line isotope user facility at CERN. Ion beam production using the RILIS is essential for many experiments due to the unmatched combination of ionization efficiency and selectivity. To meet the reliability requirements the RILIS is currently operated in shift duty for continuous maintenance of crucial laser parameters such as wavelength, power, beam position and timing, as well as ensuring swift intervention in case of an equipment malfunction. A recent overhaul of the RILIS included the installation of new pump lasers, commercial dye lasers and a complementary, fully solid-state titanium:sapphire laser system. The framework of the upgrade also required the setup of a network-extended, LabVIEW-based system for data acquisition, remote control and equipment monitoring, to support RILIS operators as well as ISOLDE users. The system contributes to four key aspects of RILIS operation: equipment monitoring, machine protection, automated self-reliance, and collaborative data acquisition. The overall concept, technologies used, implementation status and recent applications during the 2012 on-line operation period will be presented along with a summary of future developments.

Commissioning of a kW-class nanosecond pulsed DPSSL operating at 105 J, 10 Hz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mason, Paul; Divoký, Martin; Butcher, Thomas; Pilař, Jan; Ertel, Klaus; Hanuš, Martin; De Vido, Mariastefania; Banerjee, Saumyabrata; Phillips, Jonathan; Smith, Jodie; Hollingham, Ian; Muresan, Mihai-George; Landowski, Brian; Suarez-Merchan, Jorge; Thomas, Adrian; Dominey, Mark; Benson, Luke; Lintern, Andrew; Costello, Billy; Tomlinson, Stephanie; Blake, Steve; Tyldesley, Mike; Lucianetti, Antonio; Hernandez-Gomez, Cristina; Edwards, Chris; Mocek, Tomas; Collier, John

2017-05-01

In this paper we present details of the commissioning of DiPOLE100, a kW-class nanosecond pulsed diode pumped solid state laser (DPSSL), at the HiLASE Centre at Dolní Břežany in the Czech Republic. The laser system, built at the Central Laser Facility (CLF), was dismantled, packaged, shipped and reassembled at HiLASE over a 12 month period by a collaborative team from the CLF and HiLASE. First operation of the laser at the end of 2016 demonstrated amplification of 10 ns pulses at 10 Hz pulse repetition rate to an energy of 105 J at 1029.5 nm, representing the world's first kW average power, high-energy, nanosecond pulsed DPSSL. To date DiPOLE100 has been operated for over 2.5 hours at energies in excess of 100 J at 10 Hz, corresponding to nearly 105 shots, and has demonstrated long term energy stability of less than 1% RMS for continuous operation over 1 hour. This confirms the power scalability of multislab cryogenic gas-cooled amplifier technology and demonstrates its potential as a laser driver for next generation scientific, industrial, and medical applications.

Spectral narrowing of a 980 nm tapered diode laser bar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayakumar, Deepak; Jensen, Ole Bjarlin; Lucas Leclin, Ga"lle; Petersen, Paul Michael; Thestrup, Birgitte

2011-03-01

High power diode laser bars are interesting in many applications such as solid state laser pumping, material processing, laser trapping, laser cooling and second harmonic generation. Often, the free running laser bars emit a broad spectrum of the order of several nanometres which limit their scope in wavelength specific applications and hence, it is vital to stabilize the emission spectrum of these devices. In our experiment, we describe the wavelength narrowing of a 12 element 980 nm tapered diode laser bar using a simple Littman configuration. The tapered laser bar which suffered from a big smile has been "smile corrected" using individual phase masks for each emitter. The external cavity consists of the laser bar, both fast and slow axis micro collimators, smile correcting phase mask, 6.5x beam expanding lens combination, a 1200 lines/mm reflecting grating with 85% efficiency in the first order, a slow axis focusing cylindrical lens of 40 mm focal length and an output coupler which is 10% reflective. In the free running mode, the laser emission spectrum was 5.5 nm wide at an operating current of 30A. The output power was measured to be in excess of 12W. Under the external cavity operation, the wavelength spread of the laser could be limited to 0.04 nm with an output power in excess of 8 W at an operating current of 30A. The spectrum was found to be tuneable in a range of 16 nm.

Damage resistant optics for a mega-joule solid-state laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, J. H.; Rainer, F.; Kozlowski, M. R.; Wolfe, C. R.; Thomas, I.; Milanovich, F.

1990-12-01

Research on Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) has progressed rapidly in the past several years. As a consequence, LLNL is developing plans to upgrade the current 120 kJ solid state (Nd3+ phosphate glass) Nova laser to a 1.5 to 2 megajoule system with the goal of achieving fusion ignition. The design of the planned Nova Upgrade is briefly discussed. Because of recent improvements in the damage resistance of optical materials it is now technically and economically feasible to build a megajoule-class solid state laser. Specifically, the damage threshold of Nd(+3)-doped phosphate laser glass, multilayer dielectric coatings, and non-linear optical crystals (e.g., KDP) have been dramatically improved. These materials now meet the fluence requirements for a 1.5 to 2 MJ Nd(+3)-glass laser operating at 1054 and 351 nm and at a pulse length of 3 ns. The recent improvements in damage thresholds are reviewed; threshold data at both 1064 and 355 nm and the measured pulse length scaling are presented.

Damage resistant optics for a megajoule solid state laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Jack H.; Rainer, Frank; Kozlowski, Mark R.; Wolfe, C. Robert; Thomas, Ian M.; Milanovich, Fred P.

1991-06-01

Research on Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) has progressed rapidly in the past several years. As a consequence LLNL is developing plans to upgrade the current 120 kJ solid state (Nd3-phosphate glass) Nova laser to a 1 . 5 to 2 megajoule system with the goal of achieving fusion ignition. The design of the planned Nova Upgrade is briefly discussed. Because of recent improvements in the damage resistance of optical materials it is now technically and economically feasible to build a megajoule-class solid state laser. Specifically the damage threshold of Nd3- doped phosphate laser glass muliilayer dielectric coatings and non-linear optical crystals (e. g. KDP) have been dramatically improved. These materials now meet the fluence requirements for a 1. 5-2 MJ Nd3-glass laser operating at 1054 and 351 nm and at a pulse length of 3 ns. The recent improvements in damage thresholds are reviewed threshold data at both 1064 and 355 nm and the measured pulse length scaling are presented. 1.

The optical pumping of alkali atoms using coherent radiation from semi-conductor injection lasers and incoherent radiation from resonance lamps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, G.

1973-01-01

An experimental study for creating population differences in the ground states of alkali atoms (Cesium 133) is presented. Studies made on GaAs-junction lasers and the achievement of population inversions among the hyperfine levels in the ground state of Cs 133 by optically pumping it with radiation from a GaAs diode laser. Laser output was used to monitor the populations in the ground state hyperfine levels as well as to perform the hyperfine pumping. A GaAs laser operated at about 77 K was used to scan the 8521 A line of Cs 133. Experiments were performed both with neon-filled and with paraflint-coated cells containing the cesium vapor. Investigations were also made for the development of the triple resonance coherent pulse technique and for the detection of microwave induced hyperfine trasistions by destroying the phase relationships produced by a radio frequency pulse. A pulsed cesium resonance lamp developed, and the lamp showed clean and reproducible switching characteristics.

Dual-pulses and harmonic patterns of a square-wave soliton in passively mode-locked fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Wanzhuo; Wang, Tianshu; Su, Qingchao; Zhang, Jing; Jia, Qingsong; Jiang, Huilin

2018-06-01

We demonstrate a square-wave soliton pulse passively mode-locked fiber laser. The mode-locked pulses are achieved by using a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror. Single-pulse operation at a fundamental repetition rate of 3.2 MHz is obtained. The optical spectrum presents the soliton feature of several sidebands. The pulse duration expands with increasing pump power, but the amplitude hardly varies. Pulse breaking occurs and a stable dual-pulse is obtained with a fixed interval of 48 ns. Harmonic mode-locked states can be achieved when the total pump power is higher than 740 mW. The harmonic pulses can also operate in both single-pulse and dual-pulse states.

Diversified pulse generation from frequency shifted feedback Tm-doped fibre lasers.

PubMed

Chen, He; Chen, Sheng-Ping; Jiang, Zong-Fu; Hou, Jing

2016-05-19

Pulsed fibre lasers operating in the eye-safe 2 μm spectral region have numerous potential applications in areas such as remote sensing, medicine, mid-infrared frequency conversion, and free-space communication. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate versatile 2 μm ps-ns pulses generation from Tm-based fibre lasers based on frequency shifted feedback and provide a comprehensive report of their special behaviors. The lasers are featured with elegant construction and the unparalleled capacity of generating versatile pulses. The self-starting mode-locking is initiated by an intra-cavity acousto-optical frequency shifter. Diversified mode-locked pulse dynamics were observed by altering the pump power, intra-cavity polarization state and cavity structure, including as short as 8 ps single pulse sequence, pulse bundle state and up to 12 nJ, 3 ns nanosecond rectangular pulse. A reflective nonlinear optical loop mirror was introduced to successfully shorten the pulses from 24 ps to 8 ps. Beside the mode-locking operation, flexible Q-switching and Q-switched mode-locking operation can also be readily achieved in the same cavity. Up to 78 μJ high energy nanosecond pulse can be generated in this regime. Several intriguing pulse dynamics are characterized and discussed.

Yb:FAP and related materials, laser gain medium comprising same, and laser systems using same

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

Krupke, William F.; Payne, Stephen A.; Chase, Lloyd L.

An ytterbium doped laser material remarkably superior to all others, including Yb:YAG, comprises Ytterbium doped apatite (Yb:Ca.sub.5 (PO.sub.4).sub.3 F) or Yb:FAP, or ytterbium doped crystals that are structurally related to FAP. The new laser material is used in laser systems pumped by diode pump sources having an output near 0.905 microns or 0.98 microns, such as InGaAs and AlInGaAs, or other narrowband pump sources near 0.905 microns or 0.98 microns. The laser systems are operated in either the conventional or ground state depletion mode.

Yb:FAP and related materials, laser gain medium comprising same, and laser systems using same

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

Krupke, W.F.; Payne, S.A.; Chase, L.L.

An ytterbium doped laser material remarkably superior to all others, including Yb:YAG, comprises ytterbium doped apatite (Yb:Ca[sub 5](PO[sub 4])[sub 3]F) or Yb:FAP, or ytterbium doped crystals that are structurally related to FAP. The new laser material is used in laser systems pumped by diode pump sources having an output near 0.905 microns or 0.98 microns, such as InGaAs and AlInGaAs, or other narrowband pump sources near 0.905 microns or 0.98 microns. The laser systems are operated in either the conventional or ground state depletion mode. 9 figures.

Yb:FAP and related materials, laser gain medium comprising same, and laser systems using same

DOEpatents

Krupke, W.F.; Payne, S.A.; Chase, L.L.; Smith, L.K.

1994-01-18

An ytterbium doped laser material remarkably superior to all others, including Yb:YAG, comprises ytterbium doped apatite (Yb:Ca[sub 5](PO[sub 4])[sub 3]F) or Yb:FAP, or ytterbium doped crystals that are structurally related to FAP. The new laser material is used in laser systems pumped by diode pump sources having an output near 0.905 microns or 0.98 microns, such as InGaAs and AlInGaAs, or other narrowband pump sources near 0.905 microns or 0.98 microns. The laser systems are operated in either the conventional or ground state depletion mode. 9 figures.

Yb:FAP and related materials, laser gain medium comprising same, and laser systems using same

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

Krupke, W.F.; Payne, S.A.; Chase, L.L.

An ytterbium doped laser material remarkably superior to all others, including Yb:YAG, comprises ytterbium doped apatite (Yb:Ca{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F) or Yb:FAP, or ytterbium doped crystals structurally related to FAP. The new laser material is used in laser systems pumped by diode pump sources having an output near 0.905 microns or 0.98 microns, such as InGaAs and AlInGaAs, or other narrowband pump sources near 0.905 microns or 0.98 microns. The laser systems are operated in either the conventional or ground state depletion mode.

Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers from all-inorganic perovskite quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Handong; Wang, Yue; Li, Xiaoming; Zeng, Haibo

We report the breakthrough in realizing the challenging while practically desirable vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) based on the CsPbX3 inorganic perovskite nanocrystals (IPNCs). These laser devices feature record low threshold (9 µJ/cm2), unidirectional output (beam divergence of 3.6º) and superb stability. We show that both single-mode and multimode lasing operation are achievable in the device. In contrast to traditional metal chacogenide colloidal quantum dots based lasers where the pump thresholds for the green and blue wavelengths are typically much higher than that of the red, these CsPbX3 IPNC-VCSEL devices are able to lase with comparable thresholds across the whole visible spectral range, which is appealing for achieving single source-pumped full-color lasers. We further reveal that these lasers can operate in quasi-steady state regime, which is very practical and cost-effective. Given the facile solution processibility, our CsPbX3 IPNC-VCSEL devices may hold great potential in developing low-cost yet high-performance lasers, promising in revolutionizing the vacuum-based epitaxial semiconductor lasers.

Dysprosium-doped PbGa2S4 laser generating at 4.3 μm directly pumped by 1.7 μm laser diode.

PubMed

Jelínková, Helena; Doroshenko, Maxim E; Jelínek, Michal; Sulc, Jan; Osiko, Vyacheslav V; Badikov, Valerii V; Badikov, Dmitrii V

2013-08-15

In this Letter, we demonstrate the pulsed and CW operation of the Dy:PbGa(2)S(4) laser directly pumped by the 1.7 μm laser diode. In the pulsed regime (pulse duration 5 ms; repetition rate 20 Hz), the maximum mean output power of 9.5 mW was obtained with the slope efficiency of 9.3% with respect to the absorbed pump power. The generated wavelength was 4.32 μm, and the laser beam cross section was approximately Gaussian on both axes. Stable CW laser generation was also successfully obtained with the maximum output power of 67 mW and the slope efficiency of 8%. Depopulation of the lower laser level by 1.7 μm pump radiation absorption followed by 1.3 μm upconversion fluorescence was demonstrated. These results show the possibility of construction of the compact diode-pumped solid-state pulsed or CW laser generating at 4.3 μm in the power level of tens mW operating at room temperature.

Study on molecular sieve absorption of ground state HF molecules in a non-chain pulsed HF Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Lianying; Zhou, Songqing; Chao, Huang; Huang, Ke; Zhu, Feng; Luan, Kunpeng; Chen, Hongwei

2017-05-01

This paper describes the principle of non-chain pulsed HF laser, and analyzes the reason why the laser energy dropped severely with the accumulation of shots when the HF laser was in repetitive operation. In order to solve this problem, a molecular sieve absorption device was designed and mounted in the recirculation loop of the HF laser. Measurements of flow velocity indicated that the absorption device would just introduce a small decrease of flow velocity which would not influence the laser operation. Several types of molecular sieve (3A,4A,5A,13X) were used in absorbing experiments and the experiment results inferred that 3A molecular sieve was the most effective sorbent. All the experiments showed that the average drop of the output energy was not more than 5% after 1000 shots at 50Hz/20s. Compared to the energy drop of about 40% without the device, the absorption device could significantly improve the stability of the HF laser output energy and prolong the lifespan of laser medium gases.

Solid-State 2-Micron Laser Transmitter Advancement for Wind and Carbon Dioxide Measurements From Ground, Airborne, and Space-Based Lidar Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Upendra N.; Kavaya, Michael J.; Koch, Grady; Yu, Jirong; Ismail, Syed

2008-01-01

NASA Langley Research Center has been developing 2-micron lidar technologies over a decade for wind measurements, utilizing coherent Doppler wind lidar technique and carbon dioxide measurements, utilizing Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) technique. Significant advancements have been made towards developing state-of-the-art technologies towards laser transmitters, detectors, and receiver systems. These efforts have led to the development of solid-state lasers with high pulse energy, tunablility, wavelength-stability, and double-pulsed operation. This paper will present a review of these technological developments along with examples of high resolution wind and high precision CO2 DIAL measurements in the atmosphere. Plans for the development of compact high power lasers for applications in airborne and future space platforms for wind and regional to global scale measurement of atmospheric CO2 will also be discussed.

Triple-wavelength passively Q-switched ytterbium-doped fibre laser using zinc oxide nanoparticles film as a saturable absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohsin Al-Hayali, Sarah Kadhim; Hadi Al-Janabi, Abdul

2018-07-01

We report on the generation of a triple-wavelength passively Q-switched ytterbium-doped fibre laser using a saturable absorber (SA) based on zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) film. The SA was fabricated by embedding ZnO NPs powder into a polyvinyl alcohol as a host polymer. By properly adjusting the pump power and the polarization state, single-, dual- and triple-wavelength Q-switching are stably generated without additional components (such as optical filter, or fibre grating). For the triple wavelength operation, the fibre laser generates a maximum pulse repetition of 87.9 kHz with the shortest pulse duration of 2.7 μs. To the best of authors' knowledge, it's the first demonstration of triple-wavelength passively Q-switching fibre laser using ZnO NPs as a SA. Our results suggest that ZnO is a promising SA for multi-wavelength laser operation.

Iodine-stabilized single-frequency green InGaN diode laser.

PubMed

Chen, Yi-Hsi; Lin, Wei-Chen; Shy, Jow-Tsong; Chui, Hsiang-Chen

2018-01-01

A 520-nm InGaN diode laser can emit a milliwatt-level, single-frequency laser beam when the applied current slightly exceeds the lasing threshold. The laser frequency was less sensitive to diode temperature and could be finely tuned by adjusting the applied current. Laser frequency was stabilized onto a hyperfine component in an iodine transition through the saturated absorption spectroscopy. The uncertainty of frequency stabilization was approximately 8×10 -9 at a 10-s integration time. This compact laser system can replace the conventional green diode-pumped solid-state laser and applied as a frequency reference. A single longitudinal mode operational region with diode temperature, current, and output power was investigated.

Laser diode package with enhanced cooling

DOEpatents

Deri, Robert J [Pleasanton, CA; Kotovsky, Jack [Oakland, CA; Spadaccini, Christopher M [Oakland, CA

2011-09-13

A laser diode package assembly includes a reservoir filled with a fusible metal in close proximity to a laser diode. The fusible metal absorbs heat from the laser diode and undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid during the operation of the laser. The metal absorbs heat during the phase transition. Once the laser diode is turned off, the liquid metal cools off and resolidifies. The reservoir is designed such that that the liquid metal does not leave the reservoir even when in liquid state. The laser diode assembly further includes a lid with one or more fin structures that extend into the reservoir and are in contact with the metal in the reservoir.

Laser diode package with enhanced cooling

DOEpatents

Deri, Robert J [Pleasanton, CA; Kotovsky, Jack [Oakland, CA; Spadaccini, Christopher M [Oakland, CA

2012-06-12

A laser diode package assembly includes a reservoir filled with a fusible metal in close proximity to a laser diode. The fusible metal absorbs heat from the laser diode and undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid during the operation of the laser. The metal absorbs heat during the phase transition. Once the laser diode is turned off, the liquid metal cools off and resolidifies. The reservoir is designed such that that the liquid metal does not leave the reservoir even when in liquid state. The laser diode assembly further includes a lid with one or more fin structures that extend into the reservoir and are in contact with the metal in the reservoir.

Laser diode package with enhanced cooling

DOEpatents

Deri, Robert J; Kotovsky, Jack; Spadaccini, Christopher M

2012-06-26

A laser diode package assembly includes a reservoir filled with a fusible metal in close proximity to a laser diode. The fusible metal absorbs heat from the laser diode and undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid during the operation of the laser. The metal absorbs heat during the phase transition. Once the laser diode is turned off, the liquid metal cools off and resolidifies. The reservoir is designed such that that the liquid metal does not leave the reservoir even when in liquid state. The laser diode assembly further includes a lid with one or more fin structures that extend into the reservoir and are in contact with the metal in the reservoir.

Electrically Tunable Nd:YAG waveguide laser based on Graphene

PubMed Central

Ma, Linan; Tan, Yang; Akhmadaliev, Shavkat; Zhou, Shengqiang; Chen, Feng

2016-01-01

We demonstrate a tunable hybrid Graphene-Nd:YAG cladding waveguide laser exploiting the electro-optic and the Joule heating effects of Graphene. A cladding Nd:YAG waveguide was fabricated by the ion irradiation. The multi-layer graphene were transferred onto the waveguide surface as the saturable absorber to get the Q-switched pulsed laser oscillation in the waveguide. Composing with appropriate electrodes, graphene based capacitance and heater were formed on the surface of the Nd:YAG waveguide. Through electrical control of graphene, the state of the hybrid waveguide laser was turned on or off. And the laser operation of the hybrid waveguide was electrically tuned between the continuous wave laser and the nanosecond pulsed laser. PMID:27833114

High energy efficient solid state laser sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, Robert L.

1988-01-01

Recent progress in the development of highly efficient coherent optical sources is reviewed. This work focusses on nonlinear frequency conversion of the highly coherent output of the Non-Planar Ring Laser Oscillators developed earlier in the program, and includes high efficiency second harmonic generation and the operation of optical parametric oscillators for wavelength diversity and tunability.

Laser demonstration and performance characterization of optically pumped Alkali Laser systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulham, Clifford V.

Diode Pumped Alkali Lasers (DPALs) offer a promising approach for high power lasers in military applications that will not suffer from the long logistical trails of chemical lasers or the thermal management issues of diode pumped solid state lasers. This research focuses on characterizing a DPAL-type system to gain a better understanding of using this type of laser as a directed energy weapon. A rubidium laser operating at 795 nm is optically pumped by a pulsed titanium sapphire laser to investigate the dynamics of DPALs at pump intensities between 1.3 and 45 kW/cm2. Linear scaling as high as 32 times threshold is observed, with no evidence of second order kinetics. Comparison of laser characteristics with a quasi-two level analytic model suggests performance near the ideal steady-state limit, disregarding the mode mis-match. Additionally, the peak power scales linearly as high as 1 kW, suggesting aperture scaling to a few cm2 is sufficient to achieve tactical level laser powers. The temporal dynamics of the 100 ns pump and rubidium laser pulses are presented, and the continually evolving laser efficiency provides insight into the bottlenecking of the rubidium atoms in the 2P3/2 state. Lastly, multiple excited states of rubidium and cesium were accessed through two photon absorption in the red, yielding a blue and an IR photon through amplified stimulated emission. Threshold is modest at 0.3 mJ/pulse, and slope efficiencies increase dramatically with alkali concentrations and peak at 0.4%, with considerable opportunity for improvement. This versatile system might find applications for IR countermeasures or underwater communications.

Flight demonstration of flight termination system and solid rocket motor ignition using semiconductor laser initiated ordnance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulze, Norman R.; Maxfield, B.; Boucher, C.

1995-01-01

Solid State Laser Initiated Ordnance (LIO) offers new technology having potential for enhanced safety, reduced costs, and improved operational efficiency. Concerns over the absence of programmatic applications of the technology, which has prevented acceptance by flight programs, should be abated since LIO has now been operationally implemented by the Laser Initiated Ordnance Sounding Rocket Demonstration (LOSRD) Program. The first launch of solid state laser diode LIO at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) occurred on March 15, 1995 with all mission objectives accomplished. This project, Phase 3 of a series of three NASA Headquarters LIO demonstration initiatives, accomplished its objective by the flight of a dedicated, all-LIO sounding rocket mission using a two-stage Nike-Orion launch vehicle. LIO flight hardware, made by The Ensign-Bickford Company under NASA's first Cooperative Agreement with Profit Making Organizations, safely initiated three demanding pyrotechnic sequence events, namely, solid rocket motor ignition from the ground and in flight, and flight termination, i.e., as a Flight Termination System (FTS). A flight LIO system was designed, built, tested, and flown to support the objectives of quickly and inexpensively putting LIO through ground and flight operational paces. The hardware was fully qualified for this mission, including component testing as well as a full-scale system test. The launch accomplished all mission objectives in less than 11 months from proposal receipt. This paper concentrates on accomplishments of the ordnance aspects of the program and on the program's implementation and results. While this program does not generically qualify LIO for all applications, it demonstrated the safety, technical, and operational feasibility of those two most demanding applications, using an all solid state safe and arm system in critical flight applications.

High Efficiency End-Pumped Ho:Tm:YLF Disk Amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yu, Jirong; Singh, Upendra N.; Petros, Mulugeta; Axenson, Theresa J.; Barnes, Norman P.

1999-01-01

Space based coherent lidar for global wind measurement requires an all solid state laser system with high energy, high efficiency and narrow linewidth that operates in the eye safe region. A Q-switched, diode pumped Ho:Tm:YLF 2 micrometer laser with output energy of as much as 125 mJ at 6 Hz with an optical-to-optical efficiency of 3% has been reported. Single frequency operation of the laser was achieved by injection seeding. The design of this laser is being incorporated into NASA's SPARCLE (SPAce Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment) wind lidar mission. Laser output energy ranging from 500 mJ to 2 J is required for an operational space coherent lidar. We previously developed a high energy Ho:Tm:YLF master oscillator and side pumped power amplifier system and demonstrated a 600-mJ single frequency pulse at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. Although the output energy is high, the optical-to-optical efficiency is only about 2%. Designing a high energy, highly efficient, conductively cooled 2-micrometer laser remains a challenge. In this paper, the preliminary result of an end-pumped amplifier that has a potential to provide a factor 3 of improvement in the system efficiency is reported.

Properties of excited states in organic light emitting diodes and lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giebink, Noel C.

The field of organic semiconductors has grown rapidly over the past decade with the development of light emitting diodes, solar cells, and lasers that promise a new generation of low-cost, flexible optoelectronic devices. In each case, the behavior of molecular excited states, or excitons, is of fundamental importance. The present study explores the nature and interactions of such excited states in the attempt to develop an electrically pumped organic semiconductor laser, and to improve the performance and operational stability of organic light emitting diodes. We begin by investigating intrinsic loss processes in optically pumped organic semiconductor lasers and demonstrate that exciton annihilation implies a fundamental limit that will prevent lasing by electrical injection in currently known materials. Searching for an alternative approach to reach threshold leads us to study metastable geminate charge pairs, where we find that optically generated excitons can be accumulated over time in an external electric field via these intermediate states. Upon field turn-off, the excitons are immediately restored, leading to a sudden burst of excitation density over 30 times higher than that generated by the pump alone. Unfortunately, we identify limitations that have thus far prevented reaching laser threshold with this technique. In a parallel push toward high power density, we investigate the origins of quantum efficiency roll-off in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and find that it is dominated by loss of charge balance in the majority of fluorescent and phosphorescent devices. The second major theme of this work involves understanding the intrinsic modes of OLED operational degradation. Based on extensive modeling and supported directly by experimental evidence, we identify exciton-charge carrier annihilation reactions as a principle degradation pathway. Exploiting the diffusion of triplet excitons, we show that fluorescence and phosphorescence can be combined to increase the operational lifetime of white OLEDs and still retain the potential for unity internal quantum efficiency.

New Generation Lidar Technology and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spinhirne, James D.

1999-01-01

Lidar has been a tool for atmospheric research for several decades. Until recently routine operational use of lidar was not known. Problems have involved a lack of appropriate technology rather than a lack of applications. Within the last few years, lidar based on a new generation of solid state lasers and detectors have changed the situation. Operational applications for cloud and aerosol research applications are now well established. In these research applications, the direct height profiling capability of lidar is typically an adjunct to other types of sensing, both passive and active. Compact eye safe lidar with the sensitivity for ground based monitoring of all significant cloud and aerosol structure and the reliability to operate full time for several years is now in routine use. The approach is known as micro pulse lidar (MPL). For MPL the laser pulse repetition rate is in the kilohertz range and the pulse energies are in the micro-Joule range. The low pulse energy permits the systems to be eye safe and reliable with solid state lasers. A number of MPL systems have been deployed since 1992 at atmospheric research sites at a variety of global locations. Accurate monitoring of cloud and aerosol vertical distribution is a critical measurement for atmospheric radiation. An airborne application of lidar cloud and aerosol profiling is retrievals of parameters from combined lidar and passive sensing involving visible, infrared and microwave frequencies. A lidar based on a large pulse, solid state diode pumped ND:YAG laser has been deployed on the NASA ER-2 high altitude research aircraft along with multi-spectral visible/IR and microwave imaging radiometers since 1993. The system has shown high reliability in an extensive series of experimental projects for cloud remote sensing. The retrieval of cirrus radiation parameters is an effective application for combined lidar and passive sensing. An approved NASA mission will soon begin long term lidar observation of atmospheric structure from space. The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) of the Earth Observing System is scheduled for deployment in the 2001 time frame. GLAS is both a cloud and aerosol lidar and a surface altimeter, principally for monitoring of polar ice sheets. The GLAS instrument is based on all solid state lasers operating at 40 Hz and high efficiency, solid state detectors. The design lifetime is three to five years. Data from the GLAS mission is expected to revolutionize some aspects of our understanding of the global distribution of cloud and aerosols for global climate prediction.

Advanced Orion Optimized Laser System Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Contractor shall perform a complete analysis of the potential of the solid state laser in the very long pulse mode (100 ns pulse width, 10-30 hz rep-rate) and in the very short pulse mode (100 ps pulse width 10-30 hz rep rate) concentrating on the operation of the device in the 'hot-rod' mode, where no active cooling the laser operation is attempted. Contractor's calculations shall be made of the phase aberrations which develop during the repped-pulse train, and the results shall feed into the adaptive optics analyses. The contractor shall devise solutions to work around ORION track issues. A final report shall be furnished to the MSFC COTR including all calculations and analysis of estimates of bulk phase and intensity aberration distribution in the laser output beam as a function of time during the repped-pulse train for both wave forms (high-energy/long-pulse, as well as low-energy/short-pulse). Recommendations shall be made for mitigating the aberrations by laser re-design and/or changes in operating parameters of optical pump sources and/or designs.

Thin planar package for cooling an array of edge-emitting laser diodes

DOEpatents

Mundinger, David C.; Benett, William J.

1992-01-01

A laser diode array is disclosed that includes a plurality of planar assemblies and active cooling of each assembly. The laser diode array may be operated in a long duty cycle, or in continuous operation. A laser diode bar and a microchannel heat sink are thermally coupled in a compact, thin planar assembly having the laser diode bar located proximate to one edge. In an array, a number of such thin planar assemblies are secured together in a stacked configuration, in close proximity so that the laser diodes are spaced closely. The cooling means includes a microchannel heat sink proximate to the laser diode bar to absorb heat generated by laser operation. To provide the coolant to the microchannels, each thin planar assembly comprises passageways that connect the microchannels to inlet and outlet corridors. Each inlet passageway may comprise a narrow slot that directs coolant into the microchannels and increases the velocity of flow therethrough. The corridors comprises holes extending through each of the assemblies in the array. The inlet and outlet corridors are connected to a conventional coolant circulation system. The laser diode array with active cooling has applications as an optical pump for high power solid state lasers, or by mating the diodes with fiber optic lenses. Further, the arrays can be useful in applications having space constraints and energy limitations, and in military and space applications. The arrays can be incorporated in equipment such as communications devices and active sensors.

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.

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

Matthews, D.L.; Rosen, M.D.

One of the elusive dreams of laser physicists has been the development of an x-ray laser. After 25 years of waiting, the x-ray laser has at last entered the scientific scene, although those now in operation are still laboratory prototypes. They produce soft x rays down to about five nanometers. X-ray lasers retain the usual characteristics of their optical counterparts: a very tight beam, spatial and temporal coherence, and extreme brightness. Present x-ray lasers are nearly 100 times brighter that the next most powerful x-ray source in the world: the electron synchrotron. Although Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is widelymore » known for its hard-x-ray laser program which has potential applications in the Strategic Defense Initiative, the soft x-ray lasers have no direct military applications. These lasers, and the scientific tools that result from their development, may one day have a place in the design and diagnosis of both laser fusion and hard x-ray lasers. The soft x-ray lasers now in operation at the LLNL have shown great promise but are still in the primitive state. Once x-ray lasers become reliable, efficient, and economical, they will have several important applications. Chief among them might be the creation of holograms of microscopic biological structures too small to be investigated with visible light. 5 figs.« less

Class-A mode-locked lasers: Fundamental solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalev, Anton V.; Viktorov, Evgeny A.

2017-11-01

We consider a delay differential equation (DDE) model for mode-locked operation in class-A semiconductor lasers containing both gain and absorber sections. The material processes are adiabatically eliminated as these are considered fast in comparison to the delay time for a long cavity device. We determine the steady states and analyze their bifurcations using DDE-BIFTOOL [Engelborghs et al., ACM Trans. Math. Software 28, 1 (2002)]. Multiple forms of coexistence, transformation, and hysteretic behavior of stable steady states and fundamental periodic regimes are discussed in bifurcation diagrams.

Model of an Injection Semiconductor Quantum-Dot Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koryukin, I. V.

2018-05-01

We propose an asymmetric electron-hole model of an injection semiconductor quantum-dot laser, which correctly allows for relaxation at transitions between the electron and hole levels. Steady-state solutions of the proposed model, conditions for the simultaneous operation at transitions between the ground and first excited state levels, and relaxation oscillations in the two-wave lasing regime are studied. It is shown that the model can be simplified when the relaxation between hole levels is much faster than the relaxation between electron levels.

National Ignition Facility Control and Information System Operational Tools

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

Marshall, C D; Beeler, R G; Bowers, G A

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Livermore, California, is the world's highest-energy laser fusion system and one of the premier large scale scientific projects in the United States. The system is designed to setup and fire a laser shot to a fusion ignition or high energy density target at rates up to a shot every 4 hours. NIF has 192 laser beams delivering up to 1.8 MJ of energy to a {approx}2 mm target that is planned to produce >100 billion atm of pressure and temperatures of >100 million degrees centigrade. NIF is housed in a ten-story building footprint themore » size of three football fields as shown in Fig. 1. Commissioning was recently completed and NIF will be formally dedicated at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on May 29, 2009. The control system has 60,000 hardware controls points and employs 2 million lines of control system code. The control room has highly automated equipment setup prior to firing laser system shots. This automation has a data driven implementation that is conducive to dynamic modification and optimization depending on the shot goals defined by the end user experimenters. NIF has extensive facility machine history and infrastructure maintenance workflow tools both under development and deployed. An extensive operational tools suite has been developed to support facility operations including experimental shot setup, machine readiness, machine health and safety, and machine history. The following paragraphs discuss the current state and future upgrades to these four categories of operational tools.« less

Closed-Cycle, Frequency-Stable CO2 Laser Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batten, Carmen E. (Editor); Miller, Irvin M. (Editor); Wood, George M., Jr. (Editor); Willetts, David V. (Editor)

1987-01-01

These proceedings contain a collection of papers and comments presented at a workshop on technology associated with long-duration closed-cycle operation of frequency-stable, pulsed carbon dioxide lasers. This workshop was held at the NASA Langley Research Center June 10 to 12, 1986. The workshop, jointly sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE), was attended by 63 engineers and scientists from the United States and the United Kingdom. During the 2 1/2 days of the workshop, a number of issues relating to obtaining frequency-stable operation and to the catalytic control of laser gas chemistry were discussed, and specific recommendations concerning future activities were drafted.

Dual-wavelength passively Q-switched ytterbium-doped fiber laser using Fe3O4-nanoparticle saturable absorber and intracavity polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Hayali, S. K. M.; Al-Janabi, A. H.

2018-03-01

We have experimentally demonstrated the operation of a dual-wavelength passively Q-switched ytterbium-doped fiber laser by using a saturable absorber (SA) based on Fe3O4 nanoparticles in a magnetic fluid. The SA was fabricated by depositing magnetic fluid at the end of an optical fiber ferrule. By performing adjustments to the pump power and polarization controller state in the cavity, a stable dual-wavelength lasing operation was generated without intracavity spectral filters or modulation elements. The Q-switched laser output was achieved at a pump threshold of 80 mW with a maximum output pulse energy of 38.8 nJ, a repetition rate of 73.4 kHz and a minimum pulse width of 3.4 µs. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a dual-wavelength passively Q-switched fiber laser using Fe3O4 nanoparticles as the SA in the 1.0 µm operation region.

All-fibre Q-switching YDFL operation with bismuth-doped fibre as saturable absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhammad, A. R.; Haris, H.; Arof, H.; Tan, S. J.; Ahmad, M. T.; Harun, S. W.

2018-05-01

We demonstrate the generation of a passively Q-switched ytterbium-doped fibre laser (YDFL) using a bismuth-doped fibre (BDF) as a solid-state fibre saturable absorber (FSA) in a ring cavity. The BDF used has a wide and low absorption band of 5 dB/m at the 1.0 μm region due to the ion transition of ? that occurs around the region. When introduced into a YDFL laser cavity, a stable Q-switched pulse operation was observed and the pulse repetition rate was proportional to the input pump power. It was limited to 72.99 kHz by the maximum power that the laser diode could supply. Meanwhile, the pulse width decreased from 12.22 to 4.85 μs as the pump power was increased from 215.6 to 475.6 mW. The finding suggests that BDF could be used as a potential SA for the development of robust, compact, efficient and low cost Q-switched fibre lasers operating at 1 micron region.

The influence of carrier dynamics on double-state lasing in quantum dot lasers at variable temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korenev, V. V.; Savelyev, A. V.; Zhukov, A. E.; Omelchenko, A. V.; Maximov, M. V.

2014-12-01

It is shown in analytical form that the carrier capture from the matrix as well as carrier dynamics in quantum dots plays an important role in double-state lasing phenomenon. In particular, the de-synchronization of hole and electron captures allows one to describe recently observed quenching of ground-state lasing, which takes place in quantum dot lasers operating in double-state lasing regime at high injection. From the other side, the detailed analysis of charge carrier dynamics in the single quantum dot enables one to describe the observed light-current characteristics and key temperature dependences.

Optical coatings on laser crystals for HiPER project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oulehla, Jindrich; Pokorný, Pavel; Lazar, Josef

2011-06-01

In this contribution we present a technology for deposition of interference coatings for optical components designed to operate as active media in power pulsed lasers. The aim of the technology is to prepare crystals for lasers for the HiPER project (High Power laser Energy Research) which should demonstrate the feasibility of laser driven fusion as a future energy source. Diode pumped solid state lasers (DPSSL) are the most likely option for fusion ignition. The choice of material for the lasers active medium is critical. Some of the most important properties include the ability to be antireflection coated to reduce the energy losses and increase the overall efficiency. This contribution deals with some of the materials considered to be candidates for slabs serving as the active medium of the DPSSLs. We tested Yb:YAG, Yb:CaF2 and Yb:KGW samples. As large amounts of heat need to be dissipated during laser operation, cryogenic cooling is necessary. Appropriate coating materials and techniques need to be chosen. Therefore differences between available coating techniques are investigated in terms of adhesion, enduring of stress resulting from temperature shocks, etc. Coated samples were placed in a specially designed cryogenic apparatus in order to simulate conditions similar to those in real life operation. Optical microscopy and spectrophotometer measurements were used for coating investigation after the conducted experiments.

A high-pressure carbon dioxide gasdynamic laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuehn, D. M.

1973-01-01

A carbon dioxide gasdynamic laser was operated over a range of reservoir pressure and temperature, test-gas mixture, and nozzle geometry. A significant result is the dominant influence of nozzle geometry on laser power at high pressure. High reservoir pressure can be effectively utilized to increase laser power if nozzle geometry is chosen to efficiently freeze the test gas. Maximum power density increased from 3.3 W/cu cm of optical cavity volume for an inefficient nozzle to 83.4 W/cu cm at 115 atm for a more efficient nozzle. Variation in the composition of the test gas also caused large changes in laser power output. Most notable is the influence of the catalyst (helium or water vapor) that was used to depopulate the lower vibrational state of the carbon dioxide. Water caused an extreme deterioration of laser power at high pressure (100 atm), whereas, at low pressure the laser for the two catalysts approached similar values. It appears that at high pressure the depopulation of the upper laser level of the carbon dioxide by the water predominates over the lower state depopulation, thus destroying the inversion.

Technology Assessment of Laser-Assisted Materials Processing in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagarathnam, Karthik; Taminger, Karen M. B.

2001-01-01

Lasers are useful for performing operations such as joining, machining, built-up freeform fabrication, shock processing, and surface treatments. These attributes are attractive for the supportability of longer-term missions in space due to the multi-functionality of a single tool and the variety of materials that can be processed. However, current laser technology also has drawbacks for space-based applications, specifically size, power efficiency, lack of robustness, and problems processing highly reflective materials. A review of recent laser developments will be used to show how these issues may be reduced and indicate where further improvement is necessary to realize a laser-based materials processing capability in space. The broad utility of laser beams in synthesizing various classes of engineering materials will be illustrated using state-of-the art processing maps for select lightweight alloys typically found on spacecraft. With the advent of recent breakthroughs in diode-pumped solid-state lasers and fiber optic technologies, the potential to perform multiple processing techniques is increasing significantly. Lasers with suitable wavelengths and beam properties have tremendous potential for supporting future space missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.

Strong-field physics with mid-infrared lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pogorelsky, I. V.

2002-04-01

Mid-infrared gas laser technology promises to become a unique tool for research in strong-field relativistic physics. The degree to which physics is relativistic is determined by a ponderomotive potential. At a given intensity, a 10 μm wavelength CO2 laser reaches a 100 times higher ponderomotive potential than the 1 μm wavelength solid state lasers. Thus, we can expect a proportional increase in the throughput of such processes as laser acceleration, x-ray production, etc. These arguments have been confirmed in proof-of-principle Thomson scattering and laser acceleration experiments conducted at BNL and UCLA where the first terawatt-class CO2 lasers are in operation. Further more, proposals for the 100 TW, 100 fs CO2 lasers based on frequency-chirped pulse amplification have been conceived. Such lasers can produce physical effects equivalent to a hypothetical multi-petawatt solid state laser. Ultra-fast mid-infrared lasers will open new routes to the next generation electron and ion accelerators, ultra-bright monochromatic femtosecond x-ray and gamma sources, allow to attempt the study of Hawking-Unruh radiation, and explore relativistic aspects of laser-matter interactions. We review the present status and experiments with terawatt-class CO2 lasers, sub-petawatt projects, and prospective applications in strong-field science. .

STRONG FIELD PHYSICS WITH MID INFRARED LASERS.

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

POGORELSKY,I.V.

2001-08-27

Mid-infrared gas laser technology promises to become a unique tool for research in strong-field relativistic physics. The degree to which physics is relativistic is determined by a ponderomotive potential. At a given intensity, a 10 {micro}m wavelength CO{sub 2} laser reaches a 100 times higher ponderomotive potential than the 1 {micro}m wavelength solid state lasers. Thus, we can expect a proportional increase in the throughput of such processes as laser acceleration, x-ray production, etc. These arguments have been confirmed in proof-of-principle Thomson scattering and laser acceleration experiments conducted at BNL and UCLA where the first terawatt-class CO{sub 2} lasers aremore » in operation. Further more, proposals for the 100 TW, 100 fs CO{sub 2} lasers based on frequency-chirped pulse amplification have been conceived. Such lasers can produce physical effects equivalent to a hypothetical multi-petawatt solid state laser. Ultra-fast mid-infrared lasers will open new routes to the next generation electron and ion accelerators, ultra-bright monochromatic femtosecond x-ray and gamma sources, allow to attempt the study of Hawking-Unruh radiation, and explore relativistic aspects of laser-matter interactions. We review the present status and experiments with terawatt-class CO{sub 2} lasers, sub-petawatt projects, and prospective applications in strong-field science.« less

Development of a solid state laser of Nd:YLF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doamaralneto, R.

The CW laser action was obtained at room temperature of a Nd:YLF crystal in an astigmatically compensated cavity, pumped by an argon laser. This laser was completely projected, constructed and characterized in our laboratories. It initiates a broader project on laser development that will have several applications like nuclear fusion, industry, medicine, telemetry, etc. Throught the study of the optical properties of the Nd:YLF crystal, laser operation was predicted using a small volume gain medium on the mentioned cavity, pumped by an Ar 514,5 nm laser line. To obtain the laser action at polarizations sigma (1,053 (MU)m) and (PI) (1.047 (MU)m) an active medium was prepared which was a crystalline plate with a convenient crystallographic orientation. The laser characterization is in reasonable agreement with the initial predictions. For a 3.5% output mirror transmission, the oscillation threshold is about 0.15 W incident on the crystal, depending upon the sample used. For 1 W of incident pump light, the output power is estimated to be 12 mw, which corresponds to almost 1.5% slope efficiency. The versatile arrangement is applicable to almost all optically pumped solid state laser materials.

Laser ion source activities at Brookhaven National Laboratory

DOE PAGES

Kanesue, Takeshi; Okamura, Masahiro

2015-07-31

In Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), we have been developing laser ion sources for diverse accelerators. Tabletop Nd:YAG lasers with up to several Joules of energy are mainly used to create ablation plasmas for stable operations. The obtained charge states depend on laser power density and target species. Two types of ion extraction schemes, Direct Plasma Injection Scheme (DPIS) and conventional static extraction, are used depending on application. We optimized and select a suitable laser irradiation condition and a beam extraction scheme to meet the requirement of the following accelerator system. We have demonstrated to accelerate more than 5 x 10more » 10 of C 6+ ions using the DPIS. We successfully commissioned low charge ion beam provider to the user facilities in BNL. As a result, to achieve higher current, higher charge state and lower emittance, further studies will continue.« less

Novel solid state lasers for Lidar applications at 2 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Della Valle, G.; Galzerano, G.; Toncelli, A.; Tonelli, M.; Laporta, P.

2005-09-01

A review on the results achieved by our group in the development of novel solid-state lasers for Lidar applications at 2 μm is presented. These lasers, based on fluoride crystals (YLF4, BaY2F8, and KYF4) doped with Tm and Ho ions, are characterized by high-efficiency and wide wavelength tunability around 2 μm. Single crystals of LiYF4, BaY2F8, and KYF4 codoped with the same Tm3+ and Ho3+ concentrations were successfully grown by the Czochralski method. The full spectroscopic characterization of the different laser crystals and the comparison between the laser performance are presented. Continuous wave operation was efficiently demonstrated by means of a CW diode-pumping. These oscillators find interesting applications in the field of remote sensing (Lidar and Dial systems) as well as in high-resolution molecular spectroscopy, frequency metrology, and biomedical applications.

Continuous-wave organic dye lasers and methods

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

Shapira, Ofer; Chua, Song-Liang; Zhen, Bo

2014-09-16

An organic dye laser produces a continuous-wave (cw) output without any moving parts (e.g., without using flowing dye streams or spinning discs of solid-state dye media to prevent photobleaching) and with a pump beam that is stationary with respect to the organic dye medium. The laser's resonant cavity, organic dye medium, and pump beam are configured to excite a lasing transition over a time scale longer than the associated decay lifetimes in the organic dye medium without photobleaching the organic dye medium. Because the organic dye medium does not photobleach when operating in this manner, it may be pumped continuouslymore » so as to emit a cw output beam. In some examples, operation in this manner lowers the lasing threshold (e.g., to only a few Watts per square centimeter), thereby facilitating electrical pumping for cw operation.« less

Promoting Robust Design of Diode Lasers for Space: A National Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tratt, David M.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Kashem, Nasir B.; Shapiro, Andrew A.; Mense, Allan T.

2007-01-01

The Diode-laser Array Working Group (DAWG) is a national-level consumer/provider forum for discussion of engineering and manufacturing issues which influence the reliability and survivability of high-power broad-area laser diode devices in space, with an emphasis on laser diode arrays (LDAs) for optical pumping of solid-state laser media. The goals of the group are to formulate and validate standardized test and qualification protocols, operational control recommendations, and consensus manufacturing and certification standards. The group is using reliability and lifetime data collected by laser diode manufacturers and the user community to develop a set of standardized guidelines for specifying and qualifying laser diodes for long-duration operation in space, the ultimate goal being to promote an informed U.S. Government investment and procurement strategy for assuring the availability and durability of space-qualified LDAs. The group is also working to establish effective implementation of statistical design techniques at the supplier design, development, and manufacturing levels to help reduce product performance variability and improve product reliability for diodes employed in space applications

Recent Progress Made in the Development of High-Energy UV Transmitter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Narasimha S.; Singh, Upendra N.; Armstrong, Darrell J.

2007-01-01

In this paper, the status of an all-solid-state UV converter development for ozone sensing applications is discussed. A high energy Nd:YAG laser for pumping the UV converter arrangement was recently reported. The pump is an all-solid-state, single longitudinal mode, and conductively cooled Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm wavelength. Currently, this pump laser provides an output pulse energy of greater than 1J/pulse at 50 Hz PRF and a pulsewidth of 22 ns with an electrical-to-optical system efficiency of greater than 7% and a M(sup 2) value of approx. 2. The spatial profile of the output beam is a rectangular super Gaussian. This Nd:YAG pump laser has been developed to pump the nonlinear optics based UV converter arrangement to generate 320 nm and 308 nm wavelengths by means of 532 nm wavelength. Previously, this UV converter arrangement has demonstrated IR-to-UV conversion efficiency of 24% using a flash lamp pumped laser providing a round, flat top spatial profile. Recently, the UV converter was assembled and tested at NASA LaRC for pumping with the diode pumped Nd:YAG laser. With current spatial profile, the UV converter was made operational. Current efforts to maximize the nonlinear conversion efficiency by refining its spatial profile to match RISTRA OPO requirements are progressing.

Robust modeling and performance analysis of high-power diode side-pumped solid-state laser systems.

PubMed

Kashef, Tamer; Ghoniemy, Samy; Mokhtar, Ayman

2015-12-20

In this paper, we present an enhanced high-power extrinsic diode side-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) model to accurately predict the dynamic operations and pump distribution under different practical conditions. We introduce a new implementation technique for the proposed model that provides a compelling incentive for the performance assessment and enhancement of high-power diode side-pumped Nd:YAG lasers using cooperative agents and by relying on the MATLAB, GLAD, and Zemax ray tracing software packages. A large-signal laser model that includes thermal effects and a modified laser gain formulation and incorporates the geometrical pump distribution for three radially arranged arrays of laser diodes is presented. The design of a customized prototype diode side-pumped high-power laser head fabricated for the purpose of testing is discussed. A detailed comparative experimental and simulation study of the dynamic operation and the beam characteristics that are used to verify the accuracy of the proposed model for analyzing the performance of high-power DPSSLs under different conditions are discussed. The simulated and measured results of power, pump distribution, beam shape, and slope efficiency are shown under different conditions and for a specific case, where the targeted output power is 140 W, while the input pumping power is 400 W. The 95% output coupler reflectivity showed good agreement with the slope efficiency, which is approximately 35%; this assures the robustness of the proposed model to accurately predict the design parameters of practical, high-power DPSSLs.

High energy efficient solid state laser sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, Robert L.

1989-01-01

Recent progress in the development of highly efficient coherent optical sources was reviewed. This work has focused on nonlinear frequency conversion of the highly coherent output of the non-planar ring laser oscillators developed earlier in the program, and includes high efficiency second harmonic generation and the operation of optical parametric oscillators for wavelength diversity and tunability.

High repetition rate sealed CO2 TEA lasers using heterogeneous catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, H. T.; Shaw, S. R.

1987-04-01

The significant operational advantages offered by CO2 lasers, operating in the 10.6 micron region of the spectrum, over current solid state lasers, emitting in the near IR region, have prompted increased interest in the development of compact, reliable, rugged CO2 laser sources. Perhaps the most critical aspect associated with achieving a laser compatible with military use is the development of lasers which require no gas replenishment. Sealed, single shot, CO2 TEA lasers have been available for a number of years. Stark et al were first to demonstrate reliable sealed operation in single shot CO2 TEA lasers in 1975 using gas catalysis. GEC Avionics reported the compact, environmentally qualified, MKIII CO2 TEA laser with a pulse life of greater than 10 to the 6th power pulses in 1980. A sealed laser lifetime of greater than 10 to the 6th power pulses is acceptable for single shot cases, such as direct detection rangefinders for tank laser sights. However, in many other applications, such as tracking of fast moving targets, it is essential that a repetition rate of typically 30Hz to 100Hz is employed. In such cases, a pulse lifetime of 10 to the 6th power pulses is no longer sufficient and a minimum pulse lifetime 10 to the 7th power pulses is essential to ensure a useful service life. In 1983 Stark el al described a sealed, 100Hz CO2 TEA laser, with a life of greater than 2.6 x 10 to the 6th power, which employed heterogeneous catalysis. Following this pioneering work, GEC Avionics has been engaged in the development of sealed high repetition rate lasers with a pulse lifetime of 20 million pulses.

High repetition rate sealed CO2 TEA lasers using heterogeneous catalysts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Price, H. T.; Shaw, S. R.

1987-01-01

The significant operational advantages offered by CO2 lasers, operating in the 10.6 micron region of the spectrum, over current solid state lasers, emitting in the near IR region, have prompted increased interest in the development of compact, reliable, rugged CO2 laser sources. Perhaps the most critical aspect associated with achieving a laser compatible with military use is the development of lasers which require no gas replenishment. Sealed, single shot, CO2 TEA lasers have been available for a number of years. Stark et al were first to demonstrate reliable sealed operation in single shot CO2 TEA lasers in 1975 using gas catalysis. GEC Avionics reported the compact, environmentally qualified, MKIII CO2 TEA laser with a pulse life of greater than 10 to the 6th power pulses in 1980. A sealed laser lifetime of greater than 10 to the 6th power pulses is acceptable for single shot cases, such as direct detection rangefinders for tank laser sights. However, in many other applications, such as tracking of fast moving targets, it is essential that a repetition rate of typically 30Hz to 100Hz is employed. In such cases, a pulse lifetime of 10 to the 6th power pulses is no longer sufficient and a minimum pulse lifetime 10 to the 7th power pulses is essential to ensure a useful service life. In 1983 Stark el al described a sealed, 100Hz CO2 TEA laser, with a life of greater than 2.6 x 10 to the 6th power, which employed heterogeneous catalysis. Following this pioneering work, GEC Avionics has been engaged in the development of sealed high repetition rate lasers with a pulse lifetime of 20 million pulses.

High duty cycle hard soldered kilowatt laser diode arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klumel, Genady; Karni, Yoram; Oppenheim, Jacob; Berk, Yuri; Shamay, Moshe; Tessler, Renana; Cohen, Shalom

2010-02-01

High-brightness laser diode arrays operating at a duty cycle of 10% - 20% are in ever-increasing demand for the optical pumping of solid state lasers and directed energy applications. Under high duty-cycle operation at 10% - 20%, passive (conductive) cooling is of limited use, while micro-coolers using de-ionized cooling water can considerably degrade device reliability. When designing and developing actively-cooled collimated laser diode arrays for high duty cycle operation, three main problems should be carefully addressed: an effective local and total heat removal, a minimization of packaging-induced and operational stresses, and high-precision fast axis collimation. In this paper, we present a novel laser diode array incorporating a built-in tap water cooling system, all-hard-solder bonded assembly, facet-passivated high-power 940 nm laser bars and tight fast axis collimation. By employing an appropriate layout of water cooling channels, careful choice of packaging materials, proper design of critical parts, and active optics alignment, we have demonstrated actively-cooled collimated laser diode arrays with extended lifetime and reliability, without compromising their efficiency, optical power density, brightness or compactness. Among the key performance benchmarks achieved are: 150 W/bar optical peak power at 10% duty cycle, >50% wallplug efficiency and <1° collimated fast axis divergence. A lifetime of >0.5 Ghots with <2% degradation has been experimentally proven. The laser diode arrays have also been successfully tested under harsh environmental conditions, including thermal cycling between -20°C and 40°C and mechanical shocks at 500g acceleration. The results of both performance and reliability testing bear out the effectiveness and robustness of the manufacturing technology for high duty-cycle laser arrays.

2.097μ Cth:YAG flashlamp pumped high energy high efficiency laser operation (patent pending)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bar-Joseph, Dan

2018-02-01

Flashlamp pumped Cth:YAG lasers are mainly used in medical applications (urology). The main laser transition is at 2.13μ and is called a quasi-three level having an emission cross-section of 7x10-21 cm2 and a ground state absorption of approximately 5%/cm. Because of the relatively low absorption, combined with a modest emission cross-section, the laser requires high reflectivity output coupling, and therefore high intra-cavity energy density which limits the output to approximately 4J/pulse for reliable operation. This paper will describe a method of efficiently generating high output energy at low intra-cavity energy density by using an alternative 2.097μ transition having an emission cross-section of 5x10-21 cm2 and a ground level absorption of approximately 14%/cm.

Semiconductor optoelectronic devices for free-space optical communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, J.

1983-01-01

The properties of individual injection lasers are reviewed, and devices of greater complexity are described. These either include or are relevant to monolithic integration configurations of the lasers with their electronic driving circuitry, power combining methods of semiconductor lasers, and electronic methods of steering the radiation patterns of semiconductor lasers and laser arrays. The potential of AlGaAs laser technology for free-space optical communications systems is demonstrated. These solid-state components, which can generate and modulate light, combine the power of a number of sources and perform at least part of the beam pointing functions. Methods are proposed for overcoming the main drawback of semiconductor lasers, that is, their inability to emit the needed amount of optical power in a single-mode operation.

Terahertz GaAs/AlAs quantum-cascade lasers

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

Schrottke, L., E-mail: lutz@pdi-berlin.de; Lü, X.; Rozas, G.

2016-03-07

We have realized GaAs/AlAs quantum-cascade lasers operating at 4.75 THz exhibiting more than three times higher wall plug efficiencies than GaAs/Al{sub 0.25}Ga{sub 0.75}As lasers with an almost identical design. At the same time, the threshold current density at 10 K is reduced from about 350 A/cm{sup 2} for the GaAs/Al{sub 0.25}Ga{sub 0.75}As laser to about 120 A/cm{sup 2} for the GaAs/AlAs laser. Substituting AlAs for Al{sub 0.25}Ga{sub 0.75}As barriers leads to a larger energy separation between the subbands reducing the probability for leakage currents through parasitic states and for reabsorption of the laser light. The higher barriers allow for a shift of themore » quasi-continuum of states to much higher energies. The use of a binary barrier material may also reduce detrimental effects due to the expected composition fluctuations in ternary alloys.« less

Parallel and Multivalued Logic by the Two-Dimensional Photon-Echo Response of a Rhodamine–DNA Complex

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Implementing parallel and multivalued logic operations at the molecular scale has the potential to improve the miniaturization and efficiency of a new generation of nanoscale computing devices. Two-dimensional photon-echo spectroscopy is capable of resolving dynamical pathways on electronic and vibrational molecular states. We experimentally demonstrate the implementation of molecular decision trees, logic operations where all possible values of inputs are processed in parallel and the outputs are read simultaneously, by probing the laser-induced dynamics of populations and coherences in a rhodamine dye mounted on a short DNA duplex. The inputs are provided by the bilinear interactions between the molecule and the laser pulses, and the output values are read from the two-dimensional molecular response at specific frequencies. Our results highlights how ultrafast dynamics between multiple molecular states induced by light–matter interactions can be used as an advantage for performing complex logic operations in parallel, operations that are faster than electrical switching. PMID:25984269

All solid-state SBS phase conjugate mirror

DOEpatents

Dane, Clifford B.; Hackel, Lloyd A.

1999-01-01

A stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) phase conjugate laser mirror uses a solid-state nonlinear gain medium instead of the conventional liquid or high pressure gas medium. The concept has been effectively demonstrated using common optical-grade fused silica. An energy threshold of 2.5 mJ and a slope efficiency of over 90% were achieved, resulting in an overall energy reflectivity of >80% for 15 ns, 1 um laser pulses. The use of solid-state materials is enabled by a multi-pass resonant architecture which suppresses transient fluctuations that would otherwise result in damage to the SBS medium. This all solid state phase conjugator is safer, more reliable, and more easily manufactured than prior art designs. It allows nonlinear wavefront correction to be implemented in industrial and defense laser systems whose operating environments would preclude the introduction of potentially hazardous liquids or high pressure gases.

All solid-state SBS phase conjugate mirror

DOEpatents

Dane, C.B.; Hackel, L.A.

1999-03-09

A stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) phase conjugate laser mirror uses a solid-state nonlinear gain medium instead of the conventional liquid or high pressure gas medium. The concept has been effectively demonstrated using common optical-grade fused silica. An energy threshold of 2.5 mJ and a slope efficiency of over 90% were achieved, resulting in an overall energy reflectivity of >80% for 15 ns, 1 um laser pulses. The use of solid-state materials is enabled by a multi-pass resonant architecture which suppresses transient fluctuations that would otherwise result in damage to the SBS medium. This all solid state phase conjugator is safer, more reliable, and more easily manufactured than prior art designs. It allows nonlinear wavefront correction to be implemented in industrial and defense laser systems whose operating environments would preclude the introduction of potentially hazardous liquids or high pressure gases. 8 figs.

Investigating MALDI MSI parameters (Part 2) - On the use of a mechanically shuttered trigger system for improved laser energy stability.

PubMed

Steven, Rory T; Dexter, Alex; Bunch, Josephine

2016-07-15

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is now widely used to desorb, ionize and detect molecules from complex samples and tissue sections. The detected ion intensity within MALDI MS and MSI is intimately linked to the laser energy per pulse incident upon the sample during analysis. Laser energy/power stability can be significantly affected by the manner in which the laser is operated. High-repetition rate diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers are being increasingly adopted to enable high-throughput MALDI MSI analysis. Within this work two different laser-triggering setups are used to demonstrate the effect of laser energy instabilities due to spiking and thermal control phenomena and a setup with a shutter to remove these effects. The effect of non-equilibrium laser operation on MALDI MSI data versus the more stable laser pulse energy of the shutter-triggered system is demonstrated in thin films of α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) and for imaging of murine brain tissue sections. Significant unwanted variations in absolute and relative detected ion intensity are shown where energy variation is introduced by these phenomena, which return to equilibrium within the setup employed here over timescales relevant to MALDI MS analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Photophysical properties, photodegradation characteristics, and lasing action for coumarin dye C540A in polymeric media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Guilford, II; Huang, Zhennian; Pacheco, Dennis P., Jr.; Russell, Jeffrey A.

2004-07-01

Tunable solid-state dye lasers operating in the blue-green spectral region are attractive for a variety of applications. An important consideration in assessing the viability of this technology is the service life of the gain medium, which is presently limited by dye photodegradation. In this study, solid polymeric samples consisting of the coumarin dye C540A in modified PMMA were subjected to controlled photodegradation tests. The excitation laser was a flashlamp-pumped dye laser operating at 440 nm with a pulse duration of 1 μs. A complementary set of data was obtained for dye in solution phase for comparison purposes. Photophysical properties of C540A in water solution of polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) have been investigated with a view to assess the suitability of the sequestering polymer (PMAA) as an effective additive to facilitate use of a water medium for highly efficient blue-green dye lasers. Lasing action of C540A in aqueous PMAA has been realized using flashlamp-pumped laser system, yielding excellent laser efficiencies superior to that achieved in ethanolic solutions with the same dye. Laser characterization of dye in media included measurement of laser threshold, slope efficiency, pulse duration and output wavelength.

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

Yarotski, Dmitry Anatolievitch

On Thursday November 19, 2015, LANL postdoc received an eye injury from a reflected, nonvisible laser beam (Class 4, pulsed, wavelength 800 nanometer). The setup is configured to split the laser output into two work areas in which qualified operators conduct research experiments. During this incident, the laser output beam was being projected to both experimental work areas, although only one experimental area was actively being used. The second laser beam directed to the second work area was blocked by an inappropriate device (Plexiglas, reflective, non-normal incidence) that reflected substantial portion of the beam toward the first setup. In preparationmore » for the measurements, worker stepped on the stepstool and decided to remove the laser goggles to better see the micrometer readings which were difficult to see due to insufficient lighting. Immediately, he noticed a flash of light in his eye. The operator quickly replaced the laser eye-wear and then, using an infrared viewer, located a stray laser beam being reflected from the plexiglas beam block. The operator did not think he had sustained any injury and continued working. Later that day, however, he noticed a blurry spot in the vision of his left eye. He notified his supervisor on Friday morning, November 20, 2015, and was taken by CINT management to Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) medical facility for evaluation. SNL Medical did not find any abnormalities, but referred the operator to a local ophthalmologist for further evaluation. Further evaluations by the ophthalmologist on November 21 and November 23 identified a small spot of inflammation near the fovea on the retina in his left eye. The ophthalmologist stated that this spot would most likely heal on its own and that the blurry spot on the operator's vision would go away. A follow-up visit was scheduled. The employee was released back to work without restrictions.« less

Practical internal combustion engine laser spark plug development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, Michael J.; Myers, John D.; Guo, Baoping; Yang, Chengxin; Hardy, Christopher R.

2007-09-01

Fundamental studies on laser ignition have been performed by the US Department of Energy under ARES (Advanced Reciprocating Engines Systems) and by the California Energy Commission under ARICE (Advanced Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine). These and other works have reported considerable increases in fuel efficiencies along with substantial reductions in green-house gas emissions when employing laser spark ignition. Practical commercial applications of this technology require low cost high peak power lasers. The lasers must be small, rugged and able to provide stable laser beam output operation under adverse mechanical and environmental conditions. New DPSS (Diode Pumped Solid State) lasers appear to meet these requirements. In this work we provide an evaluation of HESP (High Efficiency Side Pumped) DPSS laser design and performance with regard to its application as a practical laser spark plug for use in internal combustion engines.

367 cases of CO2 laser therapy on facial acne

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yunqing; Liu, Songhao; Zhang, You; Liu, T. C.

1996-09-01

Since 1989, we have cured 367 persons of facial acne of different course by using direct irradiation of high-power CO2 laser combing with operative therapy of low-power CO2 laser. The cure rate is 100 percent. In this paper, we stated the therapeutic approach. It was shown that this therapeutic approach is simple and effective, and its recurrence rate is zero. There are no cicatrices after healing. It is easy to accept it, and is worthy of extension.

NRL 2003 Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-06-01

Sadananda, R.L. Holtz, and A.K. Vasudevan 59 Filamentation and Propagation of Ultra-Short, Intense Laser Pulses in Air A.C. Ting, D.F. Gordon, C.K...This facility is made up of 56 laser beams and is single- pulsed (4-nanosecond pulse ). This facility provides intense radiation for studying inertial...Plasma Physics A state-of-the-art short- pulse (0.4 ps), high- intensity Table-Top Terawatt (T3) laser currently operates at 10 TW and 2 ¥ 1019 W/cm2 for

A Compact, Solid-State UV (266 nm) Laser System Capable of Burst-Mode Operation for Laser Ablation Desorption Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arevalo, Ricardo, Jr.; Coyle, Barry; Paulios, Demetrios; Stysley, Paul; Feng, Steve; Getty, Stephanie; Binkerhoff, William

2015-01-01

Compared to wet chemistry and pyrolysis techniques, in situ laser-based methods of chemical analysis provide an ideal way to characterize precious planetary materials without requiring extensive sample processing. In particular, laser desorption and ablation techniques allow for rapid, reproducible and robust data acquisition over a wide mass range, plus: Quantitative, spatially-resolved measurements of elemental and molecular (organic and inorganic) abundances; Low analytical blanks and limits-of-detection ( ng g-1); and, the destruction of minimal quantities of sample ( g) compared to traditional solution and/or pyrolysis analyses (mg).

Principles of laser surgery. Advantages and disadvantages.

PubMed

Ballow, E B

1992-07-01

An attempt has been made in this article to present an honest and accurate state-of-art narrative of laser surgery for pedal conditions. The theory of operation, physiologic effects and procedural comparisons have been presented regarding those procedures and lasers that are available for use by podiatric surgeons and others treating the foot and leg. Although some information described within this article is anecdotal, it is elaborated with representative expert material from the scientific literature. Overall, a sound theoretic understanding of the mode of action of lasers and extensive training and experience is encouraged when engaging in this exciting discipline of surgery.

Tetravalent chromium (Cr(4+)) as laser-active ion for tunable solid-state lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seas, A.; Petricevic, V.; Alfano, Robert R.

1992-01-01

Generation of femtosecond pulses from a continuous-wave mode-locked chromium-doped forsterite (Cr(4+):Mg2SiO4) laser has been accomplished. The forsterite laser was actively mode-locked using an acousto-optic modulator operating at 78 MHz with two Brewster high-dispersion glass prisms for intra-cavity chirp compensation. Transform-limited sub-100-fs pulses were routinely generated in the TEM(sub 00) mode with 85 mW of continuous power (with 1 percent output coupler), tunable over 1230-1280 nm. The shortest pulses of 60-fs pulsewidth were measured.

High-Efficiency and High-Power Mid-Wave Infrared Cascade Lasers

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

internal quantum efficiency () and factor (2) is usually called the optical extraction efficiency (). The optical extraction efficiency ... quantum efficiency involves more fundamental parameters corresponding to the microscopic processes of the device operation, nevertheless, it can be...deriving parameters such as the internal quantum efficiency of a QC laser, the entire injector miniband can be treated as a single virtual state

Laser Technician Associate Degree Program. A Proposal Submitted to Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education. (Curriculum Development.) Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Central Technical Inst., Wausau, WI.

This final report contains the program proposal with supporting data for developing curriculum materials for and implementing an associate-degree laser technology program at the North Central Technical Institute. The proposal outline provides this information: (1) objectives for the program designed to prepare a technician to safely operate,…

Closed cycle high-repetition-rate pulsed HF laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Michael R.; Morris, A. V.; Gorton, Eric K.

1997-04-01

The design and performance of a closed cycle high repetition rate HF laser is described. A short pulse, glow discharge is formed in a 10 SF6:1 H2 gas mixture at a total pressure of approximately 110 torr within a 15 by 0.5 by 0.5 cm3 volume. Transverse, recirculated gas flow adequate to enable repetitive operation up to 3 kHz is imposed by a centrifugal fan. The fan also forces the gas through a scrubber cell to eliminate ground state HF from the gas stream. An automated gas make-up system replenishes spent gas removed by the scrubber. Typical mean laser output powers up to 3 W can be maintained for extended periods of operation.

Switchable and spacing-tunable dual-wavelength thulium-doped silica fiber laser based on a nonlinear amplifier loop mirror.

PubMed

Liu, Shuo; Yan, Fengping; Feng, Ting; Wu, Beilei; Dong, Ze; Chang, Gee-Kung

2014-08-20

A kind of switchable and spacing-tunable dual-wavelength thulium-doped silica fiber laser based on a nonlinear amplifier loop mirror is presented and experimentally demonstrated. By adjusting the polarization controllers (PCs), stable dual-wavelength operation is obtained at the 2 μm band. The optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) is better than 56 dB. The wavelength tuning is performed by applying static strain into the fiber Bragg grating. A tuning range from 0 to 5.14 nm is achieved for the dual-wavelength spacing. By adjusting the PCs properly, the fiber laser can also operate in single-wavelength state with the OSNR for each wavelength more than 50 dB.

Theoretical modeling of the dynamics of a semiconductor laser subject to double-reflector optical feedback

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

Bakry, A.; Abdulrhmann, S.; Ahmed, M., E-mail: mostafa.farghal@mu.edu.eg

2016-06-15

We theoretically model the dynamics of semiconductor lasers subject to the double-reflector feedback. The proposed model is a new modification of the time-delay rate equations of semiconductor lasers under the optical feedback to account for this type of the double-reflector feedback. We examine the influence of adding the second reflector to dynamical states induced by the single-reflector feedback: periodic oscillations, period doubling, and chaos. Regimes of both short and long external cavities are considered. The present analyses are done using the bifurcation diagram, temporal trajectory, phase portrait, and fast Fourier transform of the laser intensity. We show that adding themore » second reflector attracts the periodic and perioddoubling oscillations, and chaos induced by the first reflector to a route-to-continuous-wave operation. During this operation, the periodic-oscillation frequency increases with strengthening the optical feedback. We show that the chaos induced by the double-reflector feedback is more irregular than that induced by the single-reflector feedback. The power spectrum of this chaos state does not reflect information on the geometry of the optical system, which then has potential for use in chaotic (secure) optical data encryption.« less

Theoretical peak performance and optical constraints for the deflection of an S-type asteroid with a continuous wave laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiry, Nicolas; Vasile, Massimiliano

2017-03-01

This paper presents a theoretical model to evaluate the thrust generated by a continuous wave (CW) laser, operating at moderate intensity (<100 GW/m2), ablating an S-type asteroid made of Forsterite. The key metric to assess the performance of the laser system is the thrust coupling coefficient which is given by the ratio between thrust and associated optical power. Three different models are developed in the paper: a one dimensional steady state model, a full 3D steady state model and a one dimensional model accounting for transient effects resulting from the tumbling motion of the asteroid. The results obtained with these models are used to derive key requirements and constraints on the laser system that allow approaching the ideal performance in a realistic case.

Excitation mechanism in a hollow cathode He-Kr ion laser

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

Hazama, J.; Arai, T.; Goto, M.

1995-12-31

Pulsed laser operation in the afterglow of a positive column He-Kr discharge on the 469.4 nm (6s{sup 4}P{sub 5/2} {yields} 5p{sup 4}P{sub 5/2}) transition of Kr(II) was observed for the first time by Dana and Laure`s. It appears that the upper level of Kr(II) laser line is populated by the second kind collisions between He 2{sup 3}S metastable atoms and ground state Kr ions. CW oscillations on Kr(II) transitions have been obtained in a hollow cathode discharge. In this work, we have estimated the excitation mechanism for the upper state of 469.4 nm laser line from the measurements of themore » decay of endlight intensity in the hollow cathode He-Kr discharge.« less

Laser, optical and thermomechanical properties of Yb-doped fluorapatite

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

Payne, S.A.; Smith, L.K.; DeLoach, L.D.

The laser performance of Yb-doped fluorapatite (Ca[sub 5](PO[sub 4])[sub 3]F or FAP), is assessed by employing a Ti:sapphire laser operating at 905 nm as the pump source. The authors have measured slope efficiencies to be as high as 79%; the residual decrement from the quantum defect-limited efficiency of 87% is accounted for by the presence of passive loss at the 1,043-nm laser wavelength. The important spectral properties of Yb:FAP were evaluated, including the absorption and emission cross sections, excited-state lifetime, and ground-state energy-level splitting. The emission and absorption cross sections of Yb[sup 3+] in FAP are found to be substantiallymore » larger than those of other Yb-doped media. The thermal, physical, and optical properties of the FAP host are reported as well.« less

Influence of UV illumination on the cold temperature operation of a LiNbO(3) Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.

PubMed

Cole, Brian; Goldberg, Lew; King, Vernon; Leach, Jeff

2010-04-26

UV illumination of a lithium niobate Q-switch was demonstrated as an effective means to eliminate a loss in hold-off and associated prelasing that occurs under cold temperature operation of Q-switched lasers. This degradation occurs due to the pyroelectric effect, where an accumulation of charge on crystal faces results in a reduction in the Q-switch hold-off and a spatially variable loss of the Q-switch in its high-transmission state, both resulting in lowering of the maximum Q-switched pulse energy. With UV illumination, the resulting creation of photo-generated carriers was shown to be effective in eliminating both of these effects. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser utilizing UV-illuminated LiNbO(3) was shown to operate under cold temperatures without prelasing or spatially variable loss.

Development of an advanced uncooled 10-Gb DFB laser for volume manufacture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, Gordon; Charles, Paul M.

2003-03-01

Optical communication systems operating at 10Gbit/s such as 10Gigabit Ethernet are becoming more and more important in Local Area Networks (LAN) and Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN). This market requires optical transceivers of low cost, size and power consumption. This drives a need for uncooled DFB lasers directly modulated at 10Gbit/s. This paper describes the development of a state of the art uncooled high speed DFB laser which is capable of being manufactured in high volume at the low cost demanded by the GbE market. A DFB laser was designed by developing technological building blocks within the 'conventional" InGaAsP materials system, using existing well proven manufacturing processes modules wherever possible, limiting the design risk to a few key areas where innovation was required. The temperature and speed performance of the InGaAsP SMQW active layer system was carefully optimized and then coupled with a low parasitic lateral confinement system. Using concurrent engineering, new processes were demonstrated to have acceptable process capability within a manufacturing fabrication environment, proving their ability to support high volume manufacturing requirements. The DFB laser fabricated was shown to operate at 100C chip temperature with an open eye at 10Gbit/s operation (with an extinction ratio >5dB). Up to 90C operation this DFB shows threshold current as low as 29mA, optical power as high as 13mW and it meets the 10Gb scaled Ethernet mask with extinction ratio >6dB. It was found that the high temperature dynamic behavior of these lasers could not be fully predicted from static test data. A production test strategy was therefore followed where equipment was designed to fully test devices/subassemblies at 100C and up to 20Gbit/s at key points in the product build. This facilitated the rapid optimisation of product yields upon manufacturing ramp up and minimization of product costs. This state of the art laser is now transferred into volume manufacture.

Design strategy for terahertz quantum dot cascade lasers.

PubMed

Burnett, Benjamin A; Williams, Benjamin S

2016-10-31

The development of quantum dot cascade lasers has been proposed as a path to obtain terahertz semiconductor lasers that operate at room temperature. The expected benefit is due to the suppression of nonradiative electron-phonon scattering and reduced dephasing that accompanies discretization of the electronic energy spectrum. We present numerical modeling which predicts that simple scaling of conventional quantum well based designs to the quantum dot regime will likely fail due to electrical instability associated with high-field domain formation. A design strategy adapted for terahertz quantum dot cascade lasers is presented which avoids these problems. Counterintuitively, this involves the resonant depopulation of the laser's upper state with the LO-phonon energy. The strategy is tested theoretically using a density matrix model of transport and gain, which predicts sufficient gain for lasing at stable operating points. Finally, the effect of quantum dot size inhomogeneity on the optical lineshape is explored, suggesting that the design concept is robust to a moderate amount of statistical variation.

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).

The behavior of gain and saturation characteristics versus temperature in a copper bromide laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadpour Lima, S.; Behrouzinia, S.; Salem, M. K.; Elahei, M.; Khorasani, K.; Dorranian, D.

2017-05-01

A pair of copper bromide lasers in an oscillator-amplifier configuration was used to investigate the temperature dependence of the small-signal gain, saturation intensity, and output power of the laser. The observations were explained in terms of the electron temperature and energy levels of transition. An optimum electrical input power of 1.6 kW and a corresponding operational temperature of 510 °C were determined for the maximum values of these parameters. The balance between the microscopic parameters, such as stimulated emission cross-section, laser upper-level lifetime, and population inversion, which determine the behavior of the amplifying parameters and laser output power with respect to the operational temperature, has been investigated. We used the steady-state rate equation from the Hargrove model to determine the amplifying parameters, instead of the Frantz-Nodvik formula. The power extracted from the amplifier exceeds that achieved with the same device as the oscillator by more than 60%.

Theoretical model predictions and experimental results for a wavelength switchable Tm:YAG laser.

PubMed

Niu, Yanxiong; Wang, Caili; Liu, Wenwen; Niu, Haisha; Xu, Bing; Man, Da

2014-07-01

We present a theoretical model study of a quasi-three-level laser with particular attention given to the Tm:YAG laser. The oscillating conditions of this laser were theoretically analyzed from the point of the pump threshold while taking into account reabsorption loss. The laser oscillation at 2.02 μm with large stimulated emission sections was suppressed by selecting the appropriate coating for the cavity mirrors, then an efficient laser-diode side-pumped continuous-wave Tm:YAG crystal laser operating at 2.07 μm was realized. Experiments with the Tm:YAG laser confirmed the accuracy of the model, and the model was able to accurately predict that the high Stark sub-level within the H3₆ ground state manifold has a low laser threshold and long laser wavelength, which was achieved by decreasing the transmission of the output coupler.

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

Droulias, Sotiris; Jain, Aditya; Koschny, Thomas

Recently, our group proposed a metamaterial laser design based on explicitly coupled dark resonant states in low-loss dielectrics, which conceptually separates the gain-coupled resonant photonic state responsible for macroscopic stimulated emission from the coupling to specific free-space propagating modes, allowing independent adjustment of the lasing state and its coherent radiation output. Due to this functionality, it is now possible to make lasers that can overcome the trade-off between system dimensions and Q factor, especially for surface emitting lasers with deeply subwavelength thickness. In this paper, we give a detailed discussion of the key functionality and benefits of this design, suchmore » as radiation damping tunability, directionality, subwavelength integration, and simple layer-by-layer fabrication. Finally, we examine in detail the fundamental design tradeoffs that establish the principle of operation and must be taken into account and give guidance for realistic implementations.« less

Single Spatial-Mode Room-Temperature-Operated 3.0 to 3.4 micrometer Diode Lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frez, Clifford F.; Soibel, Alexander; Belenky, Gregory; Shterengas, Leon; Kipshidze, Gela

2010-01-01

Compact, highly efficient, 3.0 to 3.4 m light emitters are in demand for spectroscopic analysis and identification of chemical substances (including methane and formaldehyde), infrared countermeasures technologies, and development of advanced infrared scene projectors. The need for these light emitters can be currently addressed either by bulky solid-state light emitters with limited power conversion efficiency, or cooled Interband Cascade (IC) semiconductor lasers. Researchers here have developed a breakthrough approach to fabrication of diode mid-IR lasers that have several advantages over IC lasers used for the Mars 2009 mission. This breakthrough is due to a novel design utilizing the strain-engineered quantum-well (QW) active region and quinternary barriers, and due to optimization of device material composition and growth conditions (growth temperatures and rates). However, in their present form, these GaSb-based laser diodes cannot be directly used as a part of sensor systems. The device spectrum is too broad to perform spectroscopic analysis of gas species, and operating currents and voltages are too high. In the current work, the emitters were fabricated as narrow-ridge waveguide index-guided lasers rather than broad stripe-gain guided multimode Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers as was done previously. These narrow-ridge waveguide mid-IR lasers exhibit much lower power consumptions, and can operate in a single spatial mode that is necessary for demonstration of single-mode distributed feedback (DBF) devices for spectroscopic applications. These lasers will enable a new generation of compact, tunable diode laser spectrometers with lower power consumption, reduced complexity, and significantly reduced development costs. These lasers can be used for the detection of HCN, C2H2, methane, and ethane.

Rydberg-Dressed Magneto-optical Trap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bounds, A. D.; Jackson, N. C.; Hanley, R. K.; Faoro, R.; Bridge, E. M.; Huillery, P.; Jones, M. P. A.

2018-05-01

We propose and demonstrate the laser cooling and trapping of Rydberg-dressed Sr atoms. By off-resonantly coupling the excited state of a narrow (7 kHz) cooling transition to a high-lying Rydberg state, we transfer Rydberg properties such as enhanced electric polarizability to a stable magneto-optical trap operating at <1 μ K . Simulations show that it is possible to reach a regime where the long-range interaction between Rydberg-dressed atoms becomes comparable to the kinetic energy, opening a route to combining laser cooling with tunable long-range interactions.

Mode Selection for a Single-Frequency Fiber Laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Jian

2010-01-01

A superstructured fiber-grating-based mode selection filter for a single-frequency fiber laser eliminates all free-space components, and makes the laser truly all-fiber. A ring cavity provides for stable operations in both frequency and power. There is no alignment or realignment required. After the fibers and components are spliced together and packaged, there is no need for specially trained technicians for operation or maintenance. It can be integrated with other modules, such as telescope systems, without extra optical alignment due to the flexibility of the optical fiber. The filter features a narrow line width of 1 kHz and side mode suppression ratio of 65 dB. It provides a high-quality laser for lidar in terms of coherence length and signal-to-noise ratio, which is 20 dB higher than solid-state or microchip lasers. This concept is useful in material processing, medical equipment, biomedical instrumentation, and optical communications. The pulse-shaping fiber laser can be directly used in space, airborne, and satellite applications including lidar, remote sensing, illuminators, and phase-array antenna systems.

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.

A comparison of Doppler lidar wind sensors for Earth-orbit global measurement applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menzies, Robert T.

1985-01-01

Now, there are four Doppler lidar configurations which are being promoted for the measurement of tropospheric winds: (1) the coherent CO2 Lidar, operating in the 9 micrometer region using a pulsed, atmospheric pressure CO2 gas discharge laser transmitter, and heterodyne detection; (2) the coherent Neodymium doped YAG or Glass Lidar, operating at 1.06 micrometers, using flashlamp or diode laser optical pumping of the solid state laser medium, and heterodyne detection; (3) the Neodymium doped YAG/Glass Lidar, operating at the doubled frequency (at 530 nm wavelength), again using flashlamp or diode laser pumping of the laser transmitter, and using a high resolution tandem Fabry-Perot filter and direct detection; and (4) the Raman shifted Xenon Chloride Lidar, operating at 350 nm wavelength, using a pulsed, atmospheric pressure XeCl gas discharge laser transmitter at 308 nm, Raman shifted in a high pressure hydrogen cell to 350 nm in order to avoid strong stratospheric ozone absorption, also using a high resolution tandem Fabry-Perot filter and direct detection. Comparisons of these four systems can include many factors and tradeoffs. The major portion of this comparison is devoted to efficiency. Efficiency comparisons are made by estimating the number of transmitted photons required for a single pulse wind velocity estimate of + or - 1 m/s accuracy in the middle troposphere, from an altitude of 800 km, which is assured to be reasonable for a polar orbiting platform.

An iodine hypersonic wind tunnel for the study of nonequilibrium reacting flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pham-Van-diep, G. C.; Muntz, E. P.; Weaver, D. P.; Dewitt, T. G.; Bradley, M. K.; Erwin, D. A.; Kunc, J. A.

1992-01-01

A pilot scale hypersonic wind tunnel operating on pure iodine vapor has been designed and tested. The wind tunnel operates intermittently with a run phase lasting approximately 20 minutes. Successful recirculation of the iodine used during the run phase has been achieved but can be improved. Relevant issues regarding the full scale facility's design and operation, and the use of iodine as a working gas are discussed. Continuous wave laser induced fluorescence was used to monitor number densities within the plume flowfield, while pulsed laser induced fluorescence was used in an initial attempt to measure vibrational energy state population distributions. Preliminary nozzle flow calculations based on finite rate chemistry are presented.

Stable continuous-wave single-frequency Nd:YAG blue laser at 473 nm considering the influence of the energy-transfer upconversion.

PubMed

Wang, Yaoting; Liu, Jianli; Liu, Qin; Li, Yuanji; Zhang, Kuanshou

2010-06-07

We report a continuous-wave (cw) single frequency Nd:YAG blue laser at 473 nm end-pumped by a laser diode. A ring laser resonator was designed, the frequency doubling efficiency and the length of nonlinear crystal were optimized based on the investigation of the influence of the frequency doubling efficiency on the thermal lensing effect induced by energy-transfer upconversion. By intracavity frequency doubling with PPKTP crystal, an output power of 1 W all-solid-state cw blue laser of single-frequency operation was achieved. The stability of the blue output power was better than +/- 1.8% in the given four hours.

Critical side channel effects in random bit generation with multiple semiconductor lasers in a polarization-based quantum key distribution system.

PubMed

Ko, Heasin; Choi, Byung-Seok; Choe, Joong-Seon; Kim, Kap-Joong; Kim, Jong-Hoi; Youn, Chun Ju

2017-08-21

Most polarization-based BB84 quantum key distribution (QKD) systems utilize multiple lasers to generate one of four polarization quantum states randomly. However, random bit generation with multiple lasers can potentially open critical side channels that significantly endangers the security of QKD systems. In this paper, we show unnoticed side channels of temporal disparity and intensity fluctuation, which possibly exist in the operation of multiple semiconductor laser diodes. Experimental results show that the side channels can enormously degrade security performance of QKD systems. An important system issue for the improvement of quantum bit error rate (QBER) related with laser driving condition is further addressed with experimental results.

DiPOLE: a 10 J, 10 Hz cryogenic gas cooled multi-slab nanosecond Yb:YAG laser.

PubMed

Banerjee, Saumyabrata; Ertel, Klaus; Mason, Paul D; Phillips, P Jonathan; De Vido, Mariastefania; Smith, Jodie M; Butcher, Thomas J; Hernandez-Gomez, Cristina; Greenhalgh, R Justin S; Collier, John L

2015-07-27

The Diode Pumped Optical Laser for Experiments (DiPOLE) project at the Central Laser Facility aims to develop a scalable, efficient high pulse energy diode pumped laser amplifier system based on cryogenic gas cooled, multi-slab ceramic Yb:YAG technology. We present recent results obtained from a scaled down prototype laser system designed for operation at 10 Hz pulse repetition rate. At 140 K, the system generated 10.8 J of energy in a 10 ns pulse at 1029.5 nm when pumped by 48 J of diode energy at 940 nm, corresponding to an optical to optical conversion efficiency of 22.5%. To our knowledge, this represents the highest pulse energy obtained from a cryo cooled Yb laser to date and the highest efficiency achieved by a multi-Joule diode pumped solid state laser system. Additionally, we demonstrated shot-to-shot energy stability of 0.85% rms for the system operated at 7 J, 10 Hz during several runs lasting up to 6 hours, with more than 50 hours in total. We also demonstrated pulse shaping capability and report on beam, wavefront and focal spot quality.

A switchable and stable single-longitudinal-mode, dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser assisted by Rayleigh backscattering in tapered fiber

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

Gu, Jian; Yang, Yanfu, E-mail: yangyanfu@hotmail.com; Zhang, Jianyu

We have proposed and demonstrated a novel switchable single-longitudinal-mode (SLM), dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser (DWEDFL) assisted by Rayleigh backscattering (RBS) in a tapered fiber in a ring laser configuration. The RBS feedback in a tapered fiber is a key mechanism as linewidth narrowing for laser output. A compound laser cavity ensured that the EDFL operated in the SLM state and a saturable absorber (SA) is employed to form a gain grating for both filtering and improving wavelength stability. The fiber laser can output dual wavelengths simultaneously or operate at single wavelength in a switchable manner. Experiment results show that withmore » the proper SA, the peak power drift was improved from 1–2 dB to 0.31 dB and the optical signal to noise ratio was higher than 60 dB. Under the assistance of RBS feedback, the laser linewidths are compressed by around three times and the Lorentzian 3 dB linewidths of 445 Hz and 425 Hz are obtained at 1550 nm and 1554 nm, respectively.« less

Diode pumped Nd:YAG laser development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reno, C. W.; Herzog, D. G.

1976-01-01

A low power Nd:YAG laser was constructed which employs GaAs injection lasers as a pump source. Power outputs of 125 mW TEM CW with the rod at 250 K and the pump at 180 K were achieved for 45 W input power to the pump source. Operation of the laser, with array and laser at a common heat sink temperature of 250 K, was inhibited by difficulties in constructing long-life GaAs LOC laser arrays. Tests verified pumping with output power of 20 to 30 mW with rod and pump at 250 K. Although life tests with single LOC GaAs diodes were somewhat encouraging (with single diodes operating as long as 9000 hours without degradation), failures of single diodes in arrays continue to occur, and 50 percent power is lost in a few hundred hours at 1 percent duty factor. Because of the large recent advances in the state of the art of CW room temperature AlGaAs diodes, their demonstrated lifetimes of greater than 5,000 hours, and their inherent advantages for this task, it is recommended that these sources be used for further CW YAG injection laser pumping work.

Monolithic integration of a resonant tunneling diode and a quantum well semiconductor laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grave, I.; Kan, S. C.; Griffel, G.; Wu, S. W.; Sa'Ar, A.

1991-01-01

A monolithic integration of a double barrier AlAs/GaAs resonant tunneling diode and a GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well laser is reported. Negative differential resistance and negative differential optical response are observed at room temperature. The device displays bistable electrical and optical characteristics which are voltage controlled. Operation as a two-state optical memory is demonstrated.

Spectroscopic and radiation-resistant properties of Er,Pr:GYSGG laser crystal operated at 2.79 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xu-Yao; Sun, Dun-Lu; Luo, Jian-Qiao; Zhang, Hui-Li; Fang, Zhong-Qing; Quan, Cong; Li, Xiu-Li; Cheng, Mao-Jie; Zhang, Qing-Li; Yin, Shao-Tang

2017-06-01

Not Available Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2016YFB1102301), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51272254, 61405206, and 51502292), and the Open Research Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Pulsed Power Laser Technology, Electronic Engineering Institute, China (Grant No. SKL2015KF01).

Alternative laser system for cesium magneto-optical trap via optical injection locking to sideband of a 9-GHz current-modulated diode laser.

PubMed

Diao, Wenting; He, Jun; Liu, Zhi; Yang, Baodong; Wang, Junmin

2012-03-26

By optical injection of an 852-nm extended-cavity diode laser (master laser) to lock the + 1-order sideband of a ~9-GHz-current-modulated diode laser (slave laser), we generate a pair of phase-locked lasers with a frequency difference up to ~9-GHz for a cesium (Cs) magneto-optical trap (MOT) with convenient tuning capability. For a cesium MOT, the master laser acts as repumping laser, locked to the Cs 6S₁/₂ (F = 3) - 6P₃/₂ (F' = 4) transition. When the + 1-order sideband of the 8.9536-GHz-current-modulated slave laser is optically injection-locked, the carrier operates on the Cs 6S₁/₂ (F = 4) - 6P₃/₂ (F' = 5) cooling cycle transition with -12 MHz detuning and acts as cooling/trapping laser. When carrying a 9.1926-GHz modulation signal, this phase-locked laser system can be applied in the fields of coherent population trapping and coherent manipulation of Cs atomic ground states.

Sub-kilohertz excitation lasers for quantum information processing with Rydberg atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legaie, Remy; Picken, Craig J.; Pritchard, Jonathan D.

2018-04-01

Quantum information processing using atomic qubits requires narrow linewidth lasers with long-term stability for high fidelity coherent manipulation of Rydberg states. In this paper, we report on the construction and characterization of three continuous-wave (CW) narrow linewidth lasers stabilized simultaneously to an ultra-high finesse Fabry-Perot cavity made of ultra-low expansion (ULE) glass, with a tunable offset-lock frequency. One laser operates at 852~nm while the two locked lasers at 1018~nm are frequency doubled to 509~nm for excitation of $^{133}$Cs atoms to Rydberg states. The optical beatnote at 509~nm is measured to be 260(5)~Hz. We present measurements of the offset between the atomic and cavity resonant frequencies using electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) for high-resolution spectroscopy on a cold atom cloud. The long-term stability is determined from repeated spectra over a period of 20 days yielding a linear frequency drift of $\\sim1$~Hz/s.

Modeling of a solar-pumped iodine laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, J. W.; Lee, J. H.

1980-01-01

The direct conversion in space of solar radiation into laser radiation for power transmission to earth, satellites, or deep space probes shows promise as a reasonably simple technology and may have cost advantage in deployment and greater reliability compared to other methods of space power generation and transmission. The main candidates for solar pumping are the gas dynamic, photochemical, and direct photoexcited lasers. Here consideration is given to the photochemical reaction of alkyliodides which predominantly excite the I(2P1/2) state which then lases at 1.315 microns. The iodine ground state is eventually lost to reconstituting the gas or in the formation of molecular iodine. The rates at which the gas is required to be recycled through the laser system are modest. The side exposure at 100-fold solar concentration of a 100-m long tube with a 1 sq m cross section is estimated to provide 20 kW of continuous laser output. Scaling laws and optimum operating conditions of this system are discussed.

Design, fabrication, and optimization of quantum cascade laser cavities and spectroscopy of the intersubband gain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dirisu, Afusat Olayinka

Quantum Cascade (QC) lasers are intersubband light sources operating in the wavelength range of ˜ 3 to 300 mum and are used in applications such as sensing (environmental, biological, and hazardous chemical), infrared countermeasures, and free-space infrared communications. The mid-infrared range (i.e. lambda ˜ 3-30 mum) is of particular importance in sensing because of the strong interaction of laser radiation with various chemical species, while in free space communications the atmospheric windows of 3-5 mum and 8-12 mum are highly desirable for low loss transmission. Some of the requirements of these applications include, (1) high output power for improved sensitivity; (2) high operating temperatures for compact and cost-effective systems; (3) wide tunability; (4) single mode operation for high selectivity. In the past, available mid-infrared sources, such as the lead-salt and solid-state lasers, were bulky, expensive, or emit low output power. In recent years, QC lasers have been explored as cost-effective and compact sources because of their potential to satisfy and exceed all the above requirements. Also, the ultrafast carrier lifetimes of intersubband transitions in QC lasers are promising for high bandwidth free-space infrared communication. This thesis was focused on the improvement of QC lasers through the design and optimization of the laser cavity and characterization of the laser gain medium. The optimization of the laser cavity included, (1) the design and fabrication of high reflection Bragg gratings and subwavelength antireflection gratings, by focused ion beam milling, to achieve tunable, single mode and high power QC lasers, and (2) modeling of slab-coupled optical waveguide QC lasers for high brightness output beams. The characterization of the QC laser gain medium was carried out using the single-pass transmission experiment, a sensitive measurement technique, for probing the intersubband transitions and the electron distribution of QC lasers under different temperatures and applied bias conditions, unlike typical infrared measurement techniques that are restricted to non-functional devices. With the single-pass technique, basic understanding of the physics behind the workings of the QC laser gain can be achieved, which is invaluable in the design of QC lasers with high output power and high operating temperatures.

High speed real-time wavefront processing system for a solid-state laser system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuan; Yang, Ping; Chen, Shanqiu; Ma, Lifang; Xu, Bing

2008-03-01

A high speed real-time wavefront processing system for a solid-state laser beam cleanup system has been built. This system consists of a core2 Industrial PC (IPC) using Linux and real-time Linux (RT-Linux) operation system (OS), a PCI image grabber, a D/A card. More often than not, the phase aberrations of the output beam from solid-state lasers vary fast with intracavity thermal effects and environmental influence. To compensate the phase aberrations of solid-state lasers successfully, a high speed real-time wavefront processing system is presented. Compared to former systems, this system can improve the speed efficiently. In the new system, the acquisition of image data, the output of control voltage data and the implementation of reconstructor control algorithm are treated as real-time tasks in kernel-space, the display of wavefront information and man-machine conversation are treated as non real-time tasks in user-space. The parallel processing of real-time tasks in Symmetric Multi Processors (SMP) mode is the main strategy of improving the speed. In this paper, the performance and efficiency of this wavefront processing system are analyzed. The opened-loop experimental results show that the sampling frequency of this system is up to 3300Hz, and this system can well deal with phase aberrations from solid-state lasers.

Experiments with trapped ions and ultrafast laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Kale Gifford

Since the dawn of quantum information science, laser-cooled trapped atomic ions have been one of the most compelling systems for the physical realization of a quantum computer. By applying qubit state dependent forces to the ions, their collective motional modes can be used as a bus to realize entangling quantum gates. Ultrafast state-dependent kicks [1] can provide a universal set of quantum logic operations, in conjunction with ultrafast single qubit rotations [2], which uses only ultrafast laser pulses. This may present a clearer route to scaling a trapped ion processor [3]. In addition to the role that spin-dependent kicks (SDKs) play in quantum computation, their utility in fundamental quantum mechanics research is also apparent. In this thesis, we present a set of experiments which demonstrate some of the principle properties of SDKs including ion motion independence (we demonstrate single ion thermometry from the ground state to near room temperature and the largest Schrodinger cat state ever created in an oscillator), high speed operations (compared with conventional atom-laser interactions), and multi-qubit entanglement operations with speed that is not fundamentally limited by the trap oscillation frequency. We also present a method to provide higher stability in the radial mode ion oscillation frequencies of a linear radiofrequency (rf) Paul trap-a crucial factor when performing operations on the rf-sensitive modes. Finally, we present the highest atomic position sensitivity measurement of an isolated atom to date of 0.5 nm Hz. (-1/2) with a minimum uncertaintyof 1.7 nm using a 0.6 numerical aperature (NA) lens system, along with a method to correct aberrations and a direct position measurement of ion micromotion (the inherent oscillations of an ion trapped in an oscillating rf field). This development could be used to directly image atom motion in the quantum regime, along with sensing forces at the yoctonewton [10. (-24) N)] scale forgravity sensing, and 3D imaging of atoms from static to higher frequency motion. These ultrafast atomic qubit manipulation tools demonstrate inherent advantages over conventional techniques, offering a fundamentally distinct regime of control and speed not previously achievable.

Linearly polarized fiber amplifier

DOEpatents

Kliner, Dahv A.; Koplow, Jeffery P.

2004-11-30

Optically pumped rare-earth-doped polarizing fibers exhibit significantly higher gain for one linear polarization state than for the orthogonal state. Such a fiber can be used to construct a single-polarization fiber laser, amplifier, or amplified-spontaneous-emission (ASE) source without the need for additional optical components to obtain stable, linearly polarized operation.

Development and Deployment of a Compact Eye-Safe Scanning Differential absorption Lidar (DIAL) for Spatial Mapping of Carbon Dioxide for Monitoring/Verification/Accounting at Geologic Sequestration Sites

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

Repasky, Kevin

2014-03-31

A scanning differential absorption lidar (DIAL) instrument for monitoring carbon dioxide has been developed. The laser transmitter uses two tunable discrete mode laser diodes (DMLD) operating in the continuous wave (cw) mode with one locked to the online absorption wavelength and the other operating at the offline wavelength. Two in-line fiber optic switches are used to switch between online and offline operation. After the fiber optic switch, an acousto- optic modulator (AOM) is used to generate a pulse train used to injection seed an erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) to produce eye-safe laser pulses with maximum pulse energies of 66more » {micro}J, a pulse repetition frequency of 15 kHz, and an operating wavelength of 1.571 {micro}m. The DIAL receiver uses a 28 cm diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope to collect that backscattered light, which is then monitored using a photo-multiplier tube (PMT) module operating in the photon counting mode. The DIAL instrument has been operated from a laboratory environment on the campus of Montana State University, at the Zero Emission Research Technology (ZERT) field site located in the agricultural research area on the western end of the Montana State University campus, and at the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration Partnership site located in north-central Montana. DIAL data has been collected and profiles have been validated using a co-located Licor LI-820 Gas Analyzer point sensor.« less

PHYSICAL EFFECTS OCCURRING DURING GENERATION AND AMPLIFICATION OF LASER RADIATION: Dynamics of population of the A3∑u+ nitrogen metastable state in a self-sustained volume discharge of a pulsed CO2 laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apollonov, V. V.; Baĭtsur, G. G.; Ermachenko, A. V.; Raspopov, N. A.; Sviridenkov, É. A.; Semenov, S. K.; Firsov, K. N.

1989-02-01

Intracavity laser spectroscopy was used to study the dynamics of population of the ν = 2-8 vibrational levels of the A3∑u+ state in order to establish the possible influence of multistage ionization on the evolution of instability in a self-sustained volume discharge in CO2 laser active mixtures. The populations of the nitrogen vibrational levels Nν were calculated taking into account the real output pulse profile of a dye laser. It was found that multistage ionization can only influence the duration of stable operation of a self-sustained volume discharge by increasing the rate of growth of the spark channel in the discharge gap. This is why the addition of readily ionized substances to the gas that reduce the electron energy and therefore lower Nν can substantially improve the stability of the volume discharge and increase the active volume and output energy of a CO2 laser.

Organic Lasers: Recent Developments on Materials, Device Geometries, and Fabrication Techniques.

PubMed

Kuehne, Alexander J C; Gather, Malte C

2016-11-09

Organic dyes have been used as gain medium for lasers since the 1960s, long before the advent of today's organic electronic devices. Organic gain materials are highly attractive for lasing due to their chemical tunability and large stimulated emission cross section. While the traditional dye laser has been largely replaced by solid-state lasers, a number of new and miniaturized organic lasers have emerged that hold great potential for lab-on-chip applications, biointegration, low-cost sensing and related areas, which benefit from the unique properties of organic gain materials. On the fundamental level, these include high exciton binding energy, low refractive index (compared to inorganic semiconductors), and ease of spectral and chemical tuning. On a technological level, mechanical flexibility and compatibility with simple processing techniques such as printing, roll-to-roll, self-assembly, and soft-lithography are most relevant. Here, the authors provide a comprehensive review of the developments in the field over the past decade, discussing recent advances in organic gain materials, which are today often based on solid-state organic semiconductors, as well as optical feedback structures, and device fabrication. Recent efforts toward continuous wave operation and electrical pumping of solid-state organic lasers are reviewed, and new device concepts and emerging applications are summarized.

Diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:GdTaO4 laser based on tungsten disulfide nanosheets saturable absorber at 1066 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, M. X.; Jin, G. Y.; Li, Y.

2018-05-01

In this paper, we investigated the passively Q-switched Nd:GdTaO4 laser based on tungsten disulfide (WS2) saturable absorber (SA). The preparation method of WS2 SA was to attach the WS2-alcohol dispersion onto the quartz substrates. The diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:GdTaO4 laser operated at a central wavelength of 1066 nm. The stable pulse output could be obtained at the single pulse width of 560 ns. In a word, WS2 seems to be a suitable saturable absorber for solid state lasers.

Study of nonlinear liquid effects into ytterbium-doped fiber laser for multi-wavelength generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozano-Hernandez, T.; Jauregui-Vazquez, D.; Estudillo-Ayala, J.; Herrera-Piad, L. A.; Rojas-Laguna, R.; Hernandez-Garcia, J. M.; Sierra-Hernandez, J. M.

2018-02-01

We present an experimental study of liquid refractive index effects into Ytterbium ring fiber laser cavity configuration. The laser is operated using a bi-tapered optical fiber immersed in water-alcohol concentrations. When the tapered fiber is dipped into a distilled water, a single lasing line with a peak power centered at 1025 nm is achieved. Afterward, by changing the polarization state into the cavity the lasing line can be switched. Moreover, by modifying the refractive index liquid surrounding media the lasing lines can be controlled and special liquid provide nonlinear response. The laser offers compactness, low effective cost and good stability.

Laser absorption phenomena in flowing gas devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, P. K.; Otis, J. H.

1976-01-01

A theoretical and experimental investigation is presented of inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption of CW CO2 laser radiation in flowing gases seeded with alkali metals. In order to motivate this development, some simple models are described of several space missions which could use laser powered rocket vehicles. Design considerations are given for a test call to be used with a welding laser, using a diamond window for admission of laser radiation at power levels in excess of 10 kW. A detailed analysis of absorption conditions in the test cell is included. The experimental apparatus and test setup are described and the results of experiments presented. Injection of alkali seedant and steady state absorption of the laser radiation were successfully demonstrated, but problems with the durability of the diamond windows at higher powers prevented operation of the test cell as an effective laser powered thruster.

Lead extraction by selective operation of a nanosecond-pulsed 355nm laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herzog, Amir; Bogdan, Stefan; Glikson, Michael; Ishaaya, Amiel A.; Love, Charles

2016-03-01

Lead extraction (LE) is necessary for patients who are suffering from a related infection, or in opening venous occlusions that prevent the insertion of additional lead. In severe cases of fibrous encapsulation of the lead within a vein, laser-based cardiac LE has become one of the foremost methods of removal. In cases where the laser radiation (typically at 308 nm wavelength) interacts with the vein wall rather than with the fibrotic lesion, severe injury and subsequent bleeding may occur. Selective tissue ablation was previously demonstrated by a laser operating in the UV regime; however, it requires the use of sensitizers (e.g.: tetracycline). In this study, we present a preliminary examination of efficacy and safety aspects in the use of a nanosecond-pulsed solid-state laser radiation, at 355 nm wavelength, guided in a catheter consisting of optical fibers, in LE. Specifically, we demonstrate a correlation between the tissue elasticity and the catheter advancement rate, in ex-vivo experiments. Our results indicate a selectivity property for specific parameters of the laser radiation and catheter design. The selectivity is attributed to differences in the mechanical properties of the fibrotic tissue and a normal vein wall, leading to a different photomechanical response of the tissue's extracellular matrix. Furthermore, we performed successful in-vivo animal trials, providing a basic proof of concept for using the suggested scheme in LE. Selective operation using a 355 nm laser may reduce the risk of blood vessel perforation as well as the incidence of major adverse events.

Investigation of continuous wave and pulsed laser performance based on Nd3+:Gd0.6Y1.4SiO5 crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Chao; Liu, Zhaojun; Cong, Zhenhua; Shen, Hongbin; Li, Yongfu; Wang, Qingpu; Fang, Jiaxiong; Xu, Xiaodong; Xu, Jun; Zhang, Xingyu

2015-12-01

We systematically investigated a laser diode (LD) pumped Nd:GYSO (Nd3+:Gd0.6Y1.4SiO5) laser. The output power of the continuous wave laser was as high as 3.5 W with a slope efficiency of 31.8%. In the Q-switched operation; the laser exhibited dual-wavelengths output (1073.6 nm and 1074.7 nm) synchronously with a Cr4+:YAG as the saturable absorber (SA). Additionally, a passively mode-locked laser was demonstrated using a semiconductor SA mirror with a maximum average output power of 510 mW at a central wavelength of 1074 nm, while the pulse width of the laser was as short as 5 ps. Our experiment proved that the Nd:GYSO mixed crystal was a promising material for a solid-state laser.

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.

Phase-locked bifrequency Raman lasing in a double-Λ system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alaeian, Hadiseh; Shahriar, M. S.

2018-05-01

We show that it is possible to realize simultaneous Raman lasing at two different frequencies using a double-Λ system pumped by a bifrequency field. The bifrequency Raman lasers are phase-locked to one another and the beat-frequency matches the energy difference between the two metastable ground states. Akin to a conventional Raman laser, the bifrequency Raman lasers are expected to be subluminal. As such, these are expected to be highly stable against perturbations in cavity length and have quantum noise limited linewidths that are far below that of a conventional laser. Because of these properties, the bifrequency Raman lasers may find important applications in precision metrology, including atomic interferometry and magnetometry. The phase-locked Raman laser pair also represent a manifestation of lasing without inversion, albeit in a configuration that produces a pair of nondegenerate lasers simultaneously. This feature may enable lasing without inversion in frequency regimes not accessible using previous techniques of lasing without inversion. To elucidate the behavior of this laser pair, we develop an analytical model that describes the stimulated Raman interaction in a double-Λ system using an effective two-level transition. The approximation is valid as long as the excited states adiabatically follow the ground states, as verified by numerical simulations. The effective model is used to identify the optimal operating conditions for the bifrequency Raman lasing process. This model may also prove useful in other potential applications of the double-Λ system, including generation of squeezed light and spatial solitons.

Speckle reduction methods in laser-based picture projectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akram, M. Nadeem; Chen, Xuyuan

2016-02-01

Laser sources have been promised for many years to be better light sources as compared to traditional lamps or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for projectors, which enable projectors having wide colour gamut for vivid image, super brightness and high contrast for the best picture quality, long lifetime for maintain free operation, mercury free, and low power consumption for green environment. A major technology obstacle in using lasers for projection has been the speckle noise caused by to the coherent nature of the lasers. For speckle reduction, current state of the art solutions apply moving parts with large physical space demand. Solutions beyond the state of the art need to be developed such as integrated optical components, hybrid MOEMS devices, and active phase modulators for compact speckle reduction. In this article, major methods reported in the literature for the speckle reduction in laser projectors are presented and explained. With the advancement in semiconductor lasers with largely reduced cost for the red, green and the blue primary colours, and the developed methods for their speckle reduction, it is hoped that the lasers will be widely utilized in different projector applications in the near future.

Broad emission band of Yb3+ in the nonlinear Nb:RbTiOPO4 crystal: origin and applications.

PubMed

Carvajal, J J; Ciatto, G; Mateos, X; Schmidt, A; Griebner, U; Petrov, V; Boulon, G; Brenier, A; Peña, A; Pujol, M C; Aguiló, M; Díaz, F

2010-03-29

By means of micro-structural and optical characterization of the Yb:Nb:RbTiOPO(4) crystal, we demonstrated that the broad emission band of Yb(3+) in these crystals is due to the large splitting of the ytterbium ground state only, and not to a complex multisite occupation by the ytterbium ions in the crystals. We used this broad emission band to demonstrate wide laser tuning range and generation of femtosecond laser pulses. Passive mode-locked laser operation has been realized by using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror, generating ultra short laser pulses of 155 fs, which were very stable in time, under Ti:sapphire laser pumping at 1053 nm.

Wavelength locking of CW and Q-switched Er(3+) microchip lasers to acetylene absorption lines using pump-power modulation.

PubMed

Brunel, Marc; Vallet, Marc

2007-02-19

We show that modulating the diode-pump power of a microchip solid-state laser enables to lock its wavelength to a reference molecular line. The method is applied to two different types of Er,Yb:glass monolithic microchip lasers operating at 1.53 microm. First, wavelength locking of a continuous-wave dual-polarization microchip laser to acetylene absorption lines is demonstrated, without using any additional modulator, internal or external. We then show that, remarkably, this simple method is also suitable for stabilizing a passively Q-switched microchip laser. A pulsed wavelength stability of 10(-8) over 1 hour is readily observed. Applications to lidars and to microwave photonics are discussed.

Ionization degree measurement in the gain medium of a hydrocarbon-free rubidium vapor laser operating in pulsed and CW modes.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiaofan; Yang, Zining; Hua, Weihong; Wang, Hongyan; Xu, Xiaojun

2017-04-17

Although the diode pumped alkali laser (DPAL) works in a three-level scheme, higher energy-state excitation and ionization processes exist during operation, which may lead to deleterious effects on laser performance. In this paper, we report the ionization degree measurement in the gain medium of an operational hydrocarbon-free Rb DPAL by using the optogalvanic method. The results show that, at the pulsed mode with a duration of ~1 ms, a maximal ionization degree of ~0.06% is obtained at a pump power of 140 W. While in the CW mode, the plasma reaches an ionization degree as high as ~2% at a pump power of 110 W, which is mainly due to the enough time for sufficient plasma development. A comparison with our previous work [Opt. Lett.39, 6501 (2014)] as well as modeling results is made and discussed. The influences of different population transfer channels on laser performance are simulated and analyzed. The results show that, for a typical hydrocarbon-free Rb laser (pump intensity of 15 kW/cm², helium pressure of 10 atm and cell temperature of 438 K), all the high-energy excitation effects give an overall negative influence on laser efficiency of ~3.78%, while the top two influencing channels are the photoionization (~1.8%) and the energy pooling (~1.53%). The work in this paper experimentally reveals the influence of the macroscopic ionization evolution process on an operational DPAL for the first time, which would be helpful for a more comprehensive understanding of the physics in DPALs.

Multiple frequency optical mixer and demultiplexer and apparatus for remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Jeffrey R. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A pulsed laser system includes a modulator module configured to provide pulsed electrical signals and a plurality of solid-state seed sources coupled to the modulator module and configured to operate, responsive to the pulsed electrical signals, in a pulse mode. Each of the plurality of solid-state seed sources is tuned to a different frequency channel separated from any adjacent frequency channel by a frequency offset. The pulsed laser system also includes a combiner that combines outputs from each of the solid state seed sources into a single optical path and an optical doubler and demultiplexer coupled to the single optical path and providing each doubled seed frequency on a separate output path.

Solid State Research, 1975:4

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-11-15

2.8kA/cm for broad- area devices, has been achieved for Ga. In As, _ P /inP double-heterostructure 1 -x x 1 -y y diode lasers emitting ... LIGHT (b) reverse-biasing the p -n~ junction). This should facilitate the fabrication of modulators and switches using electroabsorption and...temperature operation of Ga In As, P /inP double-heterostructure (DH) diode lasers has been achieved. Broad-area devices emitting at 1.1

Time dependent temperature distribution in pulsed Ti:sapphire lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buoncristiani, A. Martin; Byvik, Charles E.; Farrukh, Usamah O.

1988-01-01

An expression is derived for the time dependent temperature distribution in a finite solid state laser rod for an end-pumped beam of arbitrary shape. The specific case of end pumping by circular (constant) or Gaussian beam is described. The temperature profile for a single pump pulse and for repetitive pulse operation is discussed. The particular case of the temperature distribution in a pulsed titanium:sapphire rod is considered.

Polyplanar optical display electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeSanto, Leonard; Biscardi, Cyrus

1997-07-01

The polyplanar optical display (POD) is a unique display screen which can be used with any projection source. The prototype ten inch display is two inches thick and has a matte black face which allows for high contrast images. The prototype being developed is a form, fit and functional replacement display for the B-52 aircraft which uses a monochrome ten-inch display. In order to achieve a long lifetime, the new display uses a 100 milliwatt green solid- state laser at 532 nm as its light source. To produce real- time video, the laser light is being modulated by a digital light processing (DLP) chip manufactured by Texas Instruments. In order to use the solid-state laser as the light source and also fit within the constraints of the B-52 display, the digital micromirror device (DMD) circuit board is removed from the Texas Instruments DLP light engine assembly. Due to the compact architecture of the projection system within the display chassis, the DMD chip is operated remotely from the Texas Instruments circuit board. We discuss the operation of the DMD divorced from the light engine and the interfacing of the DMD board with various video formats including the format specific to the B-52 aircraft. A brief discussion of the electronics required to drive the laser is also presented.

186 K Operation of Terahertz Quantum-Cascade Lasers Based on a Diagonal Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, Sushil; Hu, Qing; Reno, John L.

2009-01-01

Resonant-phonon terahertz quantum-cascade lasers operating up to a heat-sink temperature of 186 K are demonstrated. This record temperature performance is achieved based on a diagonal design, with the objective to increase the upper-state lifetime and therefore the gain at elevated temperatures. The increased diagonality also lowers the operating current densities by limiting the flow of parasitic leakage current. Quantitatively, the diagonality is characterized by a radiative oscillator strength that is smaller by a factor of two from the least of any previously published designs. At the lasing frequency of 3.9 THz, 63 mW of peak optical power was measured at 5 K, and approximately 5 mW could still be detected at 180 K.

Advantages of III-nitride laser diodes in solid-state lighting: Advantages of III-nitride laser diodes in solid-state lighting

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

Wierer, Jonathan J.; Tsao, Jeffrey Y.

2015-01-14

III-nitride laser diodes (LDs) are an interesting light source for solid-state lighting (SSL). Modelling of LDs is performed to reveal the potential advantages over traditionally used light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The first, and most notable, advantage is LDs have higher efficiency at higher currents when compared to LEDs. This is because Auger recombination that causes efficiency droop can no longer grow after laser threshold. Second, the same phosphor-converted methods used with LEDs can also be used with LDs to produce white light with similar color rendering and color temperature. Third, producing white light from color mixed emitters is equally challenging formore » both LEDs and LDs, with neither source having a direct advantage. Fourth, the LD emission is directional and can be more readily captured and focused, leading to the possibility of novel and more compact luminaires. Finally, the smaller area and higher current density operation of LDs provides them with a potential cost advantage over LEDs. These advantages make LDs a compelling source for future SSL.« less

Analysis of mode-locked and intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegman, A. E.; Heritier, J.-M.

1980-01-01

The paper presents analytical and computer studies of the CW mode-locked and intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser which provide new insight into the operation, including the detuning behavior, of this type of laser. Computer solutions show that the steady-state pulse shape for this laser is much closer to a truncated cosine than to a Gaussian; there is little spectral broadening for on-resonance operation; and the chirp is negligible. This leads to a simplified analytical model carried out entirely in the time domain, with atomic linewidth effects ignored. Simple analytical results for on-resonance pulse shape, pulse width, signal intensity, and harmonic conversion efficiency in terms of basic laser parameters are derived from this model. A simplified physical description of the detuning behavior is also developed. Agreement is found with experimental studies showing that the pulsewidth decreases as the modulation frequency is detuned off resonance; the harmonic power output initially increases and then decreases; and the pulse shape develops a sharp-edged asymmetry of opposite sense for opposite signs of detuning.

Compact sources for eyesafe illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranova, Nadia; Pu, Rui; Stebbins, Kenneth; Bystryak, Ilya; Rayno, Michael; Ezzo, Kevin; DePriest, Christopher

2018-02-01

Q-peak has demonstrated a compact, pulsed eyesafe laser architecture operating with >10 mJ pulse energies at repetition rates as high as 160 Hz. The design leverages an end-pumped solid-state laser geometry to produce adequate eyesafe beam quality (M2˜4), while also providing a path toward higher-density laser architectures for pulsed eyesafe applications. The baseline discussed in this paper has shown a unique capability for high-pulse repetition rates in a compact package, and offers additional potential for power scaling based on birefringence compensation. The laser consists of an actively Q-switched oscillator cavity producing pulse widths <30 ns, and utilizing an end-pumped Nd:YAG gain medium with a rubidium titanyl phosphate electro-optical crystal. The oscillator provides an effective front-end-seed for an optical parametric oscillator (OPO), which utilizes potassium titanyl arsenate in a linear OPO geometry. This laser efficiently operates in the eyesafe band, and has been designed to fit within a volume of 3760 cm3. We will discuss details of the optical system design, modeled thermal effects and stress-induced birefringence, as well as experimental advantages of the end-pumped laser geometry, along with proposed paths to higher eyesafe pulse energies.

Compact sources for eyesafe illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranova, N.; Pu, R.; Stebbins, K.; Bystryak, I.; Rayno, M.; Ezzo, K.; DePriest, C.

2017-02-01

Q-Peak has demonstrated a novel, compact, pulsed eyesafe laser architecture operating with <10 mJ pulse energies at repetition rates as high as 160 Hz. The design leverages an end-pumped solid-state laser geometry to produce adequate eyesafe beam quality (M2 4), while also providing a path towards higher-density laser architectures for pulsed eyesafe applications. The baseline discussed in this paper has shown a unique capability for high pulse repetition rates in a compact package, and offers additional potential for power scaling based on birefringence compensation. The laser consists of an actively Q-switched oscillator cavity producing pulse-widths <30 ns, and utilizing an end-pumped Nd: YAG gain medium with a Rubidium Titanyl Phosphate (RTP) electro-optical crystal. The oscillator provides an effective front-end-seed for an optical parametric oscillator (OPO), which utilizes Potassium Titanyl Arsenate (KTA) in a linear OPO geometry. This laser efficiently operates in the eyesafe band, and has been designed to fit within a volume of 3760 cm3. We will discuss details of the optical system design, modeled thermal effects and stress-induced birefringence, as well as experimental advantages of the end-pumped laser geometry, along with proposed paths to higher eyesafe pulse energies.

Solid-state laser source of narrowband ultraviolet B light for skin disease care

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasov, Aleksandr A.; Chu, Hong

2013-03-01

We report about the development of all-solid-state laser source of narrowband UV-B light for medical applications. The device is based on a gain-switched Ti: Sapphire laser with volume Bragg grating, pumped at 532 nm and operating at 931.8 nm, followed by a third harmonic generator and a fiber optic beam homogenizer. The maximum available pulse energy exceeded 5 mJ at 310.6 nm, with a pulse repetition rates of 50 Hz. The output characteristics satisfy the medical requirements for psoriasis and vitiligo treatment. A new optical scheme for third harmonic generation enhancement at moderate levels of input intensities is proposed and investigated. As a result, 40% harmonic efficiency was obtained, when input pulse power was only 300 kW.

Stably accessing octave-spanning microresonator frequency combs in the soliton regime.

PubMed

Li, Qing; Briles, Travis C; Westly, Daron A; Drake, Tara E; Stone, Jordan R; Ilic, B Robert; Diddams, Scott A; Papp, Scott B; Srinivasan, Kartik

2017-02-01

Microresonator frequency combs can be an enabling technology for optical frequency synthesis and timekeeping in low size, weight, and power architectures. Such systems require comb operation in low-noise, phase-coherent states such as solitons, with broad spectral bandwidths (e.g., octave-spanning) for self-referencing to detect the carrier-envelope offset frequency. However, accessing such states is complicated by thermo-optic dispersion. For example, in the Si 3 N 4 platform, precisely dispersion-engineered structures can support broadband operation, but microsecond thermal time constants often require fast pump power or frequency control to stabilize the solitons. In contrast, here we consider how broadband soliton states can be accessed with simple pump laser frequency tuning, at a rate much slower than the thermal dynamics. We demonstrate octave-spanning soliton frequency combs in Si 3 N 4 microresonators, including the generation of a multi-soliton state with a pump power near 40 mW and a single-soliton state with a pump power near 120 mW. We also develop a simplified two-step analysis to explain how these states are accessed without fast control of the pump laser, and outline the required thermal properties for such operation. Our model agrees with experimental results as well as numerical simulations based on a Lugiato-Lefever equation that incorporates thermo-optic dispersion. Moreover, it also explains an experimental observation that a member of an adjacent mode family on the red-detuned side of the pump mode can mitigate the thermal requirements for accessing soliton states.

Solid State Division progress report for period ending March 31, 1992

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

Green, P.H.; Hinton, L.W.

1992-09-01

During this period, the division conducted a broad, interdisciplinary materials research program with emphasis on theoretical solid state physics, superconductivity, neutron scattering, synthesis and characterization of materials, ion beam and laser processing, and the structure of solids and surfaces. The High Flux Isotope Reactor was returned to full operation.

Applications of lasers and electro-optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, B. C.; Low, K. S.; Chen, Y. H.; Ahmad, Harith; Tou, T. Y.

Supported by the IRPA Programme on Laser Technology and Applications, many types of lasers have been designed, constructed and applied in various areas of science, medicine and industries. Amongst these lasers constructed were high power carbon dioxide lasers, rare gas halide excimer lasers, solid state Neodymium-YAG lasers, nitrogen lasers, flashlamp pumped dye lasers and nitrogen and excimer laser pumped dye lasers. These lasers and the associated electro-optics system, some with computer controlled, are designed and developed for the following areas of applications: (1) industrial applications of high power carbon dioxide lasers for making of i.c. components and other materials processing purposes -- prototype operational systems have been developed; (2) Medical applications of lasers for cancer treatment using the technique of photodynamic therapy -- a new and more effective treatment protocol has been proposed; (3) agricultural applications of lasers in palm oil and palm fruit-fluorescence diagnostic studies -- fruit ripeness signature has been developed and palm oil oxidation level were investigated; (4) development of atmospheric pollution monitoring systems using laser lidar techniques -- laboratory scale systems were developed; and (5) other applications of lasers including laser holographic and interferometric methods for the non destructive testing of materials.

Estimation of ground and excited state dipole moment of laser dyes C504T and C521T using solvatochromic shifts of absorption and fluorescence spectra.

PubMed

Basavaraja, Jana; Suresh Kumar, H M; Inamdar, S R; Wari, M N

2016-02-05

The absorption and fluorescence spectra of laser dyes: coumarin 504T (C504T) and coumarin 521T (C521T) have been recorded at room temperature in a series of non-polar and polar solvents. The spectra of these dyes showed bathochromic shift with increasing in solvent polarity indicating the involvement of π→π⁎ transition. Kamlet-Taft and Catalan solvent parameters were used to analyze the effect of solvents on C504T and C521T molecules. The study reveals that both general solute-solvent interactions and specific interactions are operative in these two systems. The ground state dipole moment was estimated using Guggenheim's method and also by quantum mechanical calculations. The solvatochromic data were used to determine the excited state dipole moment (μ(e)). It is observed that dipole moment value of excited state (μ(e)) is higher than that of the ground state in both the laser dyes indicating that these dyes are more polar in nature in the excited state than in the ground state. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Q-switched all-solid-state lasers and application in processing of thin-film solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Liangqing; Wang, Feng

2009-08-01

Societal pressure to renewable clean energy is increasing which is expected to be used as part of an overall strategy to address global warming and oil crisis. Photovoltaic energy conversion devices are on a rapidly accelerating growth path driven by government, of which the costs and prices lower continuously. The next generation thin-film devices are considered to be more efficiency and greatly reduced silicon consumption, resulting in dramatically lower per unit fabrication costs. A key aspect of these devices is patterning large panels to create a monolithic array of series-interconnected cells to form a low current, high voltage module. This patterning is accomplished in three critical scribing processes called P1, P2, and P3. All-solid-state Q-switched lasers are the technology of choice for these processes, due to their advantages of compact configuration, high peak-value power, high repeat rate, excellent beam quality and stability, delivering the desired combination of high throughput and narrow, clean scribes. The end pumped all-solid-state lasers could achieve 1064nm IR resources with pulse width of nanoseconds adopting acoustic-optics Q-switch, shorter than 20ns. The repeat rate is up to 100kHz and the beam quality is close to diffraction limit. Based on this, 532nm green lasers, 355nm UV lasers and 266nm DUV lasers could be carried out through nonlinear frequency conversion. Different wave length lasers are chose to process selective materials. For example, 8-15 W IR lasers are used to scribe the TCO film (P1); 1-5 W green lasers are suitable for scribing the active semiconductor layers (P2) and the back contact layers (P3). Our company, Wuhan Lingyun Photo-electronic System Co. Ltd, has developed 20W IR and 5W green end-pumped Q-switched all-solid-state lasers for thin-film solar industry. Operating in high repeat rates, the speed of processing is up to 2.0 m/s.

Compact, diode-pumped, solid-state lasers for next generation defence and security sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silver, M.; Lee, S. T.; Borthwick, A.; McRae, I.; Jackson, D.; Alexander, W.

2015-06-01

Low-cost semiconductor laser diode pump sources have made a dramatic impact in sectors such as advanced manufacturing. They are now disrupting other sectors, such as defence and security (D&S), where Thales UK is a manufacturer of sensor systems for application on land, sea, air and man portable. In this talk, we will first give an overview of the market trends and challenges in the D&S sector. Then we will illustrate how low cost pump diodes are enabling new directions in D&S sensors, by describing two diode pumped, solid- state laser products currently under development at Thales UK. The first is a new generation of Laser Target Designators (LTD) that are used to identify targets for the secure guiding of munitions. Current systems are bulky, expensive and require large battery packs to operate. The advent of low cost diode technology, merged with our novel solid-state laser design, has created a designator that will be the smallest, lowest cost, STANAG compatible laser designator on the market. The LTD delivers greater that 50mJ per pulse up to 20Hz, and has compact dimensions of 125×70×55mm. Secondly, we describe an ultra-compact, eye-safe, solid-state laser rangefinder (LRF) with reduced size, weight and power consumption compared to existing products. The LRF measures 100×55×34mm, weighs 200g, and can range to greater than 10km with a single laser shot and at a reprate of 1Hz. This also leverages off advances in laser pump diodes, but also utilises low cost, high reliability, packaging technology commonly found in the telecoms sector. As is common in the D&S sector, the products are designed to work in extreme environments, such as wide temperature range (-40 to +71°C) and high levels of shock and vibration. These disruptive products enable next- generation laser sensors such as rangefinders, target designators and active illuminated imagers.

Development of tunable high pressure CO2 laser for lidar measurements of pollutants and wind velocities, January 1976 to December 1977

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Javan, A.

1979-01-01

A tunable multiatmospheric pulsed CO2 laser with emphasis on experimental features and supporting theoretical analyses important to differential absorption lidar and Doppler lidar measurement of pollutants and wind velocities is reported. The energy deposition and the means to produce the uniform high density plasma in the multiatmospheric medium, through UV preionization of an organic seed gas is discussed. Design features of the pulsed CO2 laser are presented. The radiative processes which are operative and prevent the laser from breaking into oscillations in a large number of modes over its broad amplification bandwidth are described. The mode competition for the transient pulsed laser oscillation in a standing wave and traveling wave ring laser configuration is discussed and contrasted with the approach to steady state oscillations. The latter findings are important to transient injection locking for production of a highly stable pulsed CO2 laser output.

Energy transfer efficiency from Cr(3+) to Nd(3+) in solar-pumped laser using transparent Nd/Cr:Y(3)Al(5)O(12) ceramics.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Kazuo; Ichikawa, Tadashi; Mizuno, Shintaro; Takeda, Yasuhiko; Ito, Hiroshi; Ikesue, Akio; Motohiro, Tomoyoshi; Yamaga, Mitsuo

2015-06-01

We report energy transfer efficiency from Cr³⁺ to Nd³⁺ in Nd (1.0 at.%)/Cr (0.4 at.%) co-doped Y₃Al₅O₁₂ (YAG) transparent ceramics in the laser oscillation states. The laser oscillation has performed using two pumping lasers operating at 808 nm and 561 nm; the former pumps Nd³⁺ directly to create the 1064 nm laser oscillation, whereas the latter assists the performance via Cr³⁺ absorption and sequential energy transfer to Nd³⁺. From the laser output power properties and laser mode analysis, the energy transfer efficiency was determined to be around 65%, which is close to that obtained from the spontaneous Nd³⁺ emission.

What laser does your practice need? Advantages, considerations, and practice integration of laser dentistry.

PubMed

Coluzzi, Donald J

2008-12-01

The use of lasers in dentistry has expanded and improved some treatment options for those clinicians who have adopted the technology. As with all dental materials and instruments, the practitioner must use clinical experience, receive proper training, become very familiar with the operating manual, and proceed within the scope of his or her practice. The potential purchaser should carefully analyze the style and type of the practice to decide how useful the device could be. Moreover, attending introductory courses, seminars, and presentations, such as those at the aforementioned Academy of Laser Dentistry's Annual Conference, or at various state and national scientific sessions, are essential before buying. Because of the varied composition of human tissue and the differing ways that laser energy is absorbed, there is no single perfect laser. However, our patients continue to agree that the dental laser is a wonderful instrument.

Resonantly diode laser pumped 1.6-μm Er:YAG laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garbuzov, Dmitri; Kudryashov, Igor; Dubinskii, Mark

2005-06-01

We report what is believed to be the first demonstration of direct resonant diode pumping of a 1.6-mm Er3+-doped bulk solid-state laser (DPSSL). The most of the results is obtained with pumping Er:YAG by the single mode diode laser packaged in fibered modules. The fibered modules, emitting at 1470 nm and 1530 nm wavelength with and without fiber grating (FBG) stabilization, have been used in pumping experiments. The very first results on high power DPSSL operation achieved with diode array pumping also will be presented. The highest absorbed photon conversion efficiency of 26% has been obtained for Er:YAG DPSSL using the 1470-nm single-mode module. Analysis of the DPSSL input-output characteristics suggests that the obtained slope efficiency can be increased at least up to 40% through the reduction of intracavity losses and pumping efficiency improvement. Diode pumped SSL (DPSSL) operates at a wavelength of 1617 nm and 1645 nm.

A highly efficient and compact long pulse Nd:YAG rod laser with 540 J of pulse energy for welding application.

PubMed

Choubey, Ambar; Vishwakarma, S C; Misra, Pushkar; Jain, R K; Agrawal, D K; Arya, R; Upadhyaya, B N; Oak, S M

2013-07-01

We have developed an efficient and high average power flash lamp pumped long pulse Nd:YAG laser capable of generating 1 kW of average output power with maximum 540 J of single pulse energy and 20 kW of peak power. The laser pulse duration can be varied from 1 to 40 ms and repetition rate from 1 to 100 Hz. A compact and robust laser pump chamber and resonator was designed to achieve this high average and peak power. It was found that this laser system provides highest single pulse energy as compared to other long pulsed Nd:YAG laser systems of similar rating. A slope efficiency of 5.4% has been achieved, which is on higher side for typical lamp pumped solid-state lasers. This system will be highly useful in laser welding of materials such as aluminium and titanium. We have achieved 4 mm deep penetration welding of these metals under optimized conditions of output power, pulse energy, and pulse duration. The laser resonator was optimized to provide stable operation from single shot to 100 Hz of repetition rate. The beam quality factor was measured to be M(2) ~ 91 and pulse-to-pulse stability of ±3% for the multimode operation. The laser beam was efficiently coupled through an optical fiber of 600 μm core diameter and 0.22 numerical aperture with power transmission of 90%.

DPSSL and FL pumps based on 980-nm telecom pump laser technology: changing the industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtenstein, Norbert; Schmidt, Berthold E.; Fily, Arnaud; Weiss, Stefan; Arlt, Sebastian; Pawlik, Susanne; Sverdlov, Boris; Muller, Jurgen; Harder, Christoph S.

2004-06-01

Diode-pumped solid state laser (DPSSL) and fiber laser (FL) are believed to become the dominant systems of very high power lasers in the industrial environment. Today, ranging from 100 W to 5 - 10 kW in light output power, their field of applications spread from biomedical and sensoring to material processing. Key driver for the wide spread of such systems is a competitive ratio of cost, performance and reliability. Enabling high power, highly reliable broad-area laser diodes and laser diode bars with excellent performance at the relevant wavelengths can further optimize this ratio. In this communication we present, that this can be achieved by leveraging the tremendous improvements in reliability and performance together with the high volume, low cost manufacturing areas established during the "telecom-bubble." From today's generations of 980-nm narrow-stripe laser diodes 1.8 W of maximum CW output power can be obtained fulfilling the stringent telecom reliability at operating conditions. Single-emitter broad-area lasers deliver in excess of 11 W CW while from similar 940-nm laser bars more than 160 W output power (CW) can be obtained at 200 A. In addition, introducing telecom-grade AuSn-solder mounting technology on expansion matched subassemblies enables excellent reliability performance. Degradation rates of less than 1% over 1000 h at 60 A are observed for both 808-nm and 940-nm laser bars even under harsh intermittent operation conditions.

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.

Terahertz plasmonic laser radiating in an ultra-narrow beam

DOE PAGES

Wu, Chongzhao; Khanal, Sudeep; Reno, John L.; ...

2016-07-07

Plasmonic lasers (spasers) generate coherent surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and could be realized at subwavelength dimensions in metallic cavities for applications in nanoscale optics. Plasmonic cavities are also utilized for terahertz quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs), which are the brightest available solid-state sources of terahertz radiation. A long standing challenge for spasers that are utilized as nanoscale sources of radiation, is their poor coupling to the far-field radiation. Unlike conventional lasers that could produce directional beams, spasers have highly divergent radiation patterns due to their subwavelength apertures. Here, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate a new technique for implementing distributed feedback (DFB) thatmore » is distinct from any other previously utilized DFB schemes for semiconductor lasers. The so-termed antenna-feedback scheme leads to single-mode operation in plasmonic lasers, couples the resonant SPP mode to a highly directional far-field radiation pattern, and integrates hybrid SPPs in surrounding medium into the operation of the DFB lasers. Experimentally, the antenna-feedback method, which does not require the phase matching to a well-defined effective index, is implemented for terahertz QCLs, and single-mode terahertz QCLs with a beam divergence as small as 4°×4° are demonstrated, which is the narrowest beam reported for any terahertz QCL to date. Moreover, in contrast to a negligible radiative field in conventional photonic band-edge lasers, in which the periodicity follows the integer multiple of half-wavelengths inside the active medium, antenna-feedback breaks this integer limit for the first time and enhances the radiative field of the lasing mode. Terahertz lasers with narrow-beam emission will find applications for integrated as well as standoff terahertz spectroscopy and sensing. Furthermore, the antenna-feedback scheme is generally applicable to any plasmonic laser with a Fabry–Perot cavity irrespective of its operating wavelength and could bring plasmonic lasers closer to practical applications.« less

Matera Laser Ranging Observatory (MLRO): An overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varghese, Thomas K.; Decker, Winfield M.; Crooks, Henry A.; Bianco, Giuseppe

1993-01-01

The Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) is currently under negotiation with the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation (BFEC) of the Allied Signal Aerospace Company (ASAC) to build a state-of-the-art laser ranging observatory for the Centro di Geodesia Spaziale, in Matera, Italy. The contract calls for the delivery of a system based on a 1.5 meter afocal Cassegrain astronomical quality telescope with multiple ports to support a variety of experiments for the future, with primary emphasis on laser ranging. Three focal planes, viz. Cassegrain, Coude, and Nasmyth will be available for these experiments. The open telescope system will be protected from dust and turbulence using a specialized dome which will be part of the building facilities to be provided by ASI. The fixed observatory facility will be partitioned into four areas for locating the following: laser, transmit/receive optics, telescope/dome enclosure, and the operations console. The optical tables and mount rest on a common concrete pad for added mechanical stability. Provisions will be in place for minimizing the effects of EMI, for obtaining maximum cleanliness for high power laser and transmit optics, and for providing an ergonomic environment fitting to a state-of-the-art multipurpose laboratory. The system is currently designed to be highly modular and adaptable for scaling or changes in technology. It is conceived to be a highly automated system with superior performance specifications to any currently operational system. Provisions are also made to adapt and accommodate changes that are of significance during the course of design and integration.

Generation of 1-J bursts with picosecond pulses from Perla B thin-disk laser system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chyla, Michal; Nagisetty, Siva S.; Severova, Patricie; Zhou, Huang; Smrz, Martin; Endo, Akira; Mocek, Tomas

2018-02-01

In many fields of modern physics and industrial applications high-average power pulsed diode-pumped solid-state lasers are essential. Scaling of these lasers towards higher pulse energies is often limited by the onset of thermal effects which are determined by the average power. In this paper we would like to propose a way of increasing the pulse energies by operating the PERLA B laser system in 100 Hz burst mode with 1 ms burst duration and intra-burst repetition rate of 10 kHz. The CPA-based system incorporates fiber front-end, regenerative amplifier and the multipass amplifier followed by the booster amplifier and <2ps compressor.

355-nm, nanosecond laser mirror thin film damage competition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Negres, Raluca A.; Stolz, Christopher J.; Thomas, Michael D.; Caputo, Mark

2017-11-01

This competition aimed to survey state-of-the-art UV high reflectors. The requirements of the coatings are a minimum reflection of 99.5% at 45 degrees incidence angle for P-polarized light at 355-nm. The choice of coating materials, design, and deposition method were left to the participants. Laser damage testing was performed at a single testing facility using the raster scan method with a 5-ns pulse length laser system operating at 10 Hz in a single longitudinal mode. A double blind test assured sample and submitter anonymity. In addition to the laser damage resistance results, details of the deposition processes, cleaning method, coating materials and layer count are also shared.

Dynamics of Superradiant Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, James

2014-05-01

A superradiant laser has been shown to operate with less than one photon on average inside of the optical cavity. In this regime, almost all of the phase information of the laser is stored in the atoms rather than the cavity field. As a result, the laser's phase is highly insensitive to both technical and fundamental thermal cavity mirror vibrations. This vibration noise presently limits the coherence of the best lasers as well as the precision of the optical lattice clocks that these lasers interrogate. We have explored the physics of superradiant lasers utilizing Raman transitions between hyperfine states in rubidium to mimic narrow optical transitions. In this talk, we will discuss the amplitude stability of our superradiant Raman laser, and the dynamics of phase synchronization in our system. We will also consider the prospects for future superradiant lasers that would lase on the same highly-forbidden transitions used in optical lattice clocks. We acknowledge support from DARPA QUASAR, ARO, NIST, and the NSF PFC.

High power CO2 coherent ladar haven't quit the stage of military affairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Heyong

2015-05-01

The invention of the laser in 1960 created the possibility of using a source of coherent light as a transmitter for a laser radar (ladar). Coherent ladar shares many of the basic features of more common microwave radars. However, it is the extremely short operating wavelength of lasers that introduces new military applications, especially in the area of missile identification, space target tracking, remote rang finding, camouflage discrimination and toxic agent detection. Therefore, the most popular application field such as laser imaging and ranging were focused on CO2 laser in the last few decades. But during the development of solid state and fiber laser, some people said that the CO2 laser will be disappeared and will be replaced by the solid and fiber laser in the field of military and industry. The coherent CO2 laser radar will have the same destiny in the field of military affairs. However, to my opinion, the high power CO2 laser will be the most important laser source for laser radar and countermeasure in the future.

Diode pumped solid state kilohertz disk laser system for time-resolved combustion diagnostics under microgravity at the drop tower Bremen

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

Wagner, Volker; Paa, Wolfgang; Triebel, Wolfgang

We describe a specially designed diode pumped solid state laser system based on the disk laser architecture for combustion diagnostics under microgravity (μg) conditions at the drop tower in Bremen. The two-stage oscillator-amplifier-system provides an excellent beam profile (TEM{sub 00}) at narrowband operation (Δλ < 1 pm) and is tunable from 1018 nm to 1052 nm. The laser repetition rate of up to 4 kHz at pulse durations of 10 ns enables the tracking of processes on a millisecond time scale. Depending on the specific issue it is possible to convert the output radiation up to the fourth harmonic aroundmore » 257 nm. The very compact laser system is integrated in a slightly modified drop capsule and withstands decelerations of up to 50 g (>11 ms). At first the concept of the two-stage disk laser is briefly explained, followed by a detailed description of the disk laser adaption to the drop tower requirements with special focus on the intended use under μg conditions. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the capsule laser as a tool for μg combustion diagnostics, we finally present an investigation of the precursor-reactions before the droplet ignition using 2D imaging of the Laser Induced Fluorescence of formaldehyde.« less

Solid State Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-04-17

1-3. CO2 laser raster scan sensitivity profile of HgCdTe quadrantal array with two of the four elements connected to 50-ohm load. Fig. 1-4...Response of HgCdTe quadrantal array to CO2 laser beam scanned across center with (a) two opposite photodiodes connected, and (b) all four photodiodes...RESEARCH 1 A. Planar HgCdTe Quadrantal Arrays for Gigahertz Heterodyne Operation at 10.6 (im 1 B. Electrical Properties of Silicon Ion-Implanted

Ensuring Operational Readiness: Private Military Contractor Support for the United States Air Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-15

range, supersonic, low altitude terrain following bomber that could evade Soviet detection. It is now loaded with conventional bombs and flown hundreds... bombs that commercially available single engine propeller planes can employ. The Airmen who perform this endeavor are America’s finest. They...array of weapons, to include laser, electro optical, and infrared guided missiles, laser and GPS guided bombs , 2.75” rockets, and a 20mm Gatling gun

United States Amphibious Forcible Entry: An Expensive Necessity

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-17

controversial, Navy EOD teams also operate Marine Mammal Systems (MMS) such as dolphins , sea lions and beluga whales for mine detection and...such as laser weapons, touted as a ―game-changer,‖ are also being researched to counter the anti-ship missile threat.49 As Till noted, ―Throughout...Reported in Navy Laser Weapon Technology,‖ PilotOnline, (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot), 21 January 2011, http://hamptonroads.com (accessed 29 January 2011

Adverse events resulting from lasers used in urology.

PubMed

Althunayan, Abdulaziz M; Elkoushy, Mohamed A; Elhilali, Mostafa M; Andonian, Sero

2014-02-01

To collate world reports of adverse events (AEs) resulting from lasers used in urology. The Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was searched using the term "Laser for gastro-urology use." In addition, the Rockwell Laser Industries (RLI) Laser Accident Database was searched for the following types of lasers: neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG), holmium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Ho:YAG), potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP), diode and thulium:YAG (Tm:YAG). Both databases were last accessed on October 1, 2012. Overall, there were 433 AEs; 166 in MAUDE database (1992-2012) and 267 in RLI database (1964-2005). Most of the AEs (198/433 or 46%) resulted from generator failure or fiber tip breaking. Whereas there were 20 (4.6%) AEs harming medical operators, there were 159 (37%) AEs harming nonmedical operators using Nd:YAG, KTP, and diode lasers. Eye injuries ranging from mild corneal abrasions to total vision loss were reported in 164 AEs with the use of Nd:YAG, KTP, and diode lasers. Overall, there were 36 (8.3%) AEs resulting in patient harm, including 7 (1.6%) mortalities, 3 deaths from ureteral perforation using the Ho:YAG laser, and 4 deaths from air emboli using the Nd:YAG laser. Other reported patient injuries included bladder perforation resulting in urinary diversion in a patient, in addition to minor skin burns, internal burns, and bleeding in others. There were no AEs reported with the use of Tm:YAG laser. Most of the AEs reported relate to equipment failure. There were no eye injuries reported with the use of Ho:YAG lasers. Caution must be exercised when using lasers in urology, including wearing appropriate eye protection when using Nd:YAG, KTP, and diode lasers.

Quantum dot lasers: From promise to high-performance devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, P.; Mi, Z.; Yang, J.; Basu, D.; Saha, D.

2009-03-01

Ever since self-organized In(Ga)As/Ga(AI)As quantum dots were realized by molecular beam epitaxy, it became evident that these coherently strained nanostructures could be used as the active media in devices. While the expected advantages stemming from three-dimensional quantum confinement were clearly outlined, these were not borne out by the early experiments. It took a very detailed understanding of the unique carrier dynamics in the quantum dots to exploit their full potential. As a result, we now have lasers with emission wavelengths ranging from 0.7 to 1.54 μm, on GaAs, which demonstrate ultra-low threshold currents, near-zero chip and α-factor and large modulation bandwidth. State-of-the-art performance characteristics of these lasers are briefly reviewed. The growth, fabrication and characteristics of quantum dot lasers on silicon substrates are also described. With the incorporation of multiple quantum dot layers as a dislocation filter, we demonstrate lasers with Jth=900 A/cm 2. The monolithic integration of the lasers with guided wave modulators on silicon is also described. Finally, the properties of spin-polarized lasers with quantum dot active regions are described. Spin injection of electrons is done with a MnAs/GaAs tunnel barrier. Laser operation at 200 K is demonstrated, with the possibility of room temperature operation in the near future.

Analysis of measurements for solid state laser remote lidar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amzajerdian, Farzin

1995-01-01

The merits of using lidar systems for remote measurements of various atmospheric processes such as wind, turbulence, moisture, and aerosol concentration are widely recognized. Although the lidar technology has progressed considerably over the past two decades, significant research particularly in the area of solid state lidars remains to be conducted in order to fully exploit this technology. The work performed by the UAH (University of Alabama in Huntsville) personnel under this Delivery Order concentrated on analyses of measurements required in support of solid state laser remote sensing lidar systems which are to be designed, deployed, and used to measure atmospheric processes and constituents. UAH personnel has studied and recommended to NASA/MSFC the requirements of the optical systems needed to characterize the detection devices suitable for solid state wavelengths and to evaluate various heterodyne detection schemes. The 2-micron solid state laser technology was investigated and several preliminary laser designs were developed and their performance for remote sensing of atmospheric winds and clouds from a spaceborne platform were specified. In addition to the laser source and the detector, the other critical technologies necessary for global wind measurements by a spaceborne solid state coherent lidar systems were identified to be developed and demonstrated. As part of this work, an analysis was performed to determine the atmospheric wind velocity estimation accuracy using the line-of-sight measurements of a scanning coherent lidar. Under this delivery order, a computer database of materials related to the theory, development, testing, and operation of lidar systems was developed to serve as a source of information for lidar research and development.

Solid-state laser sources for remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, R. L.; Kane, T.; Eggleston, J.; Long, S. Y.

1983-01-01

Recent progress in slab-geometry and conventional rod Nd:YAG solid-state lasers for applications in remote sensing is presented. Developments in slab geometry lasers, which were aimed at improving pulse energy and tuning range, have been based on the use of a Nd:glass substrate with a zig-zag optical path, with selective Raman shifting in gases and harmonic generation in LiNbO3 and KDP to extend the tuning range into the UV and visible regions. The theoretically predicted advantages of the elimination of birefringence and thermal and stress-induced focusing in the slab-geometry laser have been confirmed in measurements on a test-bed Nd:glass system, and a CW lamp pumped Nd:YAG oscillator, which have also demonstrated an order of magnitude improvement in laser performance. A single axial mode Nd:YAG oscillator has also been designed which, operating in a 3-msec quasi-CW mode, has a chirp rate of 30 kHz/microsec and a free-running stability of + or - 20 MHz. With chirp compensation, this stability is adequate for wind velocity measurements by coherent lidar.

Asymmetric quantum well broadband thyristor laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhen; Wang, Jiaqi; Yu, Hongyan; Zhou, Xuliang; Chen, Weixi; Li, Zhaosong; Wang, Wei; Ding, Ying; Pan, Jiaoqing

2017-11-01

A broadband thyristor laser based on InGaAs/GaAs asymmetric quantum well (AQW) is fabricated by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The 3-μm-wide Fabry-Perot (FP) ridge-waveguide laser shows an S-shape I-V characteristic and exhibits a flat-topped broadband optical spectrum coverage of ~27 nm (Δ-10 dB) at a center wavelength of ~1090 nm with a total output power of 137 mW under pulsed operation. The AQW structure was carefully designed to establish multiple energy states within, in order to broaden the gain spectrum. An obvious blue shift emission, which is not generally acquired in QW laser diodes, is observed in the broadening process of the optical spectrum as the injection current increases. This blue shift spectrum broadening is considered to result from the prominent band-filling effect enhanced by the multiple energy states of the AQW structure, as well as the optical feedback effect contributed by the thyristor laser structure. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 61604144, 61504137). Zhen Liu and Jiaqi Wang contributed equally to this work.

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.

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.

Gain and energy storage in holmium YLF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Storm, Mark E.; Deyst, John P.

1991-01-01

It is demonstrated that Q-switched holmium lasers are capable of high-gain and high-energy operation at 300 K. Small-signal gain coefficients of 0.50 and 0.12/cm have been measured in YLF and YAG, respectively. Small-signal gains of 0.50/cm are comparable to those achievable in Nd:YAG and are not typical of low-gain materials. This large gain in the Ho:YLF material is made possible by operating the amplifier in the ground state depletion mode. The amplifier performance data and associated analysis presented demonstrate that efficient energy storage is possible with very high excited state ion densities of the Ho 5I7 upper laser level. This is an important result since upconversion can limit the 5I7 population. Although upconversion was still present in this experiment, it was possible to achieve efficient energy storage, demonstrating that the problem is manageable even at high excitation densities in YLF.

Cryogenic cooling for high power laser amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perin, J. P.; Millet, F.; Divoky, M.; Rus, B.

2013-11-01

Using DPSSL (Diode Pumped Solid State Lasers) as pumping technology, PW-class lasers with enhanced repetition rates are developed. Each of the Yb YAG amplifiers will be diode-pumped at a wavelength of 940 nm. This is a prerequisite for achieving high repetition rates (light amplification duration 1 millisecond and repetition rate 10 Hz). The efficiency of DPSSL is inversely proportional to the temperature, for this reason the slab amplifier have to be cooled at a temperature in the range of 100 K-170 K with a heat flux of 1 MW*m-2. This paper describes the thermo-mechanical analysis for the design of the amplification laser head, presents a preliminary proposal for the required cryogenic cooling system and finally outlines the gain of cryogenic operation for the efficiency of high pulsed laser.

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.

Laser Infrared Desorption Spectroscopy to Detect Complex Organic Molecules on Icy Planetary Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sollit, Luke S.; Beegle, Luther W.

2008-01-01

Laser Desorption-Infrared Spectroscopy (LD-IR) uses an IR laser pulse to desorb surface materials while a spectrometer measures the emission spectrum of the desorbed materials (Figure 1). In this example, laser desorption operates by having the incident laser energy absorbed by near surface material (10 microns in depth). This desorption produces a plume that exists in an excited state at elevated temperatures. A natural analog for this phenomenon can be observed when comets approach the sun and become active and individual molecular emission spectra can be observed in the IR [1,2,3,4,5]. When this occurs in comets, the same species that initially emit radiation down to the ground state are free to absorb it, reducing the amount of detectable emission features. The nature of our technique results in absorption not occurring, because the laser pulse could easily be moved away form the initial desorption plume, and still have better spatial resolution then reflectance spectroscopy. In reflectance spectroscopy, trace components have a relatively weak signal when compared to the entire active nature of the surface. With LDIR, the emission spectrum is used to identify and analyze surface materials.

From Dye Laser Factory to Portable Semiconductor Laser: Four Generations of Sodium Guide Star Lasers for Adaptive Optics in Astronomy and Space Situational Awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

d'Orgeville, C.; Fetzer, G.

This presentation recalls the history of sodium guide star laser systems used in astronomy and space situational awareness adaptive optics, analysing the impact that sodium laser technology evolution has had on routine telescope operations. While it would not be practical to describe every single sodium guide star laser system developed to date, it is possible to characterize their evolution in broad technology terms. The first generation of sodium lasers used dye laser technology to create the first sodium laser guide stars in Hawaii, California, and Spain in the late 1980's and 1990's. These experimental systems were turned into the first laser guide star facilities to equip medium-to-large diameter adaptive optics telescopes, opening a new era of LGS AO-enabled diffraction-limited imaging from the ground. Although they produced exciting scientific results, these laser guide star facilities were large, power-hungry and messy. In the USA, a second-generation of sodium lasers was developed in the 2000's that used cleaner, yet still large and complex, solid-state laser technology. These are the systems in routine operation at the 8-10m class astronomical telescopes and 4m-class satellite imaging facilities today. Meanwhile in Europe, a third generation of sodium lasers was being developed using inherently compact and efficient fiber laser technology, and resulting in the only commercially available sodium guide star laser system to date. Fiber-based sodium lasers will be deployed at two astronomical telescopes and at least one space debris tracking station this year. Although highly promising, these systems remain significantly expensive and they have yet to demonstrate high performance in the field. We are proposing to develop a fourth generation of sodium lasers: based on semiconductor technology, these lasers could provide the final solution to the problem of sodium laser guide star adaptive optics for all astronomy and space situational awareness applications.

Femtosecond Fiber Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bock, Katherine J.

This thesis focuses on research I have done on ytterbium-doped femtosecond fiber lasers. These lasers operate in the near infrared region, lasing at 1030 nm. This wavelength is particularly important in biomedical applications, which includes but is not limited to confocal microscopy and ablation for surgical incisions. Furthermore, fiber lasers are advantageous compared to solid state lasers in terms of their cost, form factor, and ease of use. Solid state lasers still dominate the market due to their comparatively high energy pulses. High energy pulse generation in fiber lasers is hindered by either optical wave breaking or by multipulsing. One of the main challenges for fiber lasers is to overcome these limitations to achieve high energy pulses. The motivation for the work done in this thesis is increasing the output pulse peak power and energy. The main idea of the work is that decreasing the nonlinearity that acts on the pulse inside the cavity will prevent optical wave breaking, and thus will generate higher energy pulses. By increasing the output energy, ytterbium-doped femtosecond fiber lasers can be competitive with solid state lasers which are used commonly in research. Although fiber lasers tend to lack the wavelength tuning ability of solid state lasers, many biomedical applications take advantage of the 1030 microm central wavelength of ytterbium-doped fiber lasers, so the major limiting factor of fiber lasers in this field is simply the output power. By increasing the output energy without resorting to external amplification, the cavity is optimized and cost can remain low and economical. During verification of the main idea, the cavity was examined for possible back-reflections and for components with narrow spectral bandwidths which may have contributed to the presence of multipulsing. Distinct cases of multipulsing, bound pulse and harmonic mode-locking, were observed and recorded as they may be of more interest in the future. The third-order dispersion contribution from the diffraction gratings inside the laser cavity was studied, as it was also considered to be an energy-limiting factor. No significant effect was found as a result of third-order dispersion; however, a region of operation was observed where two different pulse regimes were found at the same values of net cavity group velocity dispersion. Results verify the main idea and indicate that a long length of low-doped gain fiber is preferable to a shorter, more highly doped one. The low-doped fiber in an otherwise equivalent cavity allows the nonlinear phase shift to grow at a slower rate, which results in the pulse achieving a higher peak power before reaching the nonlinear phase shift threshold at which optical wave breaking occurs. For a range of net cavity group velocity dispersion values, the final result is that the low doped fiber generates pulses of approximately twice the value of energy of the highly-doped gain fiber. Two techniques of mode-locking cavities were investigated to achieve this result. The first cavity used NPE mode-locking which masked the results, and the second used a SESAM for mode-locking which gave clear results supporting the hypothesis.

Effect of diatomic molecular properties on binary laser pulse optimizations of quantum gate operations.

PubMed

Zaari, Ryan R; Brown, Alex

2011-07-28

The importance of the ro-vibrational state energies on the ability to produce high fidelity binary shaped laser pulses for quantum logic gates is investigated. The single frequency 2-qubit ACNOT(1) and double frequency 2-qubit NOT(2) quantum gates are used as test cases to examine this behaviour. A range of diatomics is sampled. The laser pulses are optimized using a genetic algorithm for binary (two amplitude and two phase parameter) variation on a discretized frequency spectrum. The resulting trends in the fidelities were attributed to the intrinsic molecular properties and not the choice of method: a discretized frequency spectrum with genetic algorithm optimization. This is verified by using other common laser pulse optimization methods (including iterative optimal control theory), which result in the same qualitative trends in fidelity. The results differ from other studies that used vibrational state energies only. Moreover, appropriate choice of diatomic (relative ro-vibrational state arrangement) is critical for producing high fidelity optimized quantum logic gates. It is also suggested that global phase alignment imposes a significant restriction on obtaining high fidelity regions within the parameter search space. Overall, this indicates a complexity in the ability to provide appropriate binary laser pulse control of diatomics for molecular quantum computing. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

On the non-linear spectroscopy including saturated absorption and four-wave mixing in two and multi-level atoms: a computational study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, M.; De Jager, G.; Nkosi, Z.; Wyngaard, A.; Govender, K.

2017-10-01

In this paper we report on the study of two and multi-level atoms interacting with multiple laser beams. The semi-classical approach is used to describe the system in which the atoms are treated quantum mechanically via the density matrix operator, while the laser beams are treated classically using Maxwells equations. We present results of a two level atom interacting with single and multiple laser beams and demonstrate Rabi oscillations between the levels. The effects of laser modulation on the dynamics of the atom (atomic populations and coherences) are examined by solving the optical Bloch equations. Plots of the density matrix elements as a function of time are presented for various parameters such as laser intensity, detuning, modulation etc. In addition, phase-space plots and Fourier analysis of the density matrix elements are provided. The atomic polarization, estimated from the coherence terms of the density matrix elements, is used in the numerical solution of Maxwells equations to determine the behaviour of the laser beams as they propagate through the atomic ensemble. The effects of saturation and hole-burning are demonstrated in the case of two counter propagating beams with one being a strong beam and the other being very weak. The above work is extended to include four-wave mixing in four level atoms in a diamond configuration. Two co-propagating beams of different wavelengths drive the atoms from a ground state |1〉 to an excited state |3〉 via an intermediate state |2〉. The atoms then move back to the ground state via another intermediate state |4〉, resulting in the generation of two additional correlated photon beams. The characteristics of these additional photons are studied.

Metasurface quantum-cascade laser with electrically switchable polarization

DOE PAGES

Xu, Luyao; Chen, Daguan; Curwen, Christopher A.; ...

2017-04-20

Dynamic control of a laser’s output polarization state is desirable for applications in polarization sensitive imaging, spectroscopy, and ellipsometry. Using external elements to control the polarization state is a common approach. Less common and more challenging is directly switching the polarization state of a laser, which, however, has the potential to provide high switching speeds, compactness, and power efficiency. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to achieve direct and electrically controlled polarization switching of a semiconductor laser. This is enabled by integrating a polarization-sensitive metasurface with a semiconductor gain medium to selectively amplify a cavity mode with the designed polarizationmore » state, therefore leading to an output in the designed polarization. Here, the demonstration is for a terahertz quantum-cascade laser, which exhibits electrically controlled switching between two linear polarizations separated by 80°, while maintaining an excellent beam with a narrow divergence of ~3°×3° and a single-mode operation fixed at ~3.4 THz, combined with a peak power as high as 93 mW at a temperature of 77 K. The polarization-sensitive metasurface is composed of two interleaved arrays of surface-emitting antennas, all of which are loaded with quantum-cascade gain materials. Each array is designed to resonantly interact with one specific polarization; when electrical bias is selectively applied to the gain material in one array, selective amplification of one polarization occurs. The amplifying metasurface is used along with an output coupler reflector to build a vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser whose output polarization state can be switched solely electrically. In conclusion, this work demonstrates the potential of exploiting amplifying polarization-sensitive metasurfaces to create lasers with desirable polarization states—a concept which is applicable beyond the terahertz and can potentially be applied to shorter wavelengths.« less

Metasurface quantum-cascade laser with electrically switchable polarization

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

Xu, Luyao; Chen, Daguan; Curwen, Christopher A.

Dynamic control of a laser’s output polarization state is desirable for applications in polarization sensitive imaging, spectroscopy, and ellipsometry. Using external elements to control the polarization state is a common approach. Less common and more challenging is directly switching the polarization state of a laser, which, however, has the potential to provide high switching speeds, compactness, and power efficiency. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to achieve direct and electrically controlled polarization switching of a semiconductor laser. This is enabled by integrating a polarization-sensitive metasurface with a semiconductor gain medium to selectively amplify a cavity mode with the designed polarizationmore » state, therefore leading to an output in the designed polarization. Here, the demonstration is for a terahertz quantum-cascade laser, which exhibits electrically controlled switching between two linear polarizations separated by 80°, while maintaining an excellent beam with a narrow divergence of ~3°×3° and a single-mode operation fixed at ~3.4 THz, combined with a peak power as high as 93 mW at a temperature of 77 K. The polarization-sensitive metasurface is composed of two interleaved arrays of surface-emitting antennas, all of which are loaded with quantum-cascade gain materials. Each array is designed to resonantly interact with one specific polarization; when electrical bias is selectively applied to the gain material in one array, selective amplification of one polarization occurs. The amplifying metasurface is used along with an output coupler reflector to build a vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser whose output polarization state can be switched solely electrically. In conclusion, this work demonstrates the potential of exploiting amplifying polarization-sensitive metasurfaces to create lasers with desirable polarization states—a concept which is applicable beyond the terahertz and can potentially be applied to shorter wavelengths.« less

Four generations of sodium guide star lasers for adaptive optics in astronomy and space situational awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

d'Orgeville, Céline; Fetzer, Gregory J.

2016-07-01

This paper recalls the history of sodium guide star laser systems used in astronomy and space situational awareness adaptive optics, analyzing the impact that sodium laser technology evolution has had on routine telescope operations. While it would not be practical to describe every single sodium guide star laser system developed to date, it is possible to characterize their evolution in broad technology terms. The first generation of sodium lasers used dye laser technology to create the first sodium laser guide stars in Hawaii, California, and Spain in the late 1980s and 1990s. These experimental systems were turned into the first laser guide star facilities to equip mediumto- large diameter adaptive optics telescopes, opening a new era of Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGS AO)-enabled diffraction-limited imaging from the ground. Although they produced exciting scientific results, these laser guide star facilities were large, power-hungry and messy. In the USA, a second-generation of sodium lasers was developed in the 2000s that used cleaner, yet still large and complex, solid-state laser technology. These are the systems in routine operation at the 8 to 10m-class astronomical telescopes and 4m-class satellite imaging facilities today. Meanwhile in Europe, a third generation of sodium lasers was being developed using inherently compact and efficient fiber laser technology, and resulting in the only commercially available sodium guide star laser system to date. Fiber-based sodium lasers are being or will soon be deployed at three astronomical telescopes and two space surveillance stations. These highly promising systems are still relatively large to install on telescopes and they remain significantly expensive to procure and maintain. We are thus proposing to develop a fourth generation of sodium lasers: based on semiconductor technology, these lasers could provide a definitive solution to the problem of sodium LGS AO laser sources for all astronomy and space situational awareness applications.

Laser damage testing of optical components under cryogenic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oulehla, Jindrich; Pokorný, Pavel; Lazar, Josef

2012-11-01

In this contribution we present a technology for deposition and testing of interference coatings for optical components designed to operate in power pulsed lasers. The aim of the technology is to prepare components for high power laser facilities such as ELI (Extreme Light Infrastructure) or HiLASE. ELI is a part of the European plan to build a new generation of large research facilities selected by the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). These facilities rely on the use of diode pumped solid state lasers (DPSSL). The choice of the material for the lasers' optical components is critical. Some of the most important properties include the ability to be antireflection and high reflection coated to reduce the energy losses and increase the overall efficiency. As large amounts of heat need to be dissipated during laser operation, cryogenic cooling is necessary. The conducted experiments served as preliminary tests of laser damage threshold measurement methodology that we plan to use in the future. We designed a special apparatus consisting of a vacuum chamber and a cooling system. The samples were placed into the vacuum chamber which was evacuated and then the samples were cooled down to approximately 120K and illuminated by a pulsed laser. Pulse duration was in the nanosecond region. Multiple test sites on the sample's surface were used for different laser pulse energies. We used optical and electron microscopy and spectrophotometer measurements for coating investigation after the conducted experiments.

Laser damage testing of optical components under cryogenic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oulehla, Jindřich; Pokorný, Pavel; Lazar, Josef

2012-01-01

In this contribution we present a technology for deposition and testing of interference coatings for optical components designed to operate in power pulsed lasers. The aim of the technology is to prepare components for high power laser facilities such as ELI (Extreme Light Infrastructure) or HiLASE. ELI is a part of the Eropean plan to build a new generation of large research facilities selected by the the Eropean Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). These facilities rely on the use of diode pumped solid state lasers (DPSSL). The choice of the material or the lasers' optical components is critical. Some of the most important properties include the ability to be antireflection and high reflection coated to reduce the energy losses and increase the overall efficiency. As large amounts of hear need to be dissipated during laser operation, cryogenic cooling is necessary. The conducted experiments served as preliminary tests of laser damage threshold measurement methodology that we plan to use in the future. We designed a special apparatus consistion of a vacuum chamber an a cooling system. The samples were placed into the vacuum chamber which was evacuated and them the samples were cooled down to approximately 120K and illuminated by a pulsed laser. Pulse duration was in the nanosecond region. Multiple test sites on the sample's surface were used for different laser pulse energies. We used optical and electron microscopy and spectrophotometer measurements for coating investigation after the conducted experiments.

Dynamics of a vertical cavity quantum cascade phonon laser structure

PubMed Central

Maryam, W.; Akimov, A. V.; Campion, R. P.; Kent, A. J.

2013-01-01

Driven primarily by scientific curiosity, but also by the potential applications of intense sources of coherent sound, researchers have targeted the phonon laser (saser) since the invention of the optical laser over 50 years ago. Here we fabricate a vertical cavity structure designed to operate as a saser oscillator device at a frequency of 325 GHz. It is based on a semiconductor superlattice gain medium, inside a multimode cavity between two acoustic Bragg reflectors. We measure the acoustic output of the device as a function of time after applying electrical pumping. The emission builds in intensity reaching a steady state on a timescale of order 0.1 μs. We show that the results are consistent with a model of the dynamics of a saser cavity exactly analogous to the models used for describing laser dynamics. We also obtain estimates for the gain coefficient, steady-state acoustic power output and efficiency of the device. PMID:23884078

Large-area high-power VCSEL pump arrays optimized for high-energy lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chad; Geske, Jonathan; Garrett, Henry; Cardellino, Terri; Talantov, Fedor; Berdin, Glen; Millenheft, David; Renner, Daniel; Klemer, Daniel

2012-06-01

Practical, large-area, high-power diode pumps for one micron (Nd, Yb) as well as eye-safer wavelengths (Er, Tm, Ho) are critical to the success of any high energy diode pumped solid state laser. Diode efficiency, brightness, availability and cost will determine how realizable a fielded high energy diode pumped solid state laser will be. 2-D Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) arrays are uniquely positioned to meet these requirements because of their unique properties, such as low divergence circular output beams, reduced wavelength drift with temperature, scalability to large 2-D arrays through low-cost and high-volume semiconductor photolithographic processes, high reliability, no catastrophic optical damage failure, and radiation and vacuum operation tolerance. Data will be presented on the status of FLIR-EOC's VCSEL pump arrays. Analysis of the key aspects of electrical, thermal and mechanical design that are critical to the design of a VCSEL pump array to achieve high power efficient array performance will be presented.

Recent advances in efficient long-life, eye-safe solid state and CO2 lasers for laser radar applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, R. V.; Buoncristiani, A. M.; Brockman, P.; Bair, C. H.; Schryer, D. R.; Upchurch, B. T.; Wood, G. M.

1989-01-01

The key problems in the development of eye-safe solid-state lasers are discussed, taking into account the energy transfer mechanisms between the complicated energy level manifolds of the Tm, Ho, Er ion dopants in hosts with decreasing crystal fields such as YAG or YLF. Optimization of energy transfer for efficient lasing through choice of dopant concentration, power density, crystal field and temperature is addressed. The tailoring of energy transfer times to provide efficient energy extraction for short pulses used in DIAL and Doppler lidar is considered. Recent advances in Pt/SnO2 oxide catalysts and other noble metal/metal oxide combinations for CO2 lasers are discussed. Emphasis is given to the dramatic effects of small quantities of H2O vapor for increasing the activity and lifetime of Pt/SnO2 catalysts and to increased lifetime operation with rare isotope (C-12)(O-18)2 lasing mixtures.

Topological solitons as addressable phase bits in a driven laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garbin, Bruno; Javaloyes, Julien; Tissoni, Giovanna; Barland, Stéphane

2015-01-01

Optical localized states are usually defined as self-localized bistable packets of light, which exist as independently controllable optical intensity pulses either in the longitudinal or transverse dimension of nonlinear optical systems. Here we demonstrate experimentally and analytically the existence of longitudinal localized states that exist fundamentally in the phase of laser light. These robust and versatile phase bits can be individually nucleated and canceled in an injection-locked semiconductor laser operated in a neuron-like excitable regime and submitted to delayed feedback. The demonstration of their control opens the way to their use as phase information units in next-generation coherent communication systems. We analyse our observations in terms of a generic model, which confirms the topological nature of the phase bits and discloses their formal but profound analogy with Sine-Gordon solitons.

Quasi-CW 110 kW AlGaAs Laser Diode Array Module for Inertial Fusion Energy Laser Driver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawashima, Toshiyuki; Kanzaki, Takeshi; Matsui, Ken; Kato, Yoshinori; Matsui, Hiroki; Kanabe, Tadashi; Yamanaka, Masanobu; Nakatsuka, Masahiro; Izawa, Yasukazu; Nakai, Sadao; Miyamoto, Masahiro; Kan, Hirofumi; Hiruma, Teruo

2001-12-01

We have successfully demonstrated a large aperture 803 nm AlGaAs diode laser module as a pump source for a 1053 nm, 10 J output Nd:glass slab laser amplifier for diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) fusion driver. Detailed performance results of the laser diode module are presented, including bar package and stack configuration, and their thermal design and analysis. A sufficiently low thermal impedance of the stack was realized by combining backplane liquid cooling configuration with modular bar package architecture. Total peak power of 110 kW and electrical to optical conversion efficiency of 46% were obtained from the module consisting of a total of 1000 laser diode bars. A peak intensity of 2.6 kW/cm2 was accomplished across an emitting area of 418 mm× 10 mm. Currently, this laser diode array module with a large two-dimensional aperture is, to our knowledge, the only operational pump source for the high output energy DPSSL.

ELI-beamlines: progress in development of next generation short-pulse laser systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rus, B.; Bakule, P.; Kramer, D.; Naylon, J.; Thoma, J.; Fibrich, M.; Green, J. T.; Lagron, J. C.; Antipenkov, R.; Bartoníček, J.; Batysta, F.; Baše, R.; Boge, R.; Buck, S.; Cupal, J.; Drouin, M. A.; Durák, M.; Himmel, B.; Havlíček, T.; Homer, P.; Honsa, A.; Horáček, M.; Hríbek, P.; Hubáček, J.; Hubka, Z.; Kalinchenko, G.; Kasl, K.; Indra, L.; Korous, P.; Košelja, M.; Koubíková, L.; Laub, M.; Mazanec, T.; Meadows, A.; Novák, J.; Peceli, D.; Polan, J.; Snopek, D.; Šobr, V.; Trojek, P.; Tykalewicz, B.; Velpula, P.; Verhagen, E.; Vyhlídka, Å.; Weiss, J.; Haefner, C.; Bayramian, A.; Betts, S.; Erlandson, A.; Jarboe, J.; Johnson, G.; Horner, J.; Kim, D.; Koh, E.; Marshall, C.; Mason, D.; Sistrunk, E.; Smith, D.; Spinka, T.; Stanley, J.; Stolz, C.; Suratwala, T.; Telford, S.; Ditmire, T.; Gaul, E.; Donovan, M.; Frederickson, C.; Friedman, G.; Hammond, D.; Hidinger, D.; Chériaux, G.; Jochmann, A.; Kepler, M.; Malato, C.; Martinez, M.; Metzger, T.; Schultze, M.; Mason, P.; Ertel, K.; Lintern, A.; Edwards, C.; Hernandez-Gomez, C.; Collier, J.

2017-05-01

Overview of progress in construction and testing of the laser systems of ELI-Beamlines, accomplished since 2015, is presented. Good progress has been achieved in construction of all four lasers based largely on the technology of diode-pumped solid state lasers (DPSSL). The first part of the L1 laser, designed to provide 200 mJ <15 fs pulses at 1 kHz repetition rate, is up and running. The L2 is a development line employing a 10 J / 10 Hz cryogenic gas-cooled pump laser which has recently been equipped with an advanced cryogenic engine. Operation of the L3-HAPLS system, using a gas-cooled DPSSL pump laser and a Ti:sapphire broadband amplifier, was recently demonstrated at 16 J / 28 fs, at 3.33 Hz rep rate. Finally, the 5 Hz OPCPA front end of the L4 kJ laser is up running and amplification in the Nd:glass large-aperture power amplifiers was demonstrated.

100J Pulsed Laser Shock Driver for Dynamic Compression Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, X.; Sethian, J.; Bromage, J.; Fochs, S.; Broege, D.; Zuegel, J.; Roides, R.; Cuffney, R.; Brent, G.; Zweiback, J.; Currier, Z.; D'Amico, K.; Hawreliak, J.; Zhang, J.; Rigg, P. A.; Gupta, Y. M.

2017-06-01

Logos Technologies and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE, University of Rochester) - in partnership with Washington State University - have designed, built and deployed a one of a kind 100J pulsed UV (351 nm) laser system to perform real-time, x-ray diffraction and imaging experiments in laser-driven compression experiments at the Dynamic Compression Sector (DCS) at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. The laser complements the other dynamic compression drivers at DCS. The laser system features beam smoothing for 2-d spatially uniform loading of samples and four, highly reproducible, temporal profiles (total pulse duration: 5-15 ns) to accommodate a wide variety of scientific needs. Other pulse shapes can be achieved as the experimental needs evolve. Timing of the laser pulse is highly precise (<200 ps) to allow accurate synchronization of the x-rays with the dynamic compression event. Details of the laser system, its operating parameters, and representative results will be presented. Work supported by DOE/NNSA.

Birefringent Fiber Devices and Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theimer, James Prentice

1995-01-01

This thesis presents the results of numerical simulations of mode-locked figure eight lasers and their components: fiber amplifiers and nonlinear optical loop mirrors (NOLMs). The computations were designed to study pulse evolution in optical amplifiers and NOLMs with periodic repetition of these elements. Since fiber laser systems also include birefringent fiber, the effects of fiber birefringence was incorporated into the simulations. My studies of pulse amplification in non-birefringent amplifiers show pulse breakup when their energies exceed 4.5 fundamental soliton energies. In birefringent fibers pulse breakup is also found, but the two orthogonally polarized pulses propagate together. I find that their behavior is related to the properties of a vector soliton. I found that vector waves have close to unity transmission through a birefringent NOLM, but the pulse shape is distorted. This shape distortion reduces subsequent transmissions through the NOLM. The energy required for peak transmission of the pulse is predicted by the theory based on vector solitons. The same theory also predicted the low intensity transmission. The performance of the NOLM with birefringent fiber could not be improved by altering the polarization state of the pulse from linear polarization; the polarization controller introduced pulse distortion that resulted in excessive loss. I found an instability in the steady-state operation of the figure eight laser, which is due to pulse reshaping during propagation in the amplifier section. To remove this instability I introduced the concept of dispersion balancing; by increasing the dispersion in the amplifier section, the pulse can propagate nearly as a fundamental soliton in both the amplifier and the NOLM sections of the laser. This eliminated a major source of dispersive wave shedding and allowed the laser operation to become independent of the amplifier length. Sidebands were found on the pulse spectrum and their maxima corresponded well with the periodic resonance model.

Development of all-solid-state coherent 589 nm light source: toward the realization of sodium lidar and laser guide star adaptive optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Norihito; Akagawa, Kazuyuki; Kato, Mayumi; Takazawa, Akira; Hayano, Yutaka; Saito, Yoshihiko; Ito, Meguru; Takami, Hideki; Iye, Masanori; Wada, Satoshi

2006-12-01

We report an all-solid-state coherent 589 nm light source in single-pass sum-frequency generation (SFG) with actively mode-locked Nd:YAG lasers for the realization of sodium lidar and laser guide star adaptive optics. The Nd:YAG lasers are constructed as a LD-side-pumped configuration and are operated at 1064 and 1319 nm for 589 nm light generation in SFG. Output powers of 16.5 and 5.3 W at 1064 and 1319 nm are obtained with two pumping chambers. Each chamber consisted of three 80-W-LD arrays. Single transverse mode TEM 00; M2 ~1.1 is achieved with adjustment of cavity length considering thermal lens effect with increase of input LD power. The cavity length is set to approximately 1 m. Accordingly the mode-locked lasers are operated at a repetition rate of approximately 150 MHz. Synchronization of two pulse trains at 1064 and 1319 nm is accomplished by control of phase difference between two radio frequencies input in acousto-optic mode-lockers. Then temporal delay is controlled with a resolution of 37 ps/degree. Pump beams are mixed in periodically poled stoichiometric lithium tantalate (PPSLT) without an antireflection coating. The effective aperture and length of the crystal are 0.5 × 2 mm2 and 15 mm. When input intensity is set at 5.6 MW/cm , an average output power of 4.6 W is obtained at 589.159 nm. Precise tuning to the sodium D II line is accomplished by thermal control of etalons set in the Nd:YAG lasers. The output power at 589.159 nm is stably maintained within +/-1.2% for 8 hours.

Noise properties of an optical frequency comb from a SESAM-mode-locked 1.5-μm solid-state laser stabilized to the 10-13 level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schilt, S.; Dolgovskiy, V.; Bucalovic, N.; Schori, C.; Stumpf, M. C.; Di Domenico, G.; Pekarek, S.; Oehler, A. E. H.; Südmeyer, T.; Keller, U.; Thomann, P.

2012-11-01

We present a detailed investigation of the noise properties of an optical frequency comb generated from a femtosecond diode-pumped solid-state laser operating in the 1.5-μm spectral region. The stabilization of the passively mode-locked Er:Yb:glass laser oscillator, referred to as ERGO, is achieved using pump power modulation for the control of the carrier envelope offset (CEO) frequency and by adjusting the laser cavity length for the control of the repetition rate. The stability and the noise of the ERGO comb are characterized in free-running and in phase-locked operation by measuring the noise properties of the CEO, of the repetition rate, and of a comb line at 1558 nm. The comb line is analyzed from the heterodyne beat signal with a cavity-stabilized ultra-narrow-linewidth laser using a frequency discriminator. Two different schemes to stabilize the comb to a radio-frequency (RF) reference are compared. The comb properties (phase noise, frequency stability) are limited in both cases by the RF oscillator used to stabilize the repetition rate, while the contribution of the CEO is negligible at all Fourier frequencies, as a consequence of the low-noise characteristics of the CEO-beat. A linewidth of ≈150 kHz and a fractional frequency instability of 4.2×10-13 at 1 s are obtained for an optical comb line at 1558 nm. Improved performance is obtained by stabilizing the comb to an optical reference, which is a cavity-stabilized ultra-narrow linewidth laser at 1558 nm. The fractional frequency stability of 8×10-14 at 1 s, measured in preliminary experiments, is limited by the reference oscillator used in the frequency comparison.

All-Solid-State UV Transmitter Development for Ozone Sensing Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Narasimha S.; Singh, Upendra N.; Armstrong, Darrell Jr.

2009-01-01

In this paper, recent progress made in the development of an all-solid-state UV transmitter suitable for ozone sensing applications from space based platforms is discussed. A nonlinear optics based UV setup based on Rotated Image Singly Resonant Twisted Rectangle (RISTRA) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) module was effectively coupled to a diode pumped, single longitudinal mode, conductively cooled, short-pulsed, high-energy Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm with 50 Hz PRF. An estimated 10 mJ/pulse with 10% conversion efficiency at 320 nm has been demonstrated limited only by the pump pulse spatial profile. The current arrangement has the potential for obtaining greater than 200 mJ/pulse. Previously, using a flash-lamp pumped Nd:YAG laser with round, top-hat profile, up to 24% IR-UV conversion efficiency was achieved with the same UV module. Efforts are underway to increase the IR-UV conversion efficiency of the all solid-state setup by modifying the pump laser spatial profile along with incorporating improved OPO crystals.

Solid state laser systems for space application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kay, Richard B.

1994-01-01

Since the last report several things have happened to effect the research effort. In laser metrology, measurements using Michelson type interferometers with an FM modulated diode laser source have been performed. The discrete Fourier transform technique has been implemented. Problems associated with this technique as well as the overall FM scheme were identified. The accuracy of the technique is not at the level we would expect at this point. We are now investigating the effect of various types of noise on the accuracy as well as making changes to the system. One problem can be addressed by modifying the original optical layout. Our research effort was also expanded to include the assembly and testing of a diode pumped\\Nd:YAG laser pumped\\Ti sapphire laser for possible use in sounding rocket applications. At this stage, the diode pumped Nd:YAG laser has been assembled and made operational.

Self-seeded single-frequency solid-state ring laser and system using same

DOEpatents

Dane, C. Brent; Hackel, Lloyd; Harris, Fritz B.

2007-02-20

A method of operating a laser to obtain an output pulse having a single wavelength, comprises inducing an intracavity loss into a laser resonator having an amount that prevents oscillation during a time that energy from the pump source is being stored in the gain medium. Gain is built up in the gain medium with energy from the pump source until formation of a single-frequency relaxation oscillation pulse in the resonator. Upon detection of the onset of the relaxation oscillation pulse, the intracavity loss is reduced, such as by Q-switching, so that the built-up gain stored in the gain medium is output from the resonator in the form of an output pulse at a single frequency. An electronically controllable output coupler is controlled to affect output pulse characteristics. The laser acts a master oscillator in a master oscillator power amplifier configuration. The laser is used for laser peening.

Fibre-coupled red diode-pumped Alexandrite TEM00 laser with single and double-pass end-pumping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arbabzadah, E. A.; Damzen, M. J.

2016-06-01

We report the investigation of an Alexandrite laser end-pumped by a fibre-coupled red diode laser module. Power, efficiency, spatial, spectral, and wavelength tuning performance are studied as a function of pump and laser cavity parameters. It is the first demonstration, to our knowledge, of greater than 1 W power and also highest laser slope efficiency (44.2%) in a diode-pumped Alexandrite laser with diffraction-limited TEM00 mode operation. Spatial quality was excellent with beam propagation parameter M 2 ~ 1.05. Wavelength tuning from 737-796 nm was demonstrated using an intracavity birefringent tuning filter. Using a novel double pass end-pumping scheme to get efficient absorption of both polarisation states of the scrambled fibre-delivered diode pump, a total output coupled power of 1.66 W is produced in TEM00 mode with 40% slope efficiency.

Solid State Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-11-15

0, 2, 3.5, 5, 6.5, 8, 10, and 12 V 1 1-2 (a) Strain-Induced Band Lineups for a Free-Standing InGaAs/GaAs Superlattice. (b) Effect of Applied...Numbers of Lasers Are Operated Simultaneously (and Electrically Connected in Parallel). The Six Light Output vs Current Characteristics Shown Are Those...Lengths 11; Centered on z•,. and Constant Width Aw Are Laser-Etched Sequentially into Thin Films of Cr-Cr203 or Mo to Provide Controlled Amplitude or

Optimization of the polyplanar optical display electronics for a monochrome B-52 display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeSanto, Leonard

1998-09-01

The Polyplanar Optical Display (POD) is a unique display screen which can be used with any projection source. The prototype ten-inch display is two inches thick and has a matte black face which allows for high contrast images. The prototype being developed is a form, fit and functional replacement display for the B-52 aircraft which uses a monochrome ten-inch display. In order to achieve a long lifetime, the new display uses a new 200 mW green solid-state laser (10,000 hr. life) at 532 nm as its light source. To produce real-time video, the laser light is being modulated by a Digital Light Processing (DLPTM) chip manufactured by Texas Instruments (TI). In order to use the solid-state laser as the light source and also fit within the constraints of the B-52 display, the Digital Micromirror Device (DMDTM) chip is operated remotely from the Texas Instruments circuit board. In order to achieve increased brightness a monochrome digitizing interface was investigated. The operation of the DMDTM divorced from the light engine and the interfacing of the DMDTM board with the RS-170 video format specific to the B-52 aircraft will be discussed, including the increased brightness of the monochrome digitizing interface. A brief description of the electronics required to drive the new 200 mW laser is also presented.

Initial conceptual design study of self-critical nuclear pumped laser systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodgers, R. J.

1979-01-01

An analytical study of self-critical nuclear pumped laser system concepts was performed. Primary emphasis was placed on reactor concepts employing gaseous uranium hexafluoride (UF6) as the fissionable material. Relationships were developed between the key reactor design parameters including reactor power level, critical mass, neutron flux level, reactor size, operating pressure, and UF6 optical properties. The results were used to select a reference conceptual laser system configuration. In the reference configuration, the 3.2 m cubed lasing volume is surrounded by a graphite internal moderator and a region of heavy water. Results of neutronics calculations yield a critical mass of 4.9 U(235) in the form (235)UF6. The configuration appears capable of operating in a continuous steady-state mode. The average gas temperature in the core is 600 K and the UF6 partial pressure within the lasing volume is 0.34 atm.

Application of 2-um wavelength holmium lasers for treatment of skin diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shcherbakov, Ivan A.; Klimov, Igor V.; Tsvetkov, Vladimir B.; Nerobeev, Alexander I.; Sadovnikova, Lija B.; Eliseenko, Vladimir I.

1994-09-01

Theoretical and experimental analysis of the efficiency of application of 2 micrometers pulsed holmium laser for cosmetic and plastic surgery and dermatology is carried out. Preliminary experiments were carried out on rats. Solid state 2 micrometers pulsed laser was allowed to operate in free running mode with pulse energy up to 1.5 J and pulse repetition rate up to 5 Hz. To deliver emission to the object a flexible quartz fiber without further focusing of 2.5 m in length and 400 micrometers of the core diameter was used. The effect of the different power density emission on the skin was studied. The second stage was the study of the influence of 2 micrometers emission on human skin. The results of the removal of hemangioma, papilloma, telangiectasia, nevus, nevus acantholytic, xanthelasma palpebral, verruca, chloasma, pigmental spots, tattoos, etc. are presented. Precision, simplicity, efficiency, and the high cosmetic effect of these operations is noted.

Executive summary. [application of laser oriented and radio frequency techniques for space communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The scope of Technology Forecasting for Space Communications is very wide, covering virtually every technology that can directly or indirectly affect space communications. The assigned effort, however, was directed toward a series of studies which individually examined important aspects of space communications and which collectively was interrelated. The contributions of the individual tasks and their interrelationship are indicated. The total effort of the tasks was fairly evenly divided between laser oriented and radio frequency tasks. The investigations show that laser communications have a current state of the art which would allow operational systems to be implemented in the 1975 to 1980 time frame. Further, these systems, when operated over ranges in the order of synchronous ranges (42,000 km)and transmitting data rates of 10 to the 8th power 10 to the 9th power bits per second will have a smaller total weight impact on a spacecraft than do radio systems.

Heat-sink free CW operation of injection microdisk lasers grown on Si substrate with emission wavelength beyond 1.3  μm.

PubMed

Kryzhanovskaya, Natalia; Moiseev, Eduard; Polubavkina, Yulia; Maximov, Mikhail; Kulagina, Marina; Troshkov, Sergey; Zadiranov, Yury; Guseva, Yulia; Lipovskii, Andrey; Tang, Mingchu; Liao, Mengya; Wu, Jiang; Chen, Siming; Liu, Huiyun; Zhukov, Alexey

2017-09-01

High-performance injection microdisk (MD) lasers grown on Si substrate are demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Continuous-wave (CW) lasing in microlasers with diameters from 14 to 30 μm is achieved at room temperature. The minimal threshold current density of 600  A/cm 2 (room temperature, CW regime, heatsink-free uncooled operation) is comparable to that of high-quality MD lasers on GaAs substrates. Microlasers on silicon emit in the wavelength range of 1320-1350 nm via the ground state transition of InAs/InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots. The high stability of the lasing wavelength (dλ/dI=0.1  nm/mA) and the low specific thermal resistance of 4×10 -3 °C×cm 2 /W are demonstrated.

Advanced chip designs and novel cooling techniques for brightness scaling of industrial, high power diode laser bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinemann, S.; McDougall, S. D.; Ryu, G.; Zhao, L.; Liu, X.; Holy, C.; Jiang, C.-L.; Modak, P.; Xiong, Y.; Vethake, T.; Strohmaier, S. G.; Schmidt, B.; Zimer, H.

2018-02-01

The advance of high power semiconductor diode laser technology is driven by the rapidly growing industrial laser market, with such high power solid state laser systems requiring ever more reliable diode sources with higher brightness and efficiency at lower cost. In this paper we report simulation and experimental data demonstrating most recent progress in high brightness semiconductor laser bars for industrial applications. The advancements are in three principle areas: vertical laser chip epitaxy design, lateral laser chip current injection control, and chip cooling technology. With such improvements, we demonstrate disk laser pump laser bars with output power over 250W with 60% efficiency at the operating current. Ion implantation was investigated for improved current confinement. Initial lifetime tests show excellent reliability. For direct diode applications <1 um smile and >96% polarization are additional requirements. Double sided cooling deploying hard solder and optimized laser design enable single emitter performance also for high fill factor bars and allow further power scaling to more than 350W with 65% peak efficiency with less than 8 degrees slow axis divergence and high polarization.

Stably accessing octave-spanning microresonator frequency combs in the soliton regime

PubMed Central

Li, Qing; Briles, Travis C.; Westly, Daron A.; Drake, Tara E.; Stone, Jordan R.; Ilic, B. Robert; Diddams, Scott A.; Papp, Scott B.; Srinivasan, Kartik

2017-01-01

Microresonator frequency combs can be an enabling technology for optical frequency synthesis and timekeeping in low size, weight, and power architectures. Such systems require comb operation in low-noise, phase-coherent states such as solitons, with broad spectral bandwidths (e.g., octave-spanning) for self-referencing to detect the carrier-envelope offset frequency. However, accessing such states is complicated by thermo-optic dispersion. For example, in the Si3N4 platform, precisely dispersion-engineered structures can support broadband operation, but microsecond thermal time constants often require fast pump power or frequency control to stabilize the solitons. In contrast, here we consider how broadband soliton states can be accessed with simple pump laser frequency tuning, at a rate much slower than the thermal dynamics. We demonstrate octave-spanning soliton frequency combs in Si3N4 microresonators, including the generation of a multi-soliton state with a pump power near 40 mW and a single-soliton state with a pump power near 120 mW. We also develop a simplified two-step analysis to explain how these states are accessed without fast control of the pump laser, and outline the required thermal properties for such operation. Our model agrees with experimental results as well as numerical simulations based on a Lugiato-Lefever equation that incorporates thermo-optic dispersion. Moreover, it also explains an experimental observation that a member of an adjacent mode family on the red-detuned side of the pump mode can mitigate the thermal requirements for accessing soliton states. PMID:28603754

355-nm, nanosecond laser mirror thin film damage competition

DOE PAGES

Negres, Raluca A.; Stolz, Christopher J.; Thomas, Michael D.; ...

2017-11-23

Here, this competition aimed to survey state-of-the-art UV high reflectors. The requirements of the coatings are a minimum reflection of 99.5% at 45 degrees incidence angle for P-polarized light at 355-nm. The choice of coating materials, design, and deposition method were left to the participants. Laser damage testing was performed at a single testing facility using the raster scan method with a 5-ns pulse length laser system operating at 10 Hz in a single longitudinal mode. A double blind test assured sample and submitter anonymity. Finally, in addition to the laser damage resistance results, details of the deposition processes, cleaningmore » method, coating materials and layer count are also shared.« less

Plasma shape control by pulsed solenoid on laser ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekine, M.; Ikeda, S.; Romanelli, M.; Kumaki, M.; Fuwa, Y.; Kanesue, T.; Hayashizaki, N.; Lambiase, R.; Okamura, M.

2015-09-01

A Laser ion source (LIS) provides high current heavy ion beams with a very simple mechanical structure. Plasma is produced by a pulsed laser ablation of a solid state target and ions are extracted by an electric field. However, it was difficult to manipulate the beam parameters of a LIS, since the plasma condition could only be adjusted by the laser irradiation condition. To enhance flexibility of LIS operation, we employed a pulsed solenoid in the plasma drift section and investigated the effect of the solenoid field on singly charged iron beams. The experimentally obtained current profile was satisfactorily controlled by the pulsed magnetic field. This approach may also be useful to reduce beam emittance of a LIS.

Plasma shape control by pulsed solenoid on laser ion source

DOE PAGES

Sekine, M.; Ikeda, S.; Romanelli, M.; ...

2015-05-28

A Laser ion source (LIS) provides high current heavy ion beams with a very simple mechanical structure. Plasma is produced by a pulsed laser ablation of a solid state target and ions are extracted by an electric field. It was difficult to manipulate the beam parameters of a LIS, since the plasma condition could only be adjusted by the laser irradiation condition. To enhance flexibility of LIS operation, we employed a pulsed solenoid in the plasma drift section and investigated the effect of the solenoid field on singly charged iron beams. The experimentally obtained current profile was satisfactorily controlled bymore » the pulsed magnetic field. Thus, this approach may also be useful to reduce beam emittance of a LIS.« less

Methodology for comparing worldwide performance of diverse weight-constrained high energy laser systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartell, Richard J.; Perram, Glen P.; Fiorino, Steven T.; Long, Scott N.; Houle, Marken J.; Rice, Christopher A.; Manning, Zachary P.; Bunch, Dustin W.; Krizo, Matthew J.; Gravley, Liesebet E.

2005-06-01

The Air Force Institute of Technology's Center for Directed Energy has developed a software model, the High Energy Laser End-to-End Operational Simulation (HELEEOS), under the sponsorship of the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office (JTO), to facilitate worldwide comparisons across a broad range of expected engagement scenarios of expected performance of a diverse range of weight-constrained high energy laser system types. HELEEOS has been designed to meet JTO's goals of supporting a broad range of analyses applicable to the operational requirements of all the military services, constraining weapon effectiveness through accurate engineering performance assessments allowing its use as an investment strategy tool, and the establishment of trust among military leaders. HELEEOS is anchored to respected wave optics codes and all significant degradation effects, including thermal blooming and optical turbulence, are represented in the model. The model features operationally oriented performance metrics, e.g. dwell time required to achieve a prescribed probability of kill and effective range. Key features of HELEEOS include estimation of the level of uncertainty in the calculated Pk and generation of interactive nomographs to allow the user to further explore a desired parameter space. Worldwide analyses are enabled at five wavelengths via recently available databases capturing climatological, seasonal, diurnal, and geographical spatial-temporal variability in atmospheric parameters including molecular and aerosol absorption and scattering profiles and optical turbulence strength. Examples are provided of the impact of uncertainty in weight-power relationships, coupled with operating condition variability, on results of performance comparisons between chemical and solid state lasers.

Real-time diagnostics of a jet engine exhaust using an intra-pulse quantum cascade laser spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duxbury, Geoffrey; Hay, Kenneth G.; Langford, Nigel; Johnson, Mark P.; Black, John D.

2011-09-01

It has been demonstrated that an intra-pulse scanned quantum cascade laser spectrometer may be used to obtain real-time diagnostics of the amounts of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and water, in the exhaust of an aero gas turbine (turbojet) engine operated in a sea level test cell. Measurements have been made of the rapid changes in composition following ignition, the composition under steady state operating conditions, and the composition changes across the exhaust plume. The minimum detection limit for CO in a double pass through a typical gas turbine plume of 50 cm in diameter, with 0.4 seconds integration time, is approximately 2 ppm.

High-pulse energy Q-switched Tm3+:YAG laser for nonlinear frequency conversion to the mid-IR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stöppler, Georg; Kieleck, Christelle; Eichhorn, Marc

2010-10-01

For some medical fields in laser surgery and as a pump source for nonlinear materials to generate mid-IR radiation, e.g. for countermeasure applications, it is very useful to have a solid-state laser with high pulse energy at 2 μm. The rare earth ion Thulium offers a cross relaxation and can thus be directly diode pumped with common laser diodes around 800 nm for an efficient pumping. However, it was not considered for high pulse energy operation due to the high saturation fluence of around 62 J/cm2 at 2 μm. A limiting factor has always been the damage threshold of the optical elements inside the cavity. One of the reasons is the strong thermal lens of YAG, which affects a change of the beam radius inside the resonator and additionally degrades the beam quality with increasing pump power. Using a new pump geometry of the Tm3+:YAG laser system, it is now possible to reach pulse energies > 13 mJ at a diffraction limited beam quality of M2 < 1.1. The Q-switched Tm3+:YAG laser system uses an AOM operating at 100 Hz and will be described in detail. Due to the high pulse energy and very good beam quality, this laser is very interesting for nonlinear parametric frequency conversion.

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.

Effect of particle size on the UV pulsed-laser scribing in computational fluid dynamics-based simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Kwan-Woo; Na, Suck-Joo

2010-06-01

A computational model for UV pulsed-laser scribing of silicon target is presented and compared with experimental results. The experiments were performed with a high-power Q-switched diode-pumped solid state laser which was operated at 355 nm. They were conducted on n-type 500 μm thick silicon wafers. The scribing width and depth were measured using scanning electron microscopy. The model takes into account major physics, such as heat transfer, evaporation, multiple reflections, and Rayleigh scattering. It also considers the attenuation and redistribution of laser energy due to Rayleigh scattering. Especially, the influence of the average particle sizes in the model is mainly investigated. Finally, it is shown that the computational model describing the laser scribing of silicon is valid at an average particle size of about 10 nm.

Resolution-of-identity stochastic time-dependent configuration interaction for dissipative electron dynamics in strong fields.

PubMed

Klinkusch, Stefan; Tremblay, Jean Christophe

2016-05-14

In this contribution, we introduce a method for simulating dissipative, ultrafast many-electron dynamics in intense laser fields. The method is based on the norm-conserving stochastic unraveling of the dissipative Liouville-von Neumann equation in its Lindblad form. The N-electron wave functions sampling the density matrix are represented in the basis of singly excited configuration state functions. The interaction with an external laser field is treated variationally and the response of the electronic density is included to all orders in this basis. The coupling to an external environment is included via relaxation operators inducing transition between the configuration state functions. Single electron ionization is represented by irreversible transition operators from the ionizing states to an auxiliary continuum state. The method finds its efficiency in the representation of the operators in the interaction picture, where the resolution-of-identity is used to reduce the size of the Hamiltonian eigenstate basis. The zeroth-order eigenstates can be obtained either at the configuration interaction singles level or from a time-dependent density functional theory reference calculation. The latter offers an alternative to explicitly time-dependent density functional theory which has the advantage of remaining strictly valid for strong field excitations while improving the description of the correlation as compared to configuration interaction singles. The method is tested on a well-characterized toy system, the excitation of the low-lying charge transfer state in LiCN.

Resolution-of-identity stochastic time-dependent configuration interaction for dissipative electron dynamics in strong fields

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

Klinkusch, Stefan; Tremblay, Jean Christophe

In this contribution, we introduce a method for simulating dissipative, ultrafast many-electron dynamics in intense laser fields. The method is based on the norm-conserving stochastic unraveling of the dissipative Liouville-von Neumann equation in its Lindblad form. The N-electron wave functions sampling the density matrix are represented in the basis of singly excited configuration state functions. The interaction with an external laser field is treated variationally and the response of the electronic density is included to all orders in this basis. The coupling to an external environment is included via relaxation operators inducing transition between the configuration state functions. Single electronmore » ionization is represented by irreversible transition operators from the ionizing states to an auxiliary continuum state. The method finds its efficiency in the representation of the operators in the interaction picture, where the resolution-of-identity is used to reduce the size of the Hamiltonian eigenstate basis. The zeroth-order eigenstates can be obtained either at the configuration interaction singles level or from a time-dependent density functional theory reference calculation. The latter offers an alternative to explicitly time-dependent density functional theory which has the advantage of remaining strictly valid for strong field excitations while improving the description of the correlation as compared to configuration interaction singles. The method is tested on a well-characterized toy system, the excitation of the low-lying charge transfer state in LiCN.« less

Optimum design on refrigeration system of high-repetition-frequency laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gang; Li, Li; Jin, Yezhou; Sun, Xinhua; Mao, Shaojuan; Wang, Yuanbo

2014-12-01

A refrigeration system with fluid cycle, semiconductor cooler and air cooler is designed to solve the problems of thermal lensing effect and unstable output of high-repetition-frequency solid-state lasers. Utilizing a circulating water pump, water recycling system carries the water into laser cavity to absorb the heat then get to water cooling head. The water cooling head compacts cold spot of semiconductor cooling chips, so the heat is carried to hot spot which contacts the radiating fins, then is expelled through cooling fan. Finally, the cooled water return to tank. The above processes circulate to achieve the purposes of highly effective refrigeration in miniative solid-state lasers.The refrigeration and temperature control components are designed strictly to ensure refrigeration effect and practicability. we also set up a experiment to test the performances of this refrigeration system, the results show that the relationship between water temperature and cooling power of semiconductor cooling chip is linear at 20°C-30°C (operating temperature range of Nd:YAG), the higher of the water temperature, the higher of cooling power. According to the results, cooling power of single semiconductor cooling chip is above 60W, and the total cooling power of three semiconductor cooling chips achieves 200W that will satisfy the refrigeration require of the miniative solid-state lasers.The performance parameters of laser pulse are also tested, include pulse waveform, spectrogram and laser spot. All of that indicate that this refrigeration system can ensure the output of high-repetition-frequency pulse whit high power and stability.

Design and performance of a production-worthy excimer-laser-based stepper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unger, Robert; Sparkes, Christopher; Disessa, Peter A.; Elliott, David J.

1992-06-01

Excimer-laser-based steppers have matured to a production-worthy state. Widefield high-NA lenses have been developed and characterized for imaging down to 0.35 micron and below. Excimer lasers have attained practical levels of performance capability and stability, reliability, safety, and operating cost. Excimer stepper system integration and control issues such as focus, exposure, and overlay stability have been addressed. Enabling support technologies -- resist systems, resist processing, metrology and conventional mask making -- continue to progress and are becoming available. This paper discusses specific excimer stepper design challenges, and presents characterization data from several field installations of XLSTM deep-UV steppers configured with an advanced lens design.

Spoof plasmon waveguide enabled ultrathin room temperature THz GaN quantum cascade laser: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Sun, Greg; Khurgin, Jacob B; Tsai, Din Ping

2013-11-18

We propose and study the feasibility of a THz GaN/AlGaN quantum cascade laser (QCL) consisting of only five periods with confinement provided by a spoof surface plasmon (SSP) waveguide for room temperature operation. The QCL design takes advantages of the large optical phonon energy and the ultrafast phonon scattering in GaN that allow for engineering favorable laser state lifetimes. Our analysis has shown that the waveguide loss is sufficiently low for the QCL to reach its threshold at the injection current density around 6 kA/cm2 at room temperature.

Controlled higher-order transverse mode conversion from a fiber laser by polarization manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Bin; Yi, Qian; Yang, Lingling; Zhao, Chujun; Wen, Shuangchun

2018-02-01

We report a vectorial fiber laser with controlled transverse mode conversion by intra-cavity polarization manipulation. By combining a q-plate and two quarter-wave plates (QWPs), we can generate a switchable polarization state output represented by the higher-order Poincaré sphere (l = +1, l = -1), and distinguish the fourfold degenerate LP11 mode. The four transverse vector modes can be obtained and switched in a flexible way, and the slope efficiency of the fiber laser can reach up to 39.4%. This compactness, high efficiency, and switchable operation potential will benefit a range of applications, such as materials processing, particle manipulation, etc.

LASER APPLICATIONS AND OTHER TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS: Generation of singlet oxygen in fullerene-containing media: 1. Photodesorption of singlet oxygen from fullerene-containing surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belousova, I. M.; Belousov, V. P.; Danilov, O. B.; Ermakov, A. V.; Kiselev, V. M.; Kislyakov, I. M.; Sosnov, E. N.

2008-03-01

It is shown that upon irradiation of fullerene-containing surfaces by laser or flashlamp pulses, oxygen adsorbed by these surfaces efficiently escapes to the gas phase. The observation of luminescence pulses in the spectral region of 762 and 1268 nm confirms the presence of oxygen molecules in the excited singlet state in the desorbed oxygen. The conditions for optimisation of the efficiency of singlet-oxygen production are studied. It is shown that singlet oxygen at the concentration sufficient for obtaining operation of a fullerene-oxygen-iodine laser can be produced in this way.

On the importance of electron impact processes in excimer-pumped alkali laser-induced plasmas

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

Markosyan, Aram H.

We present that the excimer-pumped alkali laser (XPAL) system has recently been demonstrated in several different mixtures of alkali vapor and rare gas. Without special preventive measures, plasma formation during operation of XPAL is unavoidable. Some recent advancements in the availability of reliable data for electron impact collisions with atoms and molecules have enabled development of a complete reaction mechanism to investigate XPAL-induced plasmas. Here, we report on pathways leading to plasma formation in an Ar/C 2H 6/CsAr/C2H6/Cs XPAL sustained at different cell temperatures. We find that depending on the operating conditions, the contribution of electron impact processes can bemore » as little as bringing the excitation of Cs(P 2) states to higher level Cs** states, and can be as high as bringing Cs(P 2) excited states to a full ionization. Increasing the input pumping power or cell temperature, or decreasing the C 2H 6 mole fraction leads to electron impact processes dominating in plasma formation over the energy pooling mechanisms previously reported in literature.« less

Noise-driven switching and chaotic itinerancy among dynamic states in a three-mode intracavity second-harmonic generation laser operating on a Λ transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otsuka, Kenju; Ohtomo, Takayuki; Maniwa, Tsuyoshi; Kawasaki, Hazumi; Ko, Jing-Yuan

2003-09-01

We studied the antiphase self-pulsation in a globally coupled three-mode laser operating in different optical spectrum configurations. We observed locking of modal pulsation frequencies, quasiperiodicity, clustering behaviors, and chaos, resulting from the nonlinear interaction among modes. The robustness of [p:q:r] three-frequency locking states and quasiperiodic oscillations against residual noise has been examined by using joint time-frequency analysis of long-term experimental time series. Two sharply antithetical types of switching behaviors among different dynamic states were observed during temporal evolutions; noise-driven switching and self-induced switching, which manifests itself in chaotic itinerancy. The modal interplay behind observed behaviors was studied by using the statistical dynamic quantity of the information circulation. Well-organized information flows among modes, which correspond to the number of degeneracies of modal pulsation frequencies, were found to be established in accordance with the inherent antiphase dynamics. Observed locking behaviors, quasiperiodic motions, and chaotic itinerancy were reproduced by numerical simulation of the model equations.

On the importance of electron impact processes in excimer-pumped alkali laser-induced plasmas

DOE PAGES

Markosyan, Aram H.

2017-10-18

We present that the excimer-pumped alkali laser (XPAL) system has recently been demonstrated in several different mixtures of alkali vapor and rare gas. Without special preventive measures, plasma formation during operation of XPAL is unavoidable. Some recent advancements in the availability of reliable data for electron impact collisions with atoms and molecules have enabled development of a complete reaction mechanism to investigate XPAL-induced plasmas. Here, we report on pathways leading to plasma formation in an Ar/C 2H 6/CsAr/C2H6/Cs XPAL sustained at different cell temperatures. We find that depending on the operating conditions, the contribution of electron impact processes can bemore » as little as bringing the excitation of Cs(P 2) states to higher level Cs** states, and can be as high as bringing Cs(P 2) excited states to a full ionization. Increasing the input pumping power or cell temperature, or decreasing the C 2H 6 mole fraction leads to electron impact processes dominating in plasma formation over the energy pooling mechanisms previously reported in literature.« less

Is There Segregation of Rare Earth Ions in Garnet Optical Ceramics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boulon, Georges; Epicier, T.; Zhao, W.; Guzik, M.; Pan, Y.; Jiang, B.

Research on advanced optical materials for a large variety of applications is always increasing. As an example, we can note high progress in solid-state laser sources like laser-diode (LD) - pumped solid-state lasers (DPSSL) including developments of new materials and high-power laser diode led to high-power and tuneable solid-state lasers. A wide variety of materials has been studied to develop more efficient and high power microchip lasers [1]. In end-pumping schemes, in particular, materials with a short absorption length for the LD pump beam are strongly anticipated for highly efficient operations because of the excellent match between the mode and pump beam profiles. High Nd3+ concentrations were so considered such as NdP5O14, LiNdP4O12 (LNP), and NdAl3(BO3)O4. However, crystal growths of these compositions are not so easy. Cubic crystals are much more researched. When looking at the literature for actual applications, we see immediately the importance of cubic garnet crystals for which dodecahedral (Y3+), octahedral (Al3+) and tetrahedral (Al3+) sites are considered as a reservoir for many activators like: Ce3+, Nd3+, Er3+, Tm3+, Ho3+, Yb3+ rare earth ions in dodecahedral symmetry sites and transition metal ions like Cr3+ in the octahedral symmetry sites or Cr4+ in the tetrahedral symmetry sites. Among garnet crystals, Y3Al5O12 (YAG) host is the most used, commercially produced by the Czochralski method. However, in the case of the most used Nd3+: YAG laser crystal, the Nd3+ concentration that affects the performance in laser applications, is strongly limited to 0.2-1.4 Nd3+ at. % as a result of the segregation distribution coefficient [1].

Selective removal of cholesterol ester in atherosclerotic plaque using nanosecond pulsed laser at 5.75 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, K.; Tsukimoto, H.; Hazama, H.; Awazu, K.

2008-02-01

Laser angioplasty, for example XeCl excimer laser angioplasty, has gained more attention in addition to conventional methods of surgical and interventional treatment of atherosclerotic diseases such as bypass operation and balloon dilatation. Low degrees of thermal damage after ablation of atherosclerotic lesions have been achieved by XeCl excimer laser at 308 nm. However, in most cases, laser ablation is not selective and normal arterial wall is also damaged. To avoid complications such as severe dissections or perforation of the arterial wall in an angioplasty, a laser light source with high ablation efficiency but low arterial wall injury is desirable. At atherosclerotic lesions, cholesterol accumulates on the tunica intima by establishing an ester bond with fatty acids such as oleic acid, and thus cholesterol ester is the main component of atherosclerotic plaques. Mid-infrared pulsed laser at 5.75 μm is selectively well absorbed in C=O stretching vibration mode of ester bonds. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of nanosecond pulsed laser at 5.75 μm irradiation of cholesterol ester in atherosclerotic plaques. In this study, we used a mid-infrared tunable solid-state laser which is operated by difference frequency generation method, with a wavelength of 5.75 μm, a pulse width of 5 nsec and a pulse duration of 10 Hz. It was confirmed that non-invasive interaction to normal thoracic aortas could be induce by the parameters, the wavelength of 5.75 μm, the average power densities of 35 W/cm2 and the irradiation time under 10 sec. This study shows that nanosecond pulsed laser irradiations at 5.75 μm provide an alternative laser light source as an effectively cutting, less traumatic tool for removal of atherosclerotic plaque.

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.

Nonradiative relaxation and laser action in tunable solid state laser crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petricevic, V.; Gayen, S. K.; Alfano, R. R.

1989-01-01

Room-temperature pulsed laser action was obtained in chromium-activated forsterite (Cr:Mg2SiO4) for both 532 and 1064 nm pumping. Free running laser emission in both cases is centered at 1235 nm and has a bandwidth of approximately 30 nm. Slope efficiency as high as 22 percent was measured. Using different sets of output mirrors and a single birefrigent plate as the intracavity wavelength selecting element tunability over the 1167 to 1268 nm spectral range was demonstrated. Continuous wave laser operation at room temperature was obtained for 1064 nm pumping from a CW Nd:YAG laser. The output power slope efficiency is 6.8 percent. The gain cross section is estimated to be 1.1 x 10 to the 19th sq cm. Spectroscopic studies suggest that the laser action is due to a center other than the trivalent chromium (Cr 3+), presumably the tetravalent chromium (Cr 4+) in a tetrahedrally coordinated site.

Development of Mesospheric Sodium Laser Beacon for Atmospheric Adaptive Optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jeys, T. H.

1992-01-01

A solid-state source of long pulse length, sodium-resonance radiation was developed for the purpose of generating an artificial star in the earth's mesospheric sodium layer. This radiation is generated by sum-frequency mixing the output of a 1.064 micron Nd:YAG laser with the output of a 1.319-micron Nd:YAG laser. By operating these lasers at wavelengths very close to the peak of their tuning curves, it is possible to match the wavelength of the sum-frequency radiation to that of the sodium D2 adsorption wavelength. Two pulsed laser systems were constructed, one producing as much as 0.6 J of sodium resonance radiation at a 10-Hz repetition rate and another producing as much as 24 mJ at a 840-Hz repetition rate. In both laser systems, the 1.06-micron and 1.32-micron Nd:YAG lasers are configured as mode-locked master oscillators followed by power amplifiers. Other aspects of this project are presented.

Characteristics of the inductive nitrogen laser generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razhev, A. M.; Churkin, D. S.; Kargapoltsev, E. S.

2016-05-01

The results of the experimental study of energy, temporal, spectral and spatial characteristics of UV inductive laser generation are presented. The study has identified a number of characteristics which demonstrate the differences between electron parameters of inductively coupled plasma and the plasma of longitudinal and transverse electrical discharges. The mechanism of simultaneous occurrence of Lewis-Rayleigh afterglow representing transitions between higher vibrational substates of B3Πg and A3∑u+ states; laser generation at C3Πu→B3Πg transition as well as the absence of IR radiation at 1st positive system typical for electrical discharge nitrogen lasers has been thoroughly researched. The major characteristic is ring shaped laser beam which size and width depend on excitation conditions. Inductive UV nitrogen laser is found to operate in ASE regime, but has a low divergence of 0.4±0.1 mrad and high pulse-to-pulse stability (laser pulse deviation amplitude did not exceed 1%).

Solid State Research.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-15

Diode Lasers 10 - 3. MATERIALS RESEARCH 15 3.1 Role of Oxygen in Zone-Melting Recrystallization of Si Films on Si0 2 -Coated Si Substrates 15 3.2 Triple... Film that Has Been Etch-Delineated to Show Sub- ndaries. Upper Graphite Heater Was Scanned in Direction from top to Bottom of Micrograph. 15 3-2...Operation at 1060 nm with a 5-percent differential power efficiency has been obtained from a flashlamp-pumped laser rod of the sensitized garnet Nd:Cr:Gd 3Sc

Development of Laser Beam Transmission Strategies for Future Ground-to-Space Optical Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Keith E.; Kovalik, Joseph M.; Biswas, Abhijit; Roberts, William T.

2007-01-01

Optical communications is a key technology to meet the bandwidth expansion required in the global information grid. High bandwidth bi-directional links between sub-orbital platforms and ground and space terminals can provide a seamless interconnectivity for rapid return of critical data to analysts. The JPL Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) is located in Wrightwood California at an altitude of 2.2.km. This 200 sq-m facility houses a state-of- the-art 1-m telescope and is used to develop operational strategies for ground-to-space laser beam propagation that include safe beam transmission through navigable air space, adaptive optics correction and multi-beam scintillation mitigation, and line of sight optical attenuation monitoring. JPL has received authorization from international satellite owners to transmit laser beams to more than twenty retro-reflecting satellites. This paper presents recent progress in the development of these operational strategies tested by narrow laser beam transmissions from the OCTL to retro-reflecting satellites. We present experimental results and compare our measurements with predicted performance for a variety of atmospheric conditions.

Hybrid solid state laser system using a neodymium-based master oscillator and an ytterbium-based power amplifier

DOEpatents

Payne, Stephen A.; Marshall, Christopher D.; Powell, Howard T.; Krupke, William F.

2001-01-01

In a master oscillator-power amplifier (MOPA) hybrid laser system, the master oscillator (MO) utilizes a Nd.sup.3+ -doped gain medium and the power amplifier (PA) utilizes a diode-pumped Yb.sup.3+ -doped material. The use of two different laser gain media in the hybrid MOPA system provides advantages that are otherwise not available. The Nd-doped gain medium preferably serves as the MO because such gain media offer the lowest threshold of operation and have already been engineered as practical systems. The Yb-doped gain medium preferably serves in the diode-pumped PA to store pump energy effectively and efficiently by virtue of the long emission lifetime, thereby reducing diode pump costs. One crucial constraint on the MO and PA gain media is that the Nd and Yb lasers must operate at nearly the same wavelength. The 1.047 .mu.m Nd:YLF/Yb:S-FAP [Nd:LiYF.sub.4 /Yb:Sr.sub.5 (PO.sub.4).sub.3 F] hybrid MOPA system is a preferred embodiment of the hybrid Nd/Yb MOPA.

Polarizability tensor invariants of H2, HD, and D2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raj, Ankit; Hamaguchi, Hiro-o.; Witek, Henryk A.

2018-03-01

We report an exhaustive compilation of wavelength-dependent matrix elements over the mean polarizability (α ¯ ) and polarizability anisotropy (γ) operators for the rovibrational states of the H2, HD, and D2 molecules together with an accompanying computer program for their evaluation. The matrix elements can be readily evaluated using the provided codes for rovibrational states with J = 0-15 and v = 0-4 and for any laser wavelengths in the interval 182.25-1320.6 nm corresponding to popular, commercially available lasers. The presented results substantially extend the scope of the data available in the literature, both in respect of the rovibrational transitions analyzed and the range of covered laser frequencies. The presented detailed tabulation of accurate polarizability tensor invariants is essential for successful realization of our main long-term goal: developing a universal standard for determining absolute Raman cross sections and absolute Raman intensities in experimental Rayleigh and Raman scattering studies of molecules.

All-optical logic gates and wavelength conversion via the injection locking of a Fabry-Perot semiconductor laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, E.; Pochet, M.; Schmidt, J.; Locke, T.; Naderi, N.; Usechak, N. G.

2013-03-01

This work investigates the implementation of all-optical logic gates based on optical injection locking (OIL). All-optical inverting, NOR, and NAND gates are experimentally demonstrated using two distributed feedback (DFB) lasers, a multi-mode Fabry-Perot laser diode, and an optical band-pass filter. The DFB lasers are externally modulated to represent logic inputs into the cavity of the multi-mode Fabry-Perot slave laser. The input DFB (master) lasers' wavelengths are aligned with the longitudinal modes of the Fabry-Perot slave laser and their optical power is used to modulate the injection conditions in the Fabry-Perot slave laser. The optical band-pass filter is used to select a Fabry- Perot mode that is either suppressed or transmitted given the logic state of the injecting master laser signals. When the input signal(s) is (are) in the on state, injection locking, and thus the suppression of the non-injected Fabry-Perot modes, is induced, yielding a dynamic system that can be used to implement photonic logic functions. Additionally, all-optical photonic processing is achieved using the cavity-mode shift produced in the injected slave laser under external optical injection. The inverting logic case can also be used as a wavelength converter — a key component in advanced wavelength-division multiplexing networks. As a result of this experimental investigation, a more comprehensive understanding of the locking parameters involved in injecting multiple lasers into a multi-mode cavity and the logic transition time is achieved. The performance of optical logic computations and wavelength conversion has the potential for ultrafast operation, limited primarily by the photon decay rate in the slave laser.

Nd:GdVO4 ring laser pumped by laser diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, E. J.; Li, T.; Wang, Z. D.; Zhang, Y.

2013-02-01

The design and operation of a laser diode-pumped Nd:GdVO4 ring laser is described. A composite crystal (Nd:GdVO4/YVO4) with undoped ends is single-end pumped by a fiber-coupled laser diode (LD) at 808 nm. A four-mirror ring cavity is designed to keep the laser operating unidirectionally, which eliminates spatial hole burning in the standing-wave cavity. This laser can operate either as continuous wave (CW) or Q-switched. The single-frequency power obtained was 9.1 W at 1063 nm. Q-switched operation produced 0.23 mJ/pulse at 20 kHz in the fundamental laser.

Defence and security applications of quantum cascade lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grasso, Robert J.

2016-09-01

Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) have seen tremendous recent application in the realm of Defence and Security. And, in many instances replacing traditional solid state lasers as the source of choice for Countermeasures, Remote Sensing, In-situ Sensing, Through-Barrier Sensing, and many others. Following their development and demonstration in the early 1990's, QCL's reached some maturity and specific defence and security application prior to 2005; with much initial development fostered by DARPA initiatives in the US, dstl, MoD, and EOARD funding initiatives in the UK, and University level R&D such as those by Prof Manijeh Razeghi at Northwestern University [1], and Prof Ted Masselink at Humboldt University [2]. As QCL's provide direct mid-IR laser output for electrical input, they demonstrate high quantum efficiency compared with diode pumped solid state lasers with optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) to generate mid-Infrared output. One particular advantage of QCL's is their very broad operational bandwidth, extending from the terahertz to the near-infrared spectral regions. Defence and Security areas benefiting from QCL's include: Countermeasures, Remote Sensing, Through-the-Wall Sensing, and Explosive Detection. All information used to construct this paper obtained from open sources.

Every Good Virtue You Ever Wanted in a Q-switched Solid-state Laser and More: Monolithic, Diode-pumped, Self-q-switched, Highly Reproducible, Diffraction-limited Nd:yag Laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Y. C.; Lee, K. K.

1993-01-01

The applications of Q-switched lasers are well known, for example, laser radar, laser remote sensing, satellite orbit determination, Moon orbit and 'moon quake' determination, satellite laser communication, and many nonlinear optics applications. Most of the applications require additional properties of the Q-switched lasers, such as single-axial and/or single-transverse mode, high repetition rate, stable pulse shape and pulse width, or ultra compact and rugged oscillators. Furthermore, space based and airborne lasers for lidar and laser communication applications require efficient, compact, lightweight, long-lived, and stable-pulsed laser sources. Diode-pumped solid-state lasers (DPSSL) have recently shown the potential for satisfying all of these requirements. We will report on the operating characteristics of a diode-pumped, monolithic, self-Q-switched Cr,Nd:YAG laser where the chromium ions act as a saturable absorber for the laser emission at 1064 nm. The pulse duration is 3.5 ns and the output is highly polarized with an extinction ratio of 700:1. It is further shown that the output is single-longitudinal-mode with transform-limited spectral line width without pulse-to-pulse mode competition. Consequently, the pulse-to-pulse intensity fluctuation is less than the instrument resolution of 0.25 percent. This self-stabilization mechanism is because the lasing mode bleaches the distributed absorber and establishes a gain-loss grating similar to that used in the distributed feedback semiconductor lasers. A repetition rate above 5 KHz has also been demonstrated. For higher power, this laser can be used for injection seeding an amplifier (or amplifier chain) or injection locking of a power oscillator pumped by diode lasers. We will discuss some research directions on the master oscillator for higher output energy per pulse as well as how to scale the output power of the diode-pumped amplifier(s) to multi-kilowatt average power.

Ion beam production and study of radioactive isotopes with the laser ion source at ISOLDE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedosseev, Valentin; Chrysalidis, Katerina; Day Goodacre, Thomas; Marsh, Bruce; Rothe, Sebastian; Seiffert, Christoph; Wendt, Klaus

2017-08-01

At ISOLDE the majority of radioactive ion beams are produced using the resonance ionization laser ion source (RILIS). This ion source is based on resonant excitation of atomic transitions by wavelength tunable laser radiation. Since its installation at the ISOLDE facility in 1994, the RILIS laser setup has been developed into a versatile remotely operated laser system comprising state-of-the-art solid state and dye lasers capable of generating multiple high quality laser beams at any wavelength in the range of 210-950 nm. A continuous programme of atomic ionization scheme development at CERN and at other laboratories has gradually increased the number of RILIS-ionized elements. At present, isotopes of 40 different elements have been selectively laser-ionized by the ISOLDE RILIS. Studies related to the optimization of the laser-atom interaction environment have yielded new laser ion source types: the laser ion source and trap and the versatile arc discharge and laser ion source. Depending on the specific experimental requirements for beam purity or versatility to switch between different ionization mechanisms, these may offer a favourable alternative to the standard hot metal cavity configuration. In addition to its main purpose of ion beam production, the RILIS is used for laser spectroscopy of radioisotopes. In an ongoing experimental campaign the isotope shifts and hyperfine structure of long isotopic chains have been measured by the extremely sensitive in-source laser spectroscopy method. The studies performed in the lead region were focused on nuclear deformation and shape coexistence effects around the closed proton shell Z = 82. The paper describes the functional principles of the RILIS, the current status of the laser system and demonstrated capabilities for the production of different ion beams including the high-resolution studies of short-lived isotopes and other applications of RILIS lasers for ISOLDE experiments. This article belongs to the Focus on Exotic Beams at ISOLDE: A Laboratory Portrait special issue.

Black phosphorus saturable absorber for a diode-pumped passively Q-switched Er:CaF2 mid-infrared laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chun; Liu, Jie; Guo, Zhinan; Zhang, Han; Ma, Weiwei; Wang, Jingya; Xu, Xiaodong; Su, Liangbi

2018-01-01

A multilayer black phosphorus, as a novel two dimensional saturable absorber, has superb saturable absorption properties for a Er:CaF2 solid-state pulse laser. The pulse laser is realized at mid-infrared region with the passively Q-switched technology by a diode-pumping. The high-quality black phosphorus saturable absorber is fabricated by liquid phase exfoliation method. The pulse laser generates the pulses operation with the pulse duration of 954.8 ns, the repetition rate of 41.93 kHz, the pulse energy of 4.25 μJ and the peak power of 4.45 W. Our work demonstrates that black phosphorus could be used as a kind of efficient mid-infrared region optical absorber for ultrafast photonics.

Electro-optically Q-switched dual-wavelength Nd:YLF laser emitting at 1047 nm and 1053 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Men, Shaojie; Liu, Zhaojun; Cong, Zhenhua; Li, Yongfu; Zhang, Xingyu

2015-05-01

A flash-lamp pumped electro-optically Q-switched dual-wavelength Nd:YLF laser is demonstrated. Two Nd:YLF crystals placed in two cavities are employed to generate orthogonally polarized 1047 nm and 1053 nm radiations, respectively. The two cavities are jointed together by a polarizer and share the same electro-optical Q-switch. Two narrow-band pass filters are used to block unexpected oscillations at the hold-off state of the electro-optical Q-switch. In this case, electro-optical Q-switching is able to operate successfully. With pulse synchronization realized, the maximum output energy of 66.2 mJ and 83.9 mJ are obtained for 1047 nm and 1053 nm lasers, respectively. Correspondingly, the minimum pulse width is both 17 ns for 1047 nm and 1053 nm lasers. Sum frequency generation is realized. This demonstrates the potential of this laser in difference-frequency generations to obtain terahertz wave.

High-efficency stable 213-nm generation for LASIK application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenglin; Alameh, Kamal; Zheng, Rong

2005-01-01

213nm Solid-state laser technology provides an alternative method to replace toxic excimer laser in LASIK system. In this paper, we report a compact fifth harmonic generation system to generate high pulse energy 213nm laser from Q-switched Nd:YAG laser for LASIK application based on three stages harmonic generation procedures. A novel crystal housing was specifically designed to hold the three crystals with each crystal has independent, precise angular adjustment structure and automatic tuning control. The crystal temperature is well maintained at ~130°C to improve harmonic generation stability and crystal operation lifetime. An output pulse energy 35mJ is obtained at 213nm, corresponding to total conversion efficiency ~10% from 1064nm pump laser. In system verification tests, the 213nm output power drops less than 5% after 5 millions pulse shots and no significant damage appears in the crystals.

Dual comb generation from a mode-locked fiber laser with orthogonally polarized interlaced pulses.

PubMed

Akosman, Ahmet E; Sander, Michelle Y

2017-08-07

Ultra-high precision dual-comb spectroscopy traditionally requires two mode-locked, fully stabilized lasers with complex feedback electronics. We present a novel mode-locked operation regime in a thulium-holmium co-doped fiber laser, a frequency-halved state with orthogonally polarized interlaced pulses, for dual comb generation from a single source. In a linear fiber laser cavity, an ultrafast pulse train composed of co-generated, equal intensity and orthogonally polarized consecutive pulses at half of the fundamental repetition rate is demonstrated based on vector solitons. Upon optical interference of the orthogonally polarized pulse trains, two stable microwave RF beat combs are formed, effectively down-converting the optical properties into the microwave regime. These co-generated, dual polarization interlaced pulse trains, from one all-fiber laser configuration with common mode suppression, thus provide an attractive compact source for dual-comb spectroscopy, optical metrology and polarization entanglement measurements.

Spectral gain profile of a multi-stack terahertz quantum cascade laser

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

Bachmann, D., E-mail: dominic.bachmann@tuwien.ac.at; Deutsch, C.; Krall, M.

2014-11-03

The spectral gain of a multi-stack terahertz quantum cascade laser, composed of three active regions with emission frequencies centered at 2.3, 2.7, and 3.0 THz, is studied as a function of driving current and temperature using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. The optical gain associated with the particular quantum cascade stacks clamps at different driving currents and saturates to different values. We attribute these observations to varying pumping efficiencies of the respective upper laser states and to frequency dependent optical losses. The multi-stack active region exhibits a spectral gain full width at half-maximum of 1.1 THz. Bandwidth and spectral position of themore » measured gain match with the broadband laser emission. As the laser action ceases with increasing operating temperature, the gain at the dominant lasing frequency of 2.65 THz degrades sharply.« less

Optimization of end-pumped, actively Q-switched quasi-III-level lasers.

PubMed

Jabczynski, Jan K; Gorajek, Lukasz; Kwiatkowski, Jacek; Kaskow, Mateusz; Zendzian, Waldemar

2011-08-15

The new model of end-pumped quasi-III-level laser considering transient pumping processes, ground-state-depletion and up-conversion effects was developed. The model consists of two parts: pumping stage and Q-switched part, which can be separated in a case of active Q-switching regime. For pumping stage the semi-analytical model was developed, enabling the calculations for final occupation of upper laser level for given pump power and duration, spatial profile of pump beam, length and dopant level of gain medium. For quasi-stationary inversion, the optimization procedure of Q-switching regime based on Lagrange multiplier technique was developed. The new approach for optimization of CW regime of quasi-three-level lasers was developed to optimize the Q-switched lasers operating with high repetition rates. Both methods of optimizations enable calculation of optimal absorbance of gain medium and output losses for given pump rate. © 2011 Optical Society of America

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

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

Development of Operational Free-Space-Optical (FSO) Laser Communication Systems Final Report CRADA No. TC02093.0

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

Ruggiero, A.; Orgren, A.

This project was a collaborative effort between Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (formerly The Regents of the University of California)/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and LGS Innovations, LLC (formerly Lucent Technologies, Inc.), to develop long-range and mobile operational free-space optical (FSO) laser communication systems for specialized government applications. LLNL and LGS Innovations formerly Lucent Bell Laboratories Government Communications Systems performed this work for a United States Government (USG) Intelligence Work for Others (I-WFO) customer, also referred to as "Government Customer", or "Customer" and "Government Sponsor." The CRADA was a critical and required part of the LLNL technology transfer plan formore » the customer.« less

Polyplanar optical display electronics

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

DeSanto, L.; Biscardi, C.

The Polyplanar Optical Display (POD) is a unique display screen which can be used with any projection source. The prototype ten inch display is two inches thick and has a matte black face which allows for high contrast images. The prototype being developed is a form, fit and functional replacement display for the B-52 aircraft which uses a monochrome ten-inch display. In order to achieve a long lifetime, the new display uses a 100 milliwatt green solid-state laser (10,000 hr. life) at 532 nm as its light source. To produce real-time video, the laser light is being modulated by amore » Digital Light Processing (DLP{trademark}) chip manufactured by Texas Instruments. In order to use the solid-state laser as the light source and also fit within the constraints of the B-52 display, the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD{trademark}) circuit board is removed from the Texas Instruments DLP light engine assembly. Due to the compact architecture of the projection system within the display chassis, the DMD{trademark} chip is operated remotely from the Texas Instruments circuit board. The authors discuss the operation of the DMD{trademark} divorced from the light engine and the interfacing of the DMD{trademark} board with various video formats (CVBS, Y/C or S-video and RGB) including the format specific to the B-52 aircraft. A brief discussion of the electronics required to drive the laser is also presented.« less

Optimization of the polyplanar optical display electronics for a monochrome B-52 display

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

DeSanto, L.

The Polyplanar Optical Display (POD) is a unique display screen which can be used with any projection source. The prototype ten-inch display is two inches thick and has a matte black face which allows for high contrast images. The prototype being developed is a form, fit and functional replacement display for the B-52 aircraft which uses a monochrome ten-inch display. In order to achieve a long lifetime, the new display uses a new 200 mW green solid-state laser (10,000 hr. life) at 532 nm as its light source. To produce real-time video, the laser light is being modulated by amore » Digital Light Processing (DLP{trademark}) chip manufactured by Texas Instruments (TI). In order to use the solid-state laser as the light source and also fit within the constraints of the B-52 display, the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD{trademark}) chip is operated remotely from the Texas Instruments circuit board. In order to achieve increased brightness a monochrome digitizing interface was investigated. The operation of the DMD{trademark} divorced from the light engine and the interfacing of the DMD{trademark} board with the RS-170 video format specific to the B-52 aircraft will be discussed, including the increased brightness of the monochrome digitizing interface. A brief description of the electronics required to drive the new 200 mW laser is also presented.« less

Laser exposure incidents: pilot ocular health and aviation safety issues.

PubMed

Nakagawara, Van B; Wood, Kathryn J; Montgomery, Ron W

2008-09-01

A database of aviation reports involving laser illumination of flight crewmembers has been established and maintained at the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. A review of recent laser illumination reports was initiated to investigate the significance of these events. Reports that involved laser exposures of civilian aircraft in the United States were analyzed for the 13-month period (January 1, 2004, through January 31, 2005). There were 90 reported instances of laser illumination during the study period. A total of 53 reports involved laser exposure of commercial aircraft. Lasers illuminated the cockpit in 41 (46%) of the incidents. Of those, 13 (32%) incidents resulted in a visual impairment or distraction to a pilot, including 1 incident that reportedly resulted in an ocular injury. Nearly 96% of these reports occurred in the last 3 months of the study period. There were no aviation accidents in which laser light illumination was found to be a contributing factor. Operational problems have resulted from laser illumination incidents in the national airspace system. Eye care practitioners, to provide effective consultations to their pilot patients, should be familiar with the problems that can occur with laser exposure.

Evolution of elastic x-ray scattering in laser-shocked warm dense lithium.

PubMed

Kugland, N L; Gregori, G; Bandyopadhyay, S; Brenner, C M; Brown, C R D; Constantin, C; Glenzer, S H; Khattak, F Y; Kritcher, A L; Niemann, C; Otten, A; Pasley, J; Pelka, A; Roth, M; Spindloe, C; Riley, D

2009-12-01

We have studied the dynamics of warm dense Li with near-elastic x-ray scattering. Li foils were heated and compressed using shock waves driven by 4-ns-long laser pulses. Separate 1-ns-long laser pulses were used to generate a bright source of 2.96 keV Cl Ly- alpha photons for x-ray scattering, and the spectrum of scattered photons was recorded at a scattering angle of 120 degrees using a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite crystal operated in the von Hamos geometry. A variable delay between the heater and backlighter laser beams measured the scattering time evolution. Comparison with radiation-hydrodynamics simulations shows that the plasma is highly coupled during the first several nanoseconds, then relaxes to a moderate coupling state at later times. Near-elastic scattering amplitudes have been successfully simulated using the screened one-component plasma model. Our main finding is that the near-elastic scattering amplitudes are quite sensitive to the mean ionization state Z[over ] and by extension to the choice of ionization model in the radiation-hydrodynamics simulations used to predict plasma properties within the shocked Li.

Population transfer and rapid passage effects in a low pressure gas using a continuous wave quantum cascade laser.

PubMed

McCormack, E A; Lowth, H S; Bell, M T; Weidmann, D; Ritchie, G A D

2012-07-21

A continuous wave quantum cascade laser (cw-QCL) operating at 10 μm has been used to record absorption spectra of low pressure samples of OCS in an astigmatic Herriott cell. As a result of the frequency chirp of the laser, the spectra show clearly the effects of rapid passage on the absorption line shape. At the low chirp rates that can be obtained with the cw-QCL, population transfer between rovibrational quantum states is predicted to be much more efficient than in typical pulsed QCL experiments. This optical pumping is investigated by solving the Maxwell Bloch equations to simulate the propagation of the laser radiation through an inhomogeneously broadened two-level system. The calculated absorption profiles show good quantitative agreement with those measured experimentally over a range of chirp rates and optical thicknesses. It is predicted that at a low chirp rate of 0.13 MHz ns(-1), the population transfer between rovibrational quantum states is 12%, considerably more than that obtained at the higher chirp rates utilised in pulsed QCL experiments.

Cr:ZnSe planar waveguide mid-IR laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willimas, J. E.; Martyshkin, D. V.; Fedorov, V. V.; Moskalev, I. S.; Camata, R. P.; Mirov, S. B.

2011-02-01

Middle infrared (mid-IR) chromium-doped zinc selenide (Cr:ZnSe) bulk lasers have attracted a lot of attention due to their unique combination of optical and laser properties facilitating a wide range of potential scientific, industrial, and medical applications. Utilization of thin film waveguide geometry enabling good thermal management and control of beam quality is a viable pathway for compact chip-integrated optical laser design. Cr:ZnSe thin films are also promising as saturable absorbers and mode-lockers of the cavities of solid state lasers operating over 1.3-2.1 μm. We recently reported the first successful demonstration of mid-IR Cr:ZnSe planar waveguide lasing at 2.6 μm under gain-switched short-pulse (5 ns) 1.56 μm excitation as well as the passive Q-switching of the cavity of a fiber-pumped Er:YAG laser operating at 1645 nm using a highly doped Cr:ZnSe thin film. PLD grown Cr:ZnSe waveguide were fabricated on sapphire substrates (Cr:ZnSe/sapphire) with chromium concentration of 1018-1019 cm-3. Further development of mid-IR lasing in the Cr:ZnSe planar waveguide under continuous wave excitation were investigated. In addition, deposition of Cr:ZnSe-based thin film structures on n-type GaAs substrates were also investigated for possible mid-IR electroluminescence.

High Power Laser Diode Array Qualification and Guidelines for Space Flight Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, Melanie N.; Eegholm, Niels; Stephen, Mark; Leidecker, Henning; Plante, Jeannette; Meadows, Byron; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Jamison, Tracee; LaRocca, Frank

2006-01-01

High-power laser diode arrays (LDAs) are used for a variety of space-based remote sensor laser programs as an energy source for diode-pumped solid-state lasers. LDAs have been flown on NASA missions including MOLA, GLAS and MLA and have continued to be viewed as an important part of the laser-based instrument component suite. There are currently no military or NASA-grade, -specified, or - qualified LDAs available for "off-the-shelf" use by NASA programs. There has also been no prior attempt to define a standard screening and qualification test flow for LDAs for space applications. Initial reliability studies have also produced good results from an optical performance and stability standpoint. Usage experience has shown, howeve that the current designs being offered may be susceptible to catastrophic failures due to their physical construction (packaging) combined with the electro-optical operational modes and the environmental factors of space application. design combined with operational mode was at the root of the failures which have greatly reduced the functionality of the GLAS instrument. The continued need for LDAs for laser-based science instruments and past catastrophic failures of this part type demand examination of LDAs in a manner which enables NASA to select, buy, validate and apply them in a manner which poses as little risk to the success of the mission as possible.

Highly-reliable laser diodes and modules for spaceborne applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deichsel, E.

2017-11-01

Laser applications become more and more interesting in contemporary missions such as earth observations or optical communication in space. One of these applications is light detection and ranging (LIDAR), which comprises huge scientific potential in future missions. The Nd:YAG solid-state laser of such a LIDAR system is optically pumped using 808nm emitting pump sources based on semiconductor laser-diodes in quasi-continuous wave (qcw) operation. Therefore reliable and efficient laser diodes with increased output powers are an important requirement for a spaceborne LIDAR-system. In the past, many tests were performed regarding the performance and life-time of such laser-diodes. There were also studies for spaceborne applications, but a test with long operation times at high powers and statistical relevance is pending. Other applications, such as science packages (e.g. Raman-spectroscopy) on planetary rovers require also reliable high-power light sources. Typically fiber-coupled laser diode modules are used for such applications. Besides high reliability and life-time, designs compatible to the harsh environmental conditions must be taken in account. Mechanical loads, such as shock or strong vibration are expected due to take-off or landing procedures. Many temperature cycles with high change rates and differences must be taken in account due to sun-shadow effects in planetary orbits. Cosmic radiation has strong impact on optical components and must also be taken in account. Last, a hermetic sealing must be considered, since vacuum can have disadvantageous effects on optoelectronics components.

Robust remote-pumping sodium laser for advanced LIDAR and guide star applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernstberger, Bernhard; Enderlein, Martin; Friedenauer, Axel; Schwerdt, Robin; Wei, Daoping; Karpov, Vladimir; Leisching, Patrick; Clements, Wallace R. L.; Kaenders, Wilhelm G.

2015-10-01

The performance of large ground-based optical telescopes is limited due to wavefront distortions induced by atmospheric turbulence. Adaptive optics systems using natural guide stars with sufficient brightness provide a practical way for correcting the wavefront errors by means of deformable mirrors. Unfortunately, the sky coverage of bright stars is poor and therefore the concept of laser guide stars was invented, creating an artificial star by exciting resonance fluorescence from the mesospheric sodium layer about 90 km above the earth's surface. Until now, mainly dye lasers or sumfrequency mixing of solid state lasers were used to generate laser guide stars. However, these kinds of lasers require a stationary laser clean room for operation and are extremely demanding in maintenance. Under a development contract with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and W. M. Keck Observatory (WMKO), TOPTICA Photonics AG and its partner MPB Communications have finalized the development of a next-generation sodium guide star laser system which is available now as a commercial off-the-shelf product. The laser is based on a narrow-band diode laser, Raman fiber amplifier (RFA) technology and resonant second-harmonic generation (SHG), thus highly reliable and simple to operate and maintain. It emits > 22 W of narrow-linewidth (≈ 5 MHz) continuous-wave radiation at sodium resonance and includes a re-pumping scheme for boosting sodium return flux. Due to the SHG resonator acting as spatial mode filter and polarizer, the output is diffraction-limited with RMS wavefront error < λ/25. Apart from this unique optical design, a major effort has been dedicated to integrating all optical components into a ruggedized system, providing a maximum of convenience and reliability for telescope operators. The new remote-pumping architecture allows for a large spatial separation between the main part of the laser and the compact laser head. Together with a cooling-water flow of less than 5 l/min and an overall power consumption of < 700 W, the system offers a maximum of flexibility with minimal infrastructure demands on site. Each system is built in a modular way, based on the concept of line-replaceable units (LRU). A comprehensive system software, as well as an intuitive service GUI, allow for remote control and error tracking down to at least the LRU level. In case of a failure, any LRU can be easily replaced. With these fiber-based guide star lasers, TOPTICA for the first time offers a fully engineered, off-the-shelf guide star laser system for groundbased optical telescopes providing convenient, turn-key operation in remote and harsh locations. Reliability and flexibility will be beneficial in particular for advanced satellite and space debris tracking as well as LIDAR applications.

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

Negres, Raluca A.; Stolz, Christopher J.; Thomas, Michael D.

Here, this competition aimed to survey state-of-the-art UV high reflectors. The requirements of the coatings are a minimum reflection of 99.5% at 45 degrees incidence angle for P-polarized light at 355-nm. The choice of coating materials, design, and deposition method were left to the participants. Laser damage testing was performed at a single testing facility using the raster scan method with a 5-ns pulse length laser system operating at 10 Hz in a single longitudinal mode. A double blind test assured sample and submitter anonymity. Finally, in addition to the laser damage resistance results, details of the deposition processes, cleaningmore » method, coating materials and layer count are also shared.« less

Graphene saturable absorber mirror for ultra-fast-pulse solid-state laser.

PubMed

Xu, Jin-Long; Li, Xian-Lei; Wu, Yong-Zhong; Hao, Xiao-Peng; He, Jing-Liang; Yang, Ke-Jian

2011-05-15

High-quality graphene sheets with lateral size over 20 μm have been obtained by bath sonicating after subjecting the wormlike graphite marginally to mixed oxidizer. To date, to our knowledge, they are the largest graphene sheets prepared by exfoliation in the liquid phase. A saturable absorber mirror was fabricated based on these sheets. We exploited it to realize mode-locking operation in a diode-pumped Nd:GdVO(4) laser. A pulse duration of 16 ps was produced with an average power of 360 mW and a highest pulse energy of 8.4 nJ for a graphene mode-locked laser. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Switchable multi-wavelength fiber ring laser based on a compact in-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer with photonic crystal fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, W. G.; Lou, S. Q.; Feng, S. C.; Wang, L. W.; Li, H. L.; Guo, T. Y.; Jian, S. S.

2009-11-01

Switchable multi-wavelength fiber ring laser with an in-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer incorporated into the ring cavity serving as wavelength-selective filter at room temperature is demonstrated. The filter is formed by splicing a section of few-mode photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and two segments of single mode fiber (SMF) with the air-holes on the both sides of PCF intentionally collapsed in the vicinity of the splices. By adjusting the states of the polarization controller (PC) appropriately, the laser can be switched among the stable single-, dual- and triple-wavelength lasing operations by exploiting polarization hole burning (PHB) effect.

Switchable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser based on the photonic crystal fiber loop mirror and chirped fiber Bragg grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei-Guo; Lou, Shu-Qin; Wang, Li-Wen; Li, Hong-Lei; Guo, Tieying; Jian, Shui-Sheng

2010-03-01

The switchable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) with a two-mode photonic crystal fiber (PCF) loop mirror and a chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) at room temperature is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The two-mode PCF loop mirror is formed by inserting a piece of two-mode PCF into a Sagnac loop mirror, with the air-holes of the PCF intentionally collapsing at the splices. By adjusting the state of the polarization controller (PC) appropriately, the laser can be switched between the stable single- and dual-wavelength operations by means of the polarization hole burning (PHB) and spectral hole burning (SHB) effects.

High brightness diode laser module development at nLIGHT Photonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Kirk; Karlsen, Scott; Brown, Aaron; Reynolds, Mitch; Mehl, Ron; Leisher, Paul; Patterson, Steve; Bell, Jake; Martinsen, Rob

2009-05-01

We report on the development of ultra-high brightness laser diode modules at nLIGHT Photonics. This paper demonstrates a laser diode module capable of coupling over 100W at 976 nm into a 105 μm, 0.15 NA fiber with fiber coupling efficiency greater than 85%. The high brightness module has an optical excitation under 0.13 NA, is virtually free of cladding modes, and has been wavelength stabilized with the use of volume holographic gratings for narrow-band operation. Utilizing nLIGHT's Pearl product architecture, these modules are based on hard soldered single emitters packaged into a compact and passively-cooled package. These modules are designed to be compatible with high power 7:1 fused fiber combiners, enabling over 500W power coupled into a 220 μm, 0.22 NA fiber. These modules address the need in the market for high brightness and wavelength stabilized diode lasers for pumping fiber lasers and solid-state laser systems.

Parameter space for the collective laser coupling in the laser fusion driver based on the concept of fiber amplification network.

PubMed

Huang, Zhihua; Lin, Honghuan; Xu, Dangpeng; Li, Mingzhong; Wang, Jianjun; Deng, Ying; Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Yongliang; Tian, Xiaocheng; Wei, Xiaofeng

2013-07-15

Collective laser coupling of the fiber array in the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) laser driver based on the concept of fiber amplification network (FAN) is researched. The feasible parameter space is given for laser coupling of the fundamental, second and third harmonic waves by neglecting the influence of the frequency conversion on the beam quality under the assumption of beam quality factor conservation. Third harmonic laser coupling is preferred due to its lower output energy requirement from a single fiber amplifier. For coplanar fiber array, the energy requirement is around 0.4 J with an effective mode field diameter of around 500 μm while maintaining the fundamental mode operation which is more than one order of magnitude higher than what can be achieved with state-of-the-art technology. Novel waveguide structure needs to be developed to enlarge the fundamental mode size while mitigating the catastrophic self-focusing effect.

Terahertz multiheterodyne spectroscopy using laser frequency combs

DOE PAGES

Yang, Yang; Burghoff, David; Hayton, Darren J.; ...

2014-07-01

The terahertz region is of great importance for spectroscopy since many molecules have absorption fingerprints there. Frequency combs based on terahertz quantum cascade lasers feature broadband coverage and high output powers in a compact package, making them an attractive option for broadband spectroscopy. Here, we demonstrate the first multiheterodyne spectroscopy using two terahertz quantum cascade laser combs. Over a spectral range of 250 GHz, we achieve average signal-to-noise ratios of 34 dB using cryogenic detectors and 24 dB using room-temperature detectors, all in just 100 μs. As a proof of principle, we use these combs to measure the broadband transmissionmore » spectrum of etalon samples and show that, with proper signal processing, it is possible to extend the multiheterodyne spectroscopy to quantum cascade laser combs operating in pulsed mode. Here, this greatly expands the range of quantum cascade lasers that could be suitable for these techniques and allows for the creation of completely solid-state terahertz laser spectrometers.« less

One step beyond the electric dipole approximation: An experiment to observe the 5p → 6p forbidden transition in atomic rubidium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponciano-Ojeda, F.; Hernández-Gómez, S.; Mojica-Casique, C.; Ruiz-Martínez, E.; López-Hernández, O.; Colín-Rodríguez, R.; Ramírez-Martínez, F.; Flores-Mijangos, J.; Sahagún, D.; Jáuregui, R.; Jiménez-Mier, J.

2018-01-01

An advanced undergraduate experiment to study the 5 P 3 / 2 → 6 P 3 / 2 electric quadrupole transition in rubidium atoms is presented. The experiment uses two external cavity diode lasers, one operating at the D2 rubidium resonance line and the other built with commercial parts to emit at 911 nm. The lasers produce the 5 s → 5 p → 6 p excitation sequence in which the second step is the forbidden transition. Production of atoms in the 6 P 3 / 2 state is observed by detection of the 420 nm fluorescence that results from electric dipole decay into the ground state. Lines whose widths are significantly narrower than the Doppler width are used to study the hyperfine structure of the 6 P 3 / 2 state in rubidium. The spectra illustrate characteristics unique to electric dipole forbidden transitions, like the electric quadrupole selection rules; they are also used to show general aspects of two-color laser spectroscopy such as velocity selection and hyperfine pumping.

Robust and compact entanglement generation from diode-laser-pumped four-wave mixing

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

Lawrie, B. J.; Yang, Y.; Eaton, M.

Four-wave-mixing processes are now routinely used to demonstrate multi-spatial-mode Einstein- Podolsky-Rosen entanglement and intensity difference squeezing. Recently, diode-laser-pumped four-wave mixing processes have been shown to provide an affordable, compact, and stable source for intensity difference squeezing, but it was unknown if excess phase noise present in power amplifier pump configurations would be an impediment to achieving quadrature entanglement. Here, we demonstrate the operating regimes under which these systems are capable of producing entanglement and under which excess phase noise produced by the amplifier contaminates the output state. We show that Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement in two mode squeezed states can be generatedmore » by a four-wave-mixing source deriving both the pump field and the local oscillators from a tapered-amplifier diode-laser. In conclusion, this robust continuous variable entanglement source is highly scalable and amenable to miniaturization, making it a critical step toward the development of integrated quantum sensors and scalable quantum information processors, such as spatial comb cluster states.« less

Robust and compact entanglement generation from diode-laser-pumped four-wave mixing

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

Lawrie, B. J., E-mail: lawriebj@ornl.gov; Pooser, R. C.; Yang, Y.

Four-wave-mixing processes are now routinely used to demonstrate multi-spatial-mode Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement and intensity difference squeezing. Diode-laser-pumped four-wave mixing processes have recently been shown to provide an affordable, compact, and stable source for intensity difference squeezing, but it was unknown if excess phase noise present in power amplifier pump configurations would be an impediment to achieving quadrature entanglement. Here, we demonstrate the operating regimes under which these systems are capable of producing entanglement and under which excess phase noise produced by the amplifier contaminates the output state. We show that Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement in two mode squeezed states can be generated bymore » a four-wave-mixing source deriving both the pump field and the local oscillators from a tapered-amplifier diode-laser. This robust continuous variable entanglement source is highly scalable and amenable to miniaturization, making it a critical step toward the development of integrated quantum sensors and scalable quantum information processors, such as spatial comb cluster states.« less

Robust and compact entanglement generation from diode-laser-pumped four-wave mixing

DOE PAGES

Lawrie, B. J.; Yang, Y.; Eaton, M.; ...

2016-04-11

Four-wave-mixing processes are now routinely used to demonstrate multi-spatial-mode Einstein- Podolsky-Rosen entanglement and intensity difference squeezing. Recently, diode-laser-pumped four-wave mixing processes have been shown to provide an affordable, compact, and stable source for intensity difference squeezing, but it was unknown if excess phase noise present in power amplifier pump configurations would be an impediment to achieving quadrature entanglement. Here, we demonstrate the operating regimes under which these systems are capable of producing entanglement and under which excess phase noise produced by the amplifier contaminates the output state. We show that Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement in two mode squeezed states can be generatedmore » by a four-wave-mixing source deriving both the pump field and the local oscillators from a tapered-amplifier diode-laser. In conclusion, this robust continuous variable entanglement source is highly scalable and amenable to miniaturization, making it a critical step toward the development of integrated quantum sensors and scalable quantum information processors, such as spatial comb cluster states.« less

Simulation of dissipative-soliton-resonance generation in a passively mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Wenxiong; Li, Heping; Liu, Cong; Shen, Shengnan; Zhang, Shangjian; Liu, Yong

2017-10-01

We present a numerical investigation of dissipative-soliton-resonance (DSR) generation in an all-normal-dispersion Ybdoped fiber laser mode-locked by a real saturable absorber (SA). In the simulation model, the SA includes both the saturable absorption and excited-state absorption (ESA) effects. The intra-cavity pulse evolution is numerically simulated with different transmission functions of SA. When omitting the ESA effect, the transmissivity of SA increases monotonically with the input pulse power. The noise-like pulse (NLP) operation in the cavity is obtained at high pump power, which is attributed to the spectral filtering effect. When the ESA effect is activated, higher instantaneous power part of pulse encounters larger loss induced by SA, causing that the pulse peak power is clamped at a certain fixed value. With increasing pump, the pulse starts to extend in the time domain while the pulse spectrum is considerably narrowed. In this case, the NLP operation state induced by the spectral filtering effect is avoided and the DSR is generated. Our simulation results indicate that the ESA effect in the SA plays a dominant role in generating the DSR pulses, which will be conducive to comprehending the mechanism of DSR generation in passively mode-locked fiber lasers.

Improvement of Hungarian Joint Terminal Attack Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-13

LST Laser Spot Tracker NVG Night Vision Goggle ROMAD Radio Operator Maintainer and Driver ROVER Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver TACP...visual target designation. The other component consists of a laser spot tracker (LST), which identifies targets by tracking laser energy reflecting...capability for every type of night time missions, laser spot tracker for laser spot search missions, remotely operated video enhanced receiver

Method and apparatus for controlling carrier envelope phase

DOEpatents

Chang, Zenghu [Manhattan, KS; Li, Chengquan [Sunnyvale, CA; Moon, Eric [Manhattan, KS

2011-12-06

A chirped pulse amplification laser system. The system generally comprises a laser source, a pulse modification apparatus including first and second pulse modification elements separated by a separation distance, a positioning element, a measurement device, and a feedback controller. The laser source is operable to generate a laser pulse and the pulse modification apparatus operable to modify at least a portion of the laser pulse. The positioning element is operable to reposition at least a portion of the pulse modification apparatus to vary the separation distance. The measurement device is operable to measure the carrier envelope phase of the generated laser pulse and the feedback controller is operable to control the positioning element based on the measured carrier envelope phase to vary the separation distance of the pulse modification elements and control the carrier envelope phase of laser pulses generated by the laser source.

Wake vortex acoustic characteristics and SOCRATES sensor performance : final report January 2003 to December 2006.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-07-31

This report provides an evaluation of the current state of the SOCRATES sensor and its readiness for use as an operational sensor for active monitoring of aircraft wake turbulence. SOCRATES is a laser opto-acoustic array designed to passively detect ...

Searching for U-235m produced by Nuclear Excitation by Electronic Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chodash, Perry; Norman, Eric; Burke, Jason; Wilks, Scott; Casperson, Robert

2014-09-01

Nuclear excitation by electronic transition (NEET) is a rare nuclear excitation that is predicted to occur in numerous isotopes, including U-235. When a nuclear transition matches the energy and the multipolarity of an electronic transition, there is a possibility that NEET will occur. If NEET were to occur in U-235, the nucleus would be excited to its 1/2 + isomeric state that subsequently decays by internal conversion with a decay energy of 77 eV and a half-life of 26 minutes. Theory predicts that NEET can occur in partially ionized uranium plasma with a charge state of 23 +. A pulsed Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm with a pulse energy of 780 mJ and a pulse width of 9 ns was used to generate the uranium plasma. The laser was focused on small samples of both depleted uranium and highly enriched uranium. The plasma conditions created by the intense laser pulse were varied by changing the spot size of the laser on the target. The resulting plasma was collected on a plate and the internal conversion electrons were focused onto a microchannel plate detector by a series of electrostatic lenses. First results will be presented. Nuclear excitation by electronic transition (NEET) is a rare nuclear excitation that is predicted to occur in numerous isotopes, including U-235. When a nuclear transition matches the energy and the multipolarity of an electronic transition, there is a possibility that NEET will occur. If NEET were to occur in U-235, the nucleus would be excited to its 1/2 + isomeric state that subsequently decays by internal conversion with a decay energy of 77 eV and a half-life of 26 minutes. Theory predicts that NEET can occur in partially ionized uranium plasma with a charge state of 23 +. A pulsed Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm with a pulse energy of 780 mJ and a pulse width of 9 ns was used to generate the uranium plasma. The laser was focused on small samples of both depleted uranium and highly enriched uranium. The plasma conditions created by the intense laser pulse were varied by changing the spot size of the laser on the target. The resulting plasma was collected on a plate and the internal conversion electrons were focused onto a microchannel plate detector by a series of electrostatic lenses. First results will be presented. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. The U.S. DHS, UC Berkeley, the NNIS fellowship and the NSSC further supported this work.

Broadband multi-wavelength Brillouin lasers with an operating wavelength range of 1500–1600 nm generated by four-wave mixing in a dual wavelength Brillouin fiber laser cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Q.; Jia, Z. X.; Weng, H. Z.; Li, Z. R.; Yang, Y. D.; Xiao, J. L.; Chen, S. W.; Huang, Y. Z.; Qin, W. P.; Qin, G. S.

2018-05-01

We demonstrate broadband multi-wavelength Brillouin lasers with an operating wavelength range of 1500–1600 nm and a frequency separation of ~9.28 GHz generated by four-wave mixing in a dual wavelength Brillouin fiber laser cavity. By using one continuous-wave laser as the pump source, multi-wavelength Brillouin lasers with an operating wavelength range of 1554–1574 nm were generated via cascaded Brillouin scattering and four-wave mixing. Interestingly, when pumped by two continuous-wave lasers with an appropriate frequency separation, the operating wavelength range of the multi-wavelength Brillouin lasers was increased to 1500–1600 nm due to cavity-enhanced cascaded four-wave mixing among the frequency components generated by two pump lasers in the dual wavelength Brillouin laser cavity.

Development of mid-infrared solid state lasers for spaceborne lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitney, Donald A.; Kim, Kyong H.

1989-01-01

Laser performance of Ho(3+):Tm(3+):Cr(3+):YAG crystals was investigated under both Cr:GSAG laser and flashlamp pumping. A flashlamp pumped Cr:GSAG laser was built to simulate high power quasi-CW laser diode pumping of a 2.1 micrometer holmium laser. The 2.1 micrometer output laser energy exceeded more than 14 mJ, the highest value reported to date under laser pumping near 785 nm. This was obtained in a pulse length of nearly 650 microsec from a 3 x 3 mm Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG rod by using the flashlamp-pumped Cr:CSAG laser as a pumping source at the diode laser wavelength, 785 micrometers. In addition, Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG crystals with various Tm(3+) concentrations were evaluated for flashlamp-pumped normal mode and Q-switched 2.1 micrometer laser operations under a wide variety of experimental conditions in order to understand internal dynamic processes among the ions and to determine an optimum lasing condition. An increase of the laser slope efficiency was observed with the increase of the Tm(3+) concentration from 2.5 to 4.5 atomic percent. The thermal dependence of the laser performance was also investigated. Q-switched laser output energies corresponding to nearly 100 percent of the normal-mode laser energies were obtained in a strong single spike of 200 ns pulse length by optimizing the opening time of a lithium niobate Q-switch.

A Long Distance Laser Altimeter for Terrain Relative Navigation and Spacecraft Landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierrottet, Diego F.; Amzajerdian, Farzin; Barnes, Bruce W.

2014-01-01

A high precision laser altimeter was developed under the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance (ALHAT) project at NASA Langley Research Center. The laser altimeter provides slant-path range measurements from operational ranges exceeding 30 km that will be used to support surface-relative state estimation and navigation during planetary descent and precision landing. The altimeter uses an advanced time-of-arrival receiver, which produces multiple signal-return range measurements from tens of kilometers with 5 cm precision. The transmitter is eye-safe, simplifying operations and testing on earth. The prototype is fully autonomous, and able to withstand the thermal and mechanical stresses experienced during test flights conducted aboard helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and Morpheus, a terrestrial rocket-powered vehicle developed by NASA Johnson Space Center. This paper provides an overview of the sensor and presents results obtained during recent field experiments including a helicopter flight test conducted in December 2012 and Morpheus flight tests conducted during March of 2014.

Pulsed optical fibre lasers: Self-pulsation, Q-switching and tissue interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Sherif, Ashraf Fathy

The experimental and theoretical aspects of self-pulsing and dynamics effects of a CW Tm3+-doped silica fibre laser operating near 2 mum are investigated and examined for the first time. Various self-pulsing regimes are observed for a range of pumping rates when the fibre is end-pumped with a high power Nd:YAG laser operating at 1.319 mum in a linear bidirectional cavity. A theoretical model based on pair induced quenching (PIQ) is considered. The quenching effect acts as a saturable absorber or an additional dynamical loss mechanism, this additional absorber then may make the laser system unstable depending on whether the obtained steady-state solution is stable or not. A comparison between measured self-pulsation frequency and calculated relaxation oscillation frequency as a function of pumping rate is presented and discussed. High performance operation of a mechanical shutter Q-switched Tm3+-doped silica fibre laser operating near 2 mum is observed and presented. A single Q-switched pulse with peak power of 18.5 W and pulse duration at full width half maximum (FWHM) of 300 ns at higher mechanical chopper frequencies of nearly 20 kHz is achieved. The pulse-to-pulse stability was measured and improved to be more less than 5 %. The development, optimisation of the performance and analysis of an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) Q-switched Tm3+-doped silica fibre laser operating near 2 mum are presented. The shortest pulse duration obtained was 150 ns, giving a highest peak power of 4.1 kW, and is the highest yet reported from any type of active Q-switched fibre laser operating in low order mode. The maximum peak power was obtained for an optimum cavity length of 1.15 meters made up of fibre length, Q-switch crystal and passive space. The pulse train with high pulse-to-pulse stability of 1 % occurred at a range of high repetition rates from 10 to 30 kHz. High energy, high brightness of an electro-optic modulator (EOM) Q-switched Tm3+-doped silica fibre laser operating near 2 mum is presented. Appropriate design precautions have been undertaken to ensure that prelasing does not occur. In this system, the main Q-switched pulse may be followed by one pulse of lower amplitude "postlasing" when an optimised quarter wave voltage of 750 V is applied. It was found that the laser produced 320 ns pulses with 2.5 mJ pulse energy and 3.3 kW peak power at low repetition rates of 50-70 Hz. This is the first time that such studies of electro-optic modulator (EOM) Q-switched Tm3+ fibre lasers have been reported. The maximum peak power was obtained for an optimum cavity length of 2.15 meters, made up of fibre length, broadband beamsplitter polarizer, Q-switch crystal and passive space. Computer simulation of Tm3+doped silica and Er2-doped fluorozirconate fibre lasers using general laser analysis and design (GLAD) software has been successfully investigated for the first time. Input files, which are very similar to language are created to model three designs of fibre lasers, two for Tm3+-doped silica fibre lasers, core pumped at 1.57 mum and cladding pumped at 790 nm, and one for a 2.7 mum Er3+-doped fluorozirconate fibre laser cladding pumped at 975 nm. Results are presented from a relatively comprehensive computer model, which simulates CW operation of the fibre lasers. The simulation suggests that to enhance the conversion energy we have to optimise between the absorption coefficient of the fibre and the diffraction algorithms. Comparison of soft and hard tissue ablation with high peak power Q-switched and CW Tm3+-silica fibre lasers are presented. The ablation of chicken breast and lamb liver tissues as a soft tissue and cartilage as a hard tissue have been investigated using a free running CW-Tm3+-doped fibre laser (wavelength 1.99 mum, with self-pulsation duration ranging over 1 to few tens of microseconds) and for Q-switched operation of the same laser (pulse duration ranging from 150 ns to 900 ns and pulse repetition rates from 100 Hz to 17 kHz). Residual damage and affected zones using the CW laser were nearly 6 times greater than using the Q-switched fibre laser for about 50 s of exposure time, and increased with pulse repetition rate. The energy required to ablate tissues with the CW-fibre laser ranged from 153 to 334 kJ/cm3 and was significantly smaller from 0.2 to 0.6 kJ/cm3 for the Q-switched fibre laser. This study is the first direct comparison of tissue interaction of CW and Q- switched Tm3+-doped silica fibre lasers on crater depth, heat of ablation and collateral damage. The Q-switched Tm3+-doped silica fibre laser effectively ablates tissue with little secondary damage.

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.

Hybrid semiconductor fiber lasers for telecommunications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalili, Alireza

2006-12-01

Highly stable edge emitting semiconductor lasers are of utmost importance in most telecommunications applications where high-speed data transmission sets strict limits on the purity of the laser signal. Unfortunately, most edge emitting semiconductor lasers, unlike gaseous or solid-state laser sources, operate with many closely spaced axial modes, which accounts for the observed instability and large spikes in the output spectrum of such lasers. Consequently, in most telecom applications distributed feedback (DFB) or distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) techniques are used to ensure stability and single-frequency operation, further adding to the cost and complexity of such lasers. Additionally, coupling of the highly elliptical output beam of these lasers to singlemode fibers complicates the packaging procedure and sub-micron alignment of various optical components is often necessary. Utilizing the evanescent coupling between a semiconductor antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) and a side polished fiber, this thesis presents an alternative side-coupled laser module that eliminates the need for the cumbersome multi-component alignment processes of conventional laser packages, and creates an inherent mode selection mechanism that guarantees singlemode radiation into the fiber without any gratings. We have been able to demonstrate the first side-coupled fiber semiconductor laser in this technology, coupling more than 3mW of power at 850nm directly into a 5/125mum singlemode fiber. This mixed-cavity architecture yields a high thermal stability (˜0.06nm/°C), and negligible spectral spikes are observed. Theoretical background and simulation results, as well as several supplementary materials are also presented to further rationalize the experimental data. A side-coupled light-emitter and pre-amplifier are also proposed and discussed. We also study different architectures for attaining higher efficiency, higher output power, and wavelength tunability in such lasers. Finally, we discuss possible venues for integration of these side-coupled devices in a telecommunication system. Approved for publication.

Laser cooling of 85Rb atoms to the recoil-temperature limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chang; Kuan, Pei-Chen; Lan, Shau-Yu

2018-02-01

We demonstrate the laser cooling of 85Rb atoms in a two-dimensional optical lattice. We follow the two-step degenerate Raman sideband cooling scheme [Kerman et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 439 (2000), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.439], where a fast cooling of atoms to an auxiliary state is followed by a slow cooling to a dark state. This method has the advantage of independent control of the heating rate and cooling rate from the optical pumping beam. We operate the lattice at a Lamb-Dicke parameter η =0.45 and show the cooling of spin-polarized 85Rb atoms to the recoil temperature in both dimensions within 2.4 ms with the aid of adiabatic cooling.

Single shot polarization characterization of XUV FEL pulses from crossed polarized undulators

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

Ferrari, E.; Allaria, E.; Buck, J.

Polarization control is a key feature of light generated by short-wavelength free-electron lasers. In this work, we report the first experimental characterization of the polarization properties of an extreme ultraviolet high gain free-electron laser operated with crossed polarized undulators. We research the average degree of polarization and the shot-to-shot stability and we analyze aspects such as existing possibilities for controlling and switching the polarization state of the emitted light. The results are in agreement with predictions based on Gaussian beams propagation.

Single shot polarization characterization of XUV FEL pulses from crossed polarized undulators

DOE PAGES

Ferrari, E.; Allaria, E.; Buck, J.; ...

2015-08-28

Polarization control is a key feature of light generated by short-wavelength free-electron lasers. In this work, we report the first experimental characterization of the polarization properties of an extreme ultraviolet high gain free-electron laser operated with crossed polarized undulators. We research the average degree of polarization and the shot-to-shot stability and we analyze aspects such as existing possibilities for controlling and switching the polarization state of the emitted light. The results are in agreement with predictions based on Gaussian beams propagation.

International Conference on Multiphoton Processes (4th) Held in Boulder, Colorado on July 13-17, 1987: Program and Abstracts.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-01

depend on the duration of the pulse . The earlier results are nov extended to laser intensities of the order of 1012-10 13W/cm 2. The description of...projection operator formalism, described in (1) to analyze a state of a hydrogen atom in a very intense laser field. A starting Hamiltonian in dipole...system. The results of the microwave experiments are expected to scale to the case of excited multiply-charged hydrogenic ions in intense short- pulse

Eye-Safe Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, Robert L.

1989-01-01

Laser infrared radar (lidar) undergoing development harmless to human eyes, consists almost entirely of solid-state components, and offers high range resolution. Operates at wavelength of about 2 micrometers. If radiation from such device strikes eye, almost completely absorbed by cornea without causing damage, even if aimed directly at eye. Continuous-wave light from laser oscillator amplified and modulated for transmission from telescope. Small portion of output of oscillator fed to single-mode fiber coupler, where mixed with return pulses. Intended for remote Doppler measurements of winds and differential-absorption measurements of concentrations of gases in atmosphere.

Surface treatment with linearly polarized laser beam at oblique incidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutu, I.; Petre, C.; Mihailescu, I. N.; Taca, M.; Alexandrescu, E.; Ivanov, I.

2002-07-01

An effective method for surface heat treatment with 10.6 μm linear polarized laser beam at oblique incidence is reported. A circular focused laser spot on the workpiece surface, simultaneously with 2.2-4 times increasing of the absorption are obtained in the 70-80° range of the incidence angle. The main element of the experimental setup is the astigmatic focusing head which focalize the laser beam into an elliptical spot of ellipticity ɛ>3 at normal incidence. At a proper incidence angle (obtained by the focusing head tilting) the focused laser spot on the work piece surface gets a circular form and p-state of polarization is achieved. We performed laser heat treatment (transformation hardening, surface remelting) of the uncoated surface, as well as the alloying and cladding processes by powder injection. An enhancement of the processing efficiency was obtained; in this way the investment and operation costs for surface treatment with CO 2 laser can be significantly reduced. Several technical advantages concerning the pollution of the focusing optical components, powder jet flowing and reflected radiation by the work piece surface are obtained.

Preliminary studies of laser-induced breakdown spectrometry for the determination of Ba, Cd, Cr and Pb in toys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godoi, Quienly; Santos, Dario, Jr.; Nunes, Lidiane C.; Leme, Flávio O.; Rufini, Iolanda A.; Agnelli, José A. M.; Trevizan, Lilian C.; Krug, Francisco J.

2009-06-01

The performance of laser-induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) for the determination of Ba, Cd, Cr and Pb in toys has been evaluated by using a Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm and an Echelle spectrometer with intensified charge-coupled device detector. Samples were purchased in different cities of São Paulo State market and analyzed directly without sample preparation. Laser-induced breakdown spectrometry experimental conditions (number of pulses, delay time, integration time gate and pulse energy) were optimized by using a Doehlert design. Laser-induced breakdown spectrometry signals correlated reasonably well with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) concentrations after microwave-assisted acid digestion of selected samples. Thermal analysis was used for polymer identification and scanning electron microscopy to visualize differences in crater geometry of different polymers employed for toy fabrication. Results indicate that laser-induced breakdown spectrometry can be proposed as a rapid screening method for investigation of potentially toxic elements in toys. The unique application of laser-induced breakdown spectrometry for identification of contaminants in successive layers of ink and polymer is also demonstrated.

Vector similariton erbium-doped all-fiber laser generating sub-100-fs nJ pulses at 100 MHz.

PubMed

Olivier, Michel; Piché, Michel

2016-02-08

Erbium-doped mode-locked fiber lasers with repetition rates comparable to those of solid-state lasers and generating nJ pulses are required for many applications. Our goal was to design a fiber laser that would meet such requirements, that could be built at relatively low cost and that would be reliable and robust. We thus developed a high-fundamental-repetition-rate erbium-doped all-fiber laser operating in the amplifier similariton regime. Experimental characterization shows that this laser, which is mode-locked by nonlinear polarization evolution, emits 76-fs pulses with an energy of 1.17 nJ at a repetition rate of 100 MHz. Numerical simulations support the interpretation of self-similar evolution of the pulse in the gain fiber. More specifically we introduce the concept of vector similariton in fiber lasers. The coupled x- and y- polarization components of such a pulse have a pulse profile with a linear chirp and their combined power profile evolves self-similarly when the nonlinear asymptotic regime is reached in the gain fiber.

All-fiber radially/azimuthally polarized lasers based on mode coupling of tapered fibers.

PubMed

Mao, Dong; He, Zhiwen; Lu, Hua; Li, Mingkun; Zhang, Wending; Cui, Xiaoqi; Jiang, Biqiang; Zhao, Jianlin

2018-04-01

We demonstrate a mode converter with an insertion loss of 0.36 dB based on mode coupling of tapered single-mode and two-mode fibers, and realize all-fiber flexible cylindrical vector lasers at 1550 nm. Attributing to the continuous distribution of a tangential electric field at taper boundaries, the laser is switchable between the radially and azimuthally polarized states by adjusting the input polarization. In the temporal domain, the operation is controllable among continuous-wave, Q-switched, and mode-locked statuses by changing the saturable absorber or pump strength. The duration of Q-switched radially/azimuthally polarized laser spans from 10.4/10.8 to 6/6.4 μs at the pump range of 38 to 58 mW, while that of the mode-locked pulse varies from 39.2/31.9 to 5.6/5.2 ps by controlling the laser bandwidth. The proposed laser combines the features of a cylindrical vector beam, a fiber laser, and an ultrafast pulse, providing a special and cost-effective source for practical applications.

Atraumatic laser treatment for laryngeal papillomatosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMillan, Kathleen; Pankratov, Michail M.; Wang, Zhi; Bottrill, Ian; Rebeiz, Elie E.; Shapshay, Stanley M.

1994-09-01

Ten to fifteen thousand new cases of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) are diagnosed each year in the United States. RRP is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and is characterized by recurrent, non-malignant, proliferative lesions of the larynx. Patients with RRP undergo numerous microsurgical procedures to remove laryngeal papilloma threatening airway patency and interfering with phonation. The standard surgical technique involves CO2 laser vaporization of laryngeal epithelium affected by the lesions, and requires general anesthesia. The pulsed dye laser operating at 585 nm has previously been demonstrated to be effective in clearing HPV lesions of the skin (verrucae). For treatment of RRP, the fiber- compatible pulsed dye laser radiation may be delivered under local anesthesia using a flexible intranasal laryngoscope. Potential advantages of the pulsed dye laser treatment over CO2 laser surgery include (1) reduced morbidity, especially a lower risk of laryngeal scarring; (2) lower cost; (3) reduced technical difficulty; and (4) reduced risk of viral dissemination or transmission. In vivo studies are underway to determine the effect of pulsed dye laser radiation on normal canine laryngeal tissue.

Influence of laser parameters in surface texturing of Ti6Al4V and AA2024-T3 alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahuir-Torres, J. I.; Arenas, M. A.; Perrie, W.; de Damborenea, J.

2018-04-01

Laser texturing can be used for surface modification of metallic alloys in order to improve their properties under service conditions. The generation of textures is determined by the relationship between the laser processing parameters and the physicochemical properties of the alloy to be modified. In the present work the basic mechanism of dimple generation is studied in two alloys of technological interest, titanium alloy Ti6Al4V and aluminium alloy AA2024-T3. Laser treatment was performed using a pulsed solid state Nd: Vanadate (Nd: YVO4) laser with a pulse duration of 10 ps, operating at a wavelength of 1064 nm and 5 kHz repetition rate. Dimpled surface geometries were generated through ultrafast laser ablation while varying pulse energy between 1 μJ and 20 μJ/pulse and with pulse numbers from 10 to 200 pulses per spot. In addition, the generation of Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) nanostructures in both alloys, as well as the formation of random nanostructures in the impact zones are discussed.

Laser spectroscopy on organic molecules.

PubMed

Imasaka, T

1996-06-01

Various laser spectrometric methods have been developed until now. Especially, laser fluorometry is most sensitive and is frequently combined with a separation technique such as capillary electrophoresis. For non-fluorescent compounds, photothermal spectrometry may be used instead. A diode laser is potentially useful for practical trace analysis, because of its low cost and long-term trouble-free operation. On the other hand, monochromaticity of the laser is essential in high-resolution spectrometry, e.g. in low temperature spectrometry providing a very sharp spectral feature. Closely-related compounds such as isomers can easily be differentiated, and information for assignment is obtained from the spectrum. Multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry is useful for soft ionization, providing additional information concerned with molecular weight and chemical structure. A short laser pulse with a sufficient energy is suitable for rapid heating of the solid surface. A matrix-assisted laser desorption/ion-ization technique is recently employed for introduction of a large biological molecule into a vacuum for mass analysis. In the future, laser spectrometry will be developed by a combination with state-of-the-art laser technology. In the 21st century, new laser spectrometry will be developed, which may be based on revolutionary ideas or unexpected discoveries. Such studies will open new frontiers in analytical laser spectroscopy.

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.

Laser Nano-Neurosurgery from Gentle Manipulation to Nano-Incision of Neuronal Cells and Scaffolds: An Advanced Neurotechnology Tool.

PubMed

Soloperto, Alessandro; Palazzolo, Gemma; Tsushima, Hanako; Chieregatti, Evelina; Vassalli, Massimo; Difato, Francesco

2016-01-01

Current optical approaches are progressing far beyond the scope of monitoring the structure and function of living matter, and they are becoming widely recognized as extremely precise, minimally-invasive, contact-free handling tools. Laser manipulation of living tissues, single cells, or even single-molecules is becoming a well-established methodology, thus founding the onset of new experimental paradigms and research fields. Indeed, a tightly focused pulsed laser source permits complex tasks such as developing engineered bioscaffolds, applying calibrated forces, transfecting, stimulating, or even ablating single cells with subcellular precision, and operating intracellular surgical protocols at the level of single organelles. In the present review, we report the state of the art of laser manipulation in neuroscience, to inspire future applications of light-assisted tools in nano-neurosurgery.

Laser Nano-Neurosurgery from Gentle Manipulation to Nano-Incision of Neuronal Cells and Scaffolds: An Advanced Neurotechnology Tool

PubMed Central

Soloperto, Alessandro; Palazzolo, Gemma; Tsushima, Hanako; Chieregatti, Evelina; Vassalli, Massimo; Difato, Francesco

2016-01-01

Current optical approaches are progressing far beyond the scope of monitoring the structure and function of living matter, and they are becoming widely recognized as extremely precise, minimally-invasive, contact-free handling tools. Laser manipulation of living tissues, single cells, or even single-molecules is becoming a well-established methodology, thus founding the onset of new experimental paradigms and research fields. Indeed, a tightly focused pulsed laser source permits complex tasks such as developing engineered bioscaffolds, applying calibrated forces, transfecting, stimulating, or even ablating single cells with subcellular precision, and operating intracellular surgical protocols at the level of single organelles. In the present review, we report the state of the art of laser manipulation in neuroscience, to inspire future applications of light-assisted tools in nano-neurosurgery. PMID:27013962

Reactivation of a Tin-Oxide-Containing Catalyst

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, Robert; Sidney, Barry; Schryer, David; Miller, Irvin; Miller, George; Upchurch, Bill; Davis, Patricia; Brown, Kenneth

2010-01-01

The electrons in electric-discharge CO2 lasers cause dissociation of some CO2 into O2 and CO, and attach themselves to electronegative molecules such as O2, forming negative O2 ions, as well as larger negative ion clusters by collisions with CO or other molecules. The decrease in CO2 concentration due to dissociation into CO and O2 will reduce the average repetitively pulsed or continuous wave laser power, even if no disruptive negative ion instabilities occur. Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to extend the lifetime of a catalyst used to combine the CO and O2 products formed in a laser discharge. A promising low-temperature catalyst for combining CO and O2 is platinum on tin oxide (Pt/SnO2). First, the catalyst is pretreated by a standard procedure. The pretreatment is considered complete when no measurable quantity of CO2 is given off by the catalyst. After this standard pretreatment, the catalyst is ready for its low-temperature use in the sealed, high-energy, pulsed CO2 laser. However, after about 3,000 minutes of operation, the activity of the catalyst begins to slowly diminish. When the catalyst experiences diminished activity during exposure to the circulating gas stream inside or external to the laser, the heated zone surrounding the catalyst is raised to a temperature between 100 and 400 C. A temperature of 225 C was experimentally found to provide an adequate temperature for reactivation. During this period, the catalyst is still exposed to the circulating gas inside or external to the laser. This constant heating and exposing the catalyst to the laser gas mixture is maintained for an hour. After heating and exposing for an appropriate amount of time, the heated zone around the catalyst is allowed to return to the nominal operating temperature of the CO2 laser. This temperature normally resides in the range of 23 to 100 C. Catalyst activity can be measured as the percentage conversion of CO to CO2. In the specific embodiment described above, the initial steady-state conversion percentage was 70 percent. After four days, this conversion percentage decreased to 67 percent. No decrease in activity is acceptable because the catalyst must maintain its activity for long periods of time. After being subjected to the reactivation process of the present invention, the conversion percentage rose to 77 percent. Such a reactivation not only returned the catalyst to its initial steady state but resulted in a 10-percent improvement over the initial steady state value.

Kinetics of laser irradiated nanoparticles cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, S. K.; Upadhyay Kahaly, M.; Misra, Shikha

2018-02-01

A comprehensive kinetic model describing the complex kinetics of a laser irradiated nanoparticle ensemble has been developed. The absorbed laser radiation here serves dual purpose, viz., photoenhanced thermionic emission via rise in its temperature and direct photoemission of electrons. On the basis of mean charge theory along with the equations for particle (electron) and energy flux balance over the nanoparticles, the transient processes of charge/temperature evolution over its surface and mass diminution on account of the sublimation (phase change) process have been elucidated. Using this formulation phenomenon of nanoparticle charging, its temperature rise to the sublimation point, mass ablation, and cloud disintegration have been investigated; afterwards, typical timescales of disintegration, sublimation and complete evaporation in reference to a graphite nanoparticle cloud (as an illustrative case) have been parametrically investigated. Based on a numerical analysis, an adequate parameter space describing the nanoparticle operation below the sublimation temperature, in terms of laser intensity, wavelength and nanoparticle material work function, has been identified. The cloud disintegration is found to be sensitive to the nanoparticle charging through photoemission; as a consequence, it illustrates that radiation operating below the photoemission threshold causes disintegration in the phase change state, while above the threshold, it occurs with the onset of surface heating.

Surface-emitting mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers with high-contrast photonic crystal resonators.

PubMed

Xu, Gangyi; Colombelli, Raffaele; Braive, Remy; Beaudoin, Gregoire; Le Gratiet, Luc; Talneau, Anne; Ferlazzo, Laurence; Sagnes, Isabelle

2010-05-24

We have developed surface-emitting single-mode quantum cascade lasers which employ high-contrast photonic-crystal resonators. The devices operate on band-edge states of the photonic band-structure. The mode profile and polarization characteristics of the band-edge modes are calculated by three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain simulation. Experimentally, the spectral properties, the far-field patterns, and the polarization characteristics of the lasers are determined and compared with simulations. The good agreement between the simulations and the experiments confirms that the hexapolar mode at the Gamma-point band-edge gives rise to lasing. By using a novel and advanced fabrication method, deep and vertical PhC holes are fabricated with no metal redeposition on the sidewalls, which improves the laser performance with respect to the current status. The angular of the output beam is approximately 15 masculine, and the side mode suppression ratio of the single mode emission is about 25 dB. The threshold current density at 78 K and the maximum operation temperature are 7.6 kA/cm2 and 220 K, respectively. The performance is mainly limited by the loss induced by surface plasmon waveguide, which can be overcome by using an optimized dielectric waveguide structure.

USE OF REMPI-TOFMS FOR REAL-TIME MEASUREMENT OF TRACE AROMATICS DURING OPERATION OF AIRCRAFT GROUND EQUIPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Emissions of aromatic air toxics from aircraft ground equipment were measured with a resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization—time of flight mass spectrometry (REMPI-TOFMS) system consisting of a pulsed solid state laser for photoionization and a TOFMS for mass discrimination. T...

Injection-seeded operation of a Q-switched Cr,Tm,Ho:YAG laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, Sammy W.; Hale, Charley P.; Magee, James R.

1991-01-01

Single-frequency Tm,Ho:YAG lasers operating near 2 microns are attractive sources for several applications including eye-safe laser radar (lidar) and pumping of AgGaSe2 parametric oscillators for efficient generation of longer wavelengths. As part of a program to develop a coherent lidar system using Tm,Ho:YAG lasers, a diode laser-pumped tunable CW single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) Cr:Tm:Ho:YAG laser and a flashlamp-pumped single-transverse-mode Q-switched Cr,Tm,Ho:YAG laser were developed. The CW laser was used to injection-seed the flashlamp-pumped laser, resulting in SLM Q-switched output. Operational characteristics of the CW and Q-switched lasers and injection-seeding results are reported.

Ultrashort-Pulse Laser System: Theory of Operation and Operating Procedures

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-07-01

Nov 89 - Jul 92 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Ultrashort-Pulse Laser System : Theory of Operation and C - F33615-88-C-0631 Operating...i ’IR~A&, D2;" T.&B [E] al uicod [] j 0 Avhi lp.bilty C: oded’ Avail i Qiv ULTRASHORT-PULSE LASER SYSTEM : THEORY OF OPERATION AND OPERATING PROCEDURES

Optical fiber switch

DOEpatents

Early, James W.; Lester, Charles S.

2002-01-01

Optical fiber switches operated by electrical activation of at least one laser light modulator through which laser light is directed into at least one polarizer are used for the sequential transport of laser light from a single laser into a plurality of optical fibers. In one embodiment of the invention, laser light from a single excitation laser is sequentially transported to a plurality of optical fibers which in turn transport the laser light to separate individual remotely located laser fuel ignitors. The invention can be operated electro-optically with no need for any mechanical or moving parts, or, alternatively, can be operated electro-mechanically. The invention can be used to switch either pulsed or continuous wave laser light.

Precision operation of the Nova laser for fusion experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caird, J. A.; Ehrlich, R. B.; Hermes, G. L.; Landen, O. L.; Laumann, C. W.; Lerche, R. A.; Miller, J. L.; Murray, J. E.; Nielsen, N. D.; Powell, H. T.; Rushford, M. C.; Saunders, R. L.; Thompson, C. E.; VanArsdall, P. J.; Vann, C. S.; Weiland, T. L.

1994-10-01

The operation of a Neodymium glass laser of a special design for fusion experiments is improved by a better pulse synchronization, the gain stabilization, and the laser diagnostics. We used sensor upgrading and antifriction coating of focusing lenses. The pointing accuracy of the Nova laser meets now our goal for precision operation. (AIP)

Interband optical pulse injection locking of quantum dot mode-locked semiconductor laser.

PubMed

Kim, Jimyung; Delfyett, Peter J

2008-07-21

We experimentally demonstrate optical clock recovery from quantum dot mode-locked semiconductor lasers by interband optical pulse injection locking. The passively mode-locked slave laser oscillating on the ground state or the first excited state transition is locked through the injection of optical pulses generated via the opposite transition bands, i.e. the first excited state or the ground state transition from the hybridly mode-locked master laser, respectively. When an optical pulse train generated via the first excited state from the master laser is injected to the slave laser oscillating via ground state, the slave laser shows an asymmetric locking bandwidth around the nominal repetition rate of the slave laser. In the reverse injection case of, i.e. the ground state (master laser) to the first excited state (slave laser), the slave laser does not lock even though both lasers oscillate at the same cavity frequency. In this case, the slave laser only locks to higher injection rates as compared to its own nominal repetition rate, and also shows a large locking bandwidth of 6.7 MHz.

Protecting your eyes in the laser operating room.

PubMed

Sallavanti, R A

1995-01-01

1. Laser protective eyewear is nearly as important to the OR nurse as the surgical mask in an operating room where laser surgery is performed. 2. Most hospitals require OR personnel to wear protective eyewear during laser procedures in voluntary compliance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z136.3 for the safe use of lasers in health care facilities. 3. The basic steps to protecting your eyes are as follows: Select the appropriate eyewear (plastic or glass); make sure the eyewear fits properly; wear the protective lenses during laser testing and operation; and heed your laser safety officer.

Dental ablation with 1064 nm, 500 ps, Diode pumped solid state laser: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Sozzi, Michele; Fornaini, Carlo; Cucinotta, Annamaria; Merigo, Elisabetta; Vescovi, Paolo; Selleri, Stefano

2013-01-01

The Er:YAG laser in conservative dentistry is. good alternative to conventional instruments. Though several studies show the advantages of these devices, some drawbacks and unsolved problems are still present, such as the cost of the device and the large dimensions of the equipment. In the present study, the effectiveness of dental surface ablation with a picosecond infrared diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) laser was investigated. In vitro tests on extracted human teeth were carried out, with assessment of the ablation quality in the tooth and thermal increase inside the pulp chamber. A solid-state picosecond laser was used for the experiments. The samples were exposed to laser energy at 1064 nm at a frequency of 30 kHz and a 500 ps pulse width. The target teeth were cooled during exposures. The internal temperature of the pulp chamber was monitored with. thermocouple. Optical microscope images showed effective ablation with the absence of carbonisation and micro-cracks. The cooling maintained the temperature rise in the pulp chamber below the permitted 5.5°C. The main problem with the use of lasers in dentistry when teeth are the target is the heat generated in the pulp chamber of the target teeth. With lasers operating in the femtosecond mode, a better management of the internal temperature is possible, but is offset by the high cost of such devices. With the ps domain system used in the present study together with cooling using chilled water, effective and clean ablation could be achieved with a controlled thermal effect in the pulp chamber. In this preliminary study with a picosecond domain DPSS laser using water cooling for the target, effective hard tissue ablation was achieved keeping the thermal increase in the pulp within the permitted range. The results suggest that this system could be used in clinical practice with appropriate modifications.

Automation of Mode Locking in a Nonlinear Polarization Rotation Fiber Laser through Output Polarization Measurements.

PubMed

Olivier, Michel; Gagnon, Marc-Daniel; Habel, Joé

2016-02-28

When a laser is mode-locked, it emits a train of ultra-short pulses at a repetition rate determined by the laser cavity length. This article outlines a new and inexpensive procedure to force mode locking in a pre-adjusted nonlinear polarization rotation fiber laser. This procedure is based on the detection of a sudden change in the output polarization state when mode locking occurs. This change is used to command the alignment of the intra-cavity polarization controller in order to find mode-locking conditions. More specifically, the value of the first Stokes parameter varies when the angle of the polarization controller is swept and, moreover, it undergoes an abrupt variation when the laser enters the mode-locked state. Monitoring this abrupt variation provides a practical easy-to-detect signal that can be used to command the alignment of the polarization controller and drive the laser towards mode locking. This monitoring is achieved by feeding a small portion of the signal to a polarization analyzer measuring the first Stokes parameter. A sudden change in the read out of this parameter from the analyzer will occur when the laser enters the mode-locked state. At this moment, the required angle of the polarization controller is kept fixed. The alignment is completed. This procedure provides an alternate way to existing automating procedures that use equipment such as an optical spectrum analyzer, an RF spectrum analyzer, a photodiode connected to an electronic pulse-counter or a nonlinear detecting scheme based on two-photon absorption or second harmonic generation. It is suitable for lasers mode locked by nonlinear polarization rotation. It is relatively easy to implement, it requires inexpensive means, especially at a wavelength of 1550 nm, and it lowers the production and operation costs incurred in comparison to the above-mentioned techniques.

Automation of Mode Locking in a Nonlinear Polarization Rotation Fiber Laser through Output Polarization Measurements

PubMed Central

Olivier, Michel; Gagnon, Marc-Daniel; Habel, Joé

2016-01-01

When a laser is mode-locked, it emits a train of ultra-short pulses at a repetition rate determined by the laser cavity length. This article outlines a new and inexpensive procedure to force mode locking in a pre-adjusted nonlinear polarization rotation fiber laser. This procedure is based on the detection of a sudden change in the output polarization state when mode locking occurs. This change is used to command the alignment of the intra-cavity polarization controller in order to find mode-locking conditions. More specifically, the value of the first Stokes parameter varies when the angle of the polarization controller is swept and, moreover, it undergoes an abrupt variation when the laser enters the mode-locked state. Monitoring this abrupt variation provides a practical easy-to-detect signal that can be used to command the alignment of the polarization controller and drive the laser towards mode locking. This monitoring is achieved by feeding a small portion of the signal to a polarization analyzer measuring the first Stokes parameter. A sudden change in the read out of this parameter from the analyzer will occur when the laser enters the mode-locked state. At this moment, the required angle of the polarization controller is kept fixed. The alignment is completed. This procedure provides an alternate way to existing automating procedures that use equipment such as an optical spectrum analyzer, an RF spectrum analyzer, a photodiode connected to an electronic pulse-counter or a nonlinear detecting scheme based on two-photon absorption or second harmonic generation. It is suitable for lasers mode locked by nonlinear polarization rotation. It is relatively easy to implement, it requires inexpensive means, especially at a wavelength of 1550 nm, and it lowers the production and operation costs incurred in comparison to the above-mentioned techniques. PMID:26967924

Status of prototype of SG-III high-power solid-state laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Haiwu; Jing, Feng; Wei, Xiaofeng; Zheng, Wanguo; Zhang, Xiaomin; Sui, Zhan; Li, Mingzhong; Hu, Dongxia; He, Shaobo; Peng, Zhitao; Feng, Bin; Zhou, Hai; Guo, Liangfu; Li, Xiaoqun; Su, Jingqin; Zhao, Runchang; Yang, Dong; Zheng, Kuixing; Yuan, Xiaodong

2008-10-01

We are currently developing a large aperture neodymium-glass based high-power solid state laser, Shenguang-III (SG-III), which will be used to provide extreme conditions for high-energy-density physical experiments in China. As a baseline design, SG-III will be composed of 48 beams arranged in 6 bundles with each beam aperture of 40cm×40cm. A prototype of SG-III (TIL-Technical Integration experimental Line) was developed from 2000, and completed in 2007. TIL is composed of 8 beams (four in vertical and two in horizontal), with each square aperture of 30cm×30cm. After frequency tripling, TIL has delivered about 10kJ in 0.351 μm at 1 ns pulsewidth. As an operational laser facility, TIL has a beam divergence of 70 μrad (focus length of 2.2m, i.e., 30DL) and pointing accuracy of 30 μm (RMS), and meets the requirements of physical experiments.

Laser Induced Fluorescence of Helium Ions in a Helicon Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Compton, C. S.; Biloui, C.; Hardin, R. A.; Keesee, A. M.; Scime, E. E.; Boivin, R.

2003-10-01

The lack of a suitable Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) scheme for helium ions at visible wavelengths has prevented LIF from being employed in helium plasmas for measurements of ion temperature and bulk ion flow speeds. In this work, we will discuss our attempts to perform LIF of helium ions in a helicon source plasma using an infrared, tunable diode laser operating at 1012.36 nm. The infrared transition corresponds to excitation from the n = 4 level (4f ^2F) to the n = 5 (5g ^2G) level of singly ionized helium and therefore requires substantial electron temperatures (> 10 eV) to maintain an adequate ion population in the n = 4 state. Calculations using a steady state coronal model predict that the n = 4 state population will be 25% larger than the n = 5 population for our experimental conditions. The fluorescence decay from the n = 5 (5f ^2F) level of singly ionized helium level to the n = 3 (3d ^2D) level at 320.31 nm is monitored as the diode laser is swept through 10 GHz around the 1012.36 nm line. Note that the fluorescence emission requires a collisionally coupled transition between two different n = 5 quantum states. We will also present measurements of the emission intensities of both the 1012.36 nm and the 320.31 nm lines as a function of source neutral pressure, rf power, and plasma density. This work supported by the U.S. DoE EPSCoR Lab Partnership Program.

Tunable solid state lasers for remote sensing; Proceedings of the Conference, Stanford University, CA, October 1-3, 1984

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, R. L. (Editor); Trebino, R. (Editor); Gustafson, E. K. (Editor)

1985-01-01

Papers are presented on solid-state lasers for remote sensing, diode-pumped Nd:YAG lasers, and tunable solid-state-laser systems. Topics discussed include titanium-sapphire tunable laser systems, the performance of slab geometry, and the development of slab lasers. Consideration is given to garnet host solid-state lasers, the growth of lasers and nonlinear materials, and nonlinear frequency conversion and tunable sources.

Investigation of optical fibers for high-repetition-rate, ultraviolet planar laser-induced fluorescence of OH.

PubMed

Hsu, Paul S; Kulatilaka, Waruna D; Roy, Sukesh; Gord, James R

2013-05-01

We investigate the fundamental transmission characteristics of nanosecond-duration, 10 kHz repetition rate, ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses through state-of-the-art, UV-grade fused-silica fibers being used for hydroxyl radical (OH) planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging. Studied in particular are laser-induced damage thresholds (LIDTs), nonlinear absorption, and optical transmission stability during long-term UV irradiation. Solarization (photodegradation) effects are significantly enhanced when the fiber is exposed to high-repetition-rate, 283 nm UV irradiation. For 10 kHz laser pulses, two-photon absorption is strong and LIDTs are low, as compared to those of laser pulses propagating at 10 Hz. The fiber characterization results are utilized to perform single-laser-shot, OH-PLIF imaging in pulsating turbulent flames with a laser that operates at 10 kHz. The nearly spatially uniform output beam that exits a long multimode fiber becomes ideal for PLIF measurements. The proof-of-concept measurements show significant promise for extending the application of a fiber-coupled, high-speed OH-PLIF system to harsh environments such as combustor test beds, and potential system improvements are suggested.

Lasers with intra-cavity phase elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulses, A. Alkan; Kurtz, Russell; Islas, Gabriel; Anisimov, Igor

2018-02-01

Conventional laser resonators yield multimodal output, especially at high powers and short cavity lengths. Since highorder modes exhibit large divergence, it is desirable to suppress them to improve laser quality. Traditionally, such modal discriminations can be achieved by simple apertures that provide absorptive loss for large diameter modes, while allowing the lower orders, such as the fundamental Gaussian, to pass through. However, modal discrimination may not be sufficient for short-cavity lasers, resulting in multimodal operation as well as power loss and overheating in the absorptive part of the aperture. In research to improve laser mode control with minimal energy loss, systematic experiments have been executed using phase-only elements. These were composed of an intra-cavity step function and a diffractive out-coupler made of a computer-generated hologram. The platform was a 15-cm long solid-state laser that employs a neodymium-doped yttrium orthovanadate crystal rod, producing 1064 nm multimodal laser output. The intra-cavity phase elements (PEs) were shown to be highly effective in obtaining beams with reduced M-squared values and increased output powers, yielding improved values of radiance. The utilization of more sophisticated diffractive elements is promising for more difficult laser systems.

Ultraprecise medical applications with ultrafast lasers: corneal surgery with femtosecond lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loesel, Frieder H.; Kurtz, Ron M.; Horvath, Christopher; Sayegh, Samir I.; Mourou, Gerard A.; Bille, Josef F.; Juhasz, Tibor

1999-02-01

We investigated refractive corneal surgery in vivo and in vitro by intrastromal photodisruption using a compact ultrafast femtosecond laser system. Ultrashort-pulsed lasers operating in the femtosecond time regime are associated with significantly smaller and deterministic threshold energies for photodisruption, as well as reduced shock waves and smaller cavitation bubbles than the nanosecond or picosecond lasers. Our reliable all-solid-state laser system was specifically designed for real world medical applications. By scanning the 5 micron focus spot of the laser below the corneal surface, the overlapping small ablation volumes of single pulses resulted in contiguous tissue cutting and vaporization. Pulse energies were typically in the order of a few microjoules. Combination of different scanning patterns enabled us to perform corneal flap cutting, femtosecond-LASIK, and femtosecond intrastromal keratectomy in porcine, rabbit, and primate eyes. The cuts proved to be highly precise and possessed superior dissection and surface quality. Preliminary studies show consistent refractive changes in the in vivo studies. We conclude that the technology is capable to perform a variety of corneal refractive procedures at high precision, offering advantages over current mechanical and laser devices and enabling entirely new approaches for refractive surgery.

Numerical simulations of the optical gain of crystalline fiber doped by rare earth and transition ion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daoui, A. K.; Boubir, B.; Adouane, A.; Demagh, N.; Ghoumazi, M.

2015-02-01

A fiber laser is a laser whose gain medium is a doped fiber, although lasers whose cavity is made wholly of fibers have also been called fiber lasers. The gain media in a fiber laser is usually fiber doped with rare-earth ions, such as erbium (Er), neodymium (Nd), ytterbium (Yb), thulium (Tm), or praseodymium (Pr), which is doped into the core of the optical fiber, similar to those used to transmit telecommunications signals. Fiber lasers find many applications in materials processing, including cutting, welding, drilling, and marking metal. To maximize their market penetration, it is necessary to increase their output power. In this work, we present a detailed study based on the numerical simulation using MATLAB, of one of the principal characteristics of a fiber laser doped with rare earth ions and transition ion. The gain depends on several parameters such as the length of the doped fiber, the density, the pump power, noise, etc.). The used program resolves the state equations in this context together with those governing the light propagation phenomena. The developed code can also be used to study the dynamic operating modes of a doped fiber laser.

High-resolution laser-projection display system using a grating electromechanical system (GEMS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brazas, John C.; Kowarz, Marek W.

2004-01-01

Eastman Kodak Company has developed a diffractive-MEMS spatial-light modulator for use in printing and display applications, the grating electromechanical system (GEMS). This modulator contains a linear array of pixels capable of high-speed digital operation, high optical contrast, and good efficiency. The device operation is based on deflection of electromechanical ribbons suspended above a silicon substrate by a series of intermediate supports. When electrostatically actuated, the ribbons conform to the supporting substructure to produce a surface-relief phase grating over a wide active region. The device is designed to be binary, switching between a reflective mirror state having suspended ribbons and a diffractive grating state having ribbons in contact with substrate features. Switching times of less than 50 nanoseconds with sub-nanosecond jitter are made possible by reliable contact-mode operation. The GEMS device can be used as a high-speed digital-optical modulator for a laser-projection display system by collecting the diffracted orders and taking advantage of the low jitter. A color channel is created using a linear array of individually addressable GEMS pixels. A two-dimensional image is produced by sweeping the line image of the array, created by the projection optics, across the display screen. Gray levels in the image are formed using pulse-width modulation (PWM). A high-resolution projection display was developed using three 1080-pixel devices illuminated by red, green, and blue laser-color primaries. The result is an HDTV-format display capable of producing stunning still and motion images with very wide color gamut.

Tunable triple-wavelength mode-locked fiber laser with topological insulator Bi2Se3 solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Bo; Yao, Yong

2016-08-01

We experimentally demonstrated a tunable triple-wavelength mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser with few-layer topological insulator: Bi2Se3/polyvinyl alcohol solution. By properly adjusting the pump power and the polarization state, the single-, dual-, and triple-wavelength mode-locking operation could be stably initiated with a wavelength-tunable range (˜1 nm) and a variable wavelength spacing (1.7 or 2 nm). Meanwhile, it exhibits the maximum output power of 10 mW and pulse energy of 1.12 nJ at the pump power of 175 mW. The simple, low-cost triple-wavelength mode-locked fiber laser might be applied in various potential fields, such as optical communication, biomedical research, and sensing system.

Comparing laser induced plasmas formed in diode and excimer pumped alkali lasers

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

Markosyan, Aram H.

Here, lasing on the D 1 transition (6 2P 1/2 → 6 2S 1/2) of cesium can be reached in both diode and excimer pumped alkali lasers. The first uses D 2 transition (6 2S 1/2 → 6 2P 3/2) for pumping, whereas the second is pumped by photoexcitation of ground state Cs-Ar collisional pairs and subsequent dissociation of diatomic, electronically-excited CsAr molecules (excimers). Despite lasing on the same D 1 transition, differences in pumping schemes enables chemical pathways and characteristic timescales unique for each system. We investigate unavoidable plasma formation during operation of both systems side by side inmore » Ar/C 2H 6/Cs.« less

Education and training for technicians in photonics-enabled technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hull, Daniel M.; Hull, Darrell M.

2005-10-01

Within a few years after lasers were first made operational in 1960, it became apparent that rapid growth in the applications of this new technology in industry, health care, and other fields would require a new generation of technicians in laser/optics engineering. Technicians are the men and women who work alongside scientists and engineers in bringing their ideas, designs, and processes to fruition. In America, most highly qualified technicians are graduates of associate of applied science (AAS) programs in community and technical colleges (two-year postsecondary institutions). Curricula and educational programs designed to prepare technicians in laser/electro-optics technology (LEOT) emerged in the 1970s; today there are over 15 LEOT programs in the United States producing over 100 LEOT graduates each year.

Compact Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on photonic crystal fiber and its application in switchable multi-wavelength fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Weiguo; Lou, Shuqin; Wang, Liwen; Li, Honglei; Guo, Tieying; Jian, Shuisheng

2009-08-01

The compact Mach-Zehnder interferometer is proposed by splicing a section of photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and two pieces of single mode fiber (SMF) with the air-holes of PCF intentionally collapsed in the vicinity of the splices. The depedence of the fringe spacing on the length of PCF is investigated. Based on the Mach-Zehnder interferometer as wavelength-selective filter, a switchable dual-wavelength fiber ring laser is demonstrated with a homemade erbiumdoped fiber amplifier (EDFA) as the gain medium at room temperature. By adjusting the states of the polarization controller (PC) appropriately, the laser can be switched among the stable single-and dual -wavelength lasing operations by exploiting polarization hole burning (PHB) effect.

Wilson Prize article: From vacuum tubes to lasers and back again1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madey, John M. J.

2014-07-01

The first demonstration of an optical-wavelength laser by Theodore Maiman in 1960 had a transformational impact on the paths that would be blazed to advance the state of the art of short wavelength coherent electron beam-based radiation sources. Free electron lasers (FELs) emerged from these efforts as the electron beam-based realization of the pioneering model of atom-based "optical masers" by Schawlow and Townes, but with far greater potential for tunable operation at high power and very short wavelengths. Further opportunities for yet greater capabilities may be inherent in our still growing understanding of the underlying physics. This article focuses on the FEL efforts in which the author was directly and personally involved.

RFQ beam cooler and buncher for collinear laser spectroscopy of rare isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barquest, B. R.; Bollen, G.; Mantica, P. F.; Minamisono, K.; Ringle, R.; Schwarz, S.; Sumithrarachchi, C. S.

2017-09-01

A radiofrequency quadrupole (RFQ) ion beam cooler and buncher has been developed to deliver bunched beams with low transverse emittance, energy spread, and time spread to the BECOLA collinear laser spectroscopy system at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University. The beam cooler and buncher contains new features which enhance performance, especially for high count rate beams, as well as simplifying construction, maintenance, and operation. The transverse emittance, energy spread, and time spread of the bunched beam, as well as buncher efficiency are reported, showcasing the capabilities of the BECOLA facility to perform collinear laser spectroscopy measurements with bunched rare isotope beams at NSCL and at the future Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB).

Extreme trajectory approach to the problem of determining the degree of stability of a laser surface scanning system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikitin, V. N.; Chemodanov, V. B.

2018-02-01

The degree of stability of a laser system for surface scanning with nonlinear multiplicative crosstalks is discussed. To determine its stability, the action functional is introduced, which is defined on the set of virtual (achievable) trajectories. The action functional is a measure of external action, which should be applied to a system to move it along a predetermined trial trajectory in the state space.The degree of stability of the system depends on the minimum value of the action functional which is reached on the extreme trajectory transferring the laser scanning system from equilibrium to the limit of the normal operation range. Numerical methods are proposed for calculating the degree of stability.

Comparing laser induced plasmas formed in diode and excimer pumped alkali lasers

DOE PAGES

Markosyan, Aram H.

2018-01-05

Here, lasing on the D 1 transition (6 2P 1/2 → 6 2S 1/2) of cesium can be reached in both diode and excimer pumped alkali lasers. The first uses D 2 transition (6 2S 1/2 → 6 2P 3/2) for pumping, whereas the second is pumped by photoexcitation of ground state Cs-Ar collisional pairs and subsequent dissociation of diatomic, electronically-excited CsAr molecules (excimers). Despite lasing on the same D 1 transition, differences in pumping schemes enables chemical pathways and characteristic timescales unique for each system. We investigate unavoidable plasma formation during operation of both systems side by side inmore » Ar/C 2H 6/Cs.« less

Comparing laser induced plasmas formed in diode and excimer pumped alkali lasers.

PubMed

Markosyan, Aram H

2018-01-08

Lasing on the D 1 transition (6 2 P 1/2 → 6 2 S 1/2 ) of cesium can be reached in both diode and excimer pumped alkali lasers. The first uses D 2 transition (6 2 S 1/2 → 6 2 P 3/2 ) for pumping, whereas the second is pumped by photoexcitation of ground state Cs-Ar collisional pairs and subsequent dissociation of diatomic, electronically-excited CsAr molecules (excimers). Despite lasing on the same D 1 transition, differences in pumping schemes enables chemical pathways and characteristic timescales unique for each system. We investigate unavoidable plasma formation during operation of both systems side by side in Ar/C 2 H 6 /Cs.

Atmospheric measurements of OH, HO2 and NO by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy using a compact all solid-state laser system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloss, W. J.; Floquet, C.; Gravestock, T. J.; Heard, D. E.; Ingham, T.; Johnson, G. P.; Lee, J. D.

2003-04-01

Free-radicals are key intermediates that control the budgets of many trace gases, for example ozone, greenhouse gases and harmful pollutants. Measurement of radicals and comparison with model calculations constitutes an important test of our understanding of the underlying chemistry. There is a greater need for compact and lightweight instruments for the in situ measurement of free-radical species that are suitable for deployment from a number of field-platforms. A new field instrument has been developed that incorporates an all solid-state Nd:YAG pumped titanium sapphire laser that is capable of generating radiation at high pulse-repetition-frequency for the detection of OH, HO_2, NO and IO radicals in the atmosphere by laser induced fluorescence (LIF). The system offers advantages of wide wavelength tunability, compactness, low weight, greater long-term stability (fibre-optic delivery) and short warm-up time. The instrument was successfully deployed during 2002 in the NAMBLEX field campaign at Mace Head with detection limits for OH and HO_2 (measured simultaneously with laser operation at 308 nm) of 3.1 x 10^5 molecule cm-3 (0.012 ppt) and 2.6 x 10^6 molecule cm-3 (0.09 pptv) respectively. Diurnal profiles of OH have been recorded over a period of 5 weeks. NO controls the HO_2/OH ratio and is the critical parameter in the production of tropospheric ozone, yet measurements in the boundary layer are restricted to a single indirect technique based on chemiluminescent analysers. Measurements of NO in the atmosphere have been made by LIF using the new instrument operating at 226 nm, with absolute concentrations in good agreement with simultaneous measurements made using a commercial chemiluminescent analyser. Whilst operating at 445 nm, the instrument has detected the IO radical in the laboratory, with a projected detection limit that is well below previously measured atmospheric concentrations of IO. A second instrument to be deployed on an aircraft platform is currently being developed.

Tetravalent chromium (Cr(4+)) as laser-active ion for tunable solid-state lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seas, A.; Petricevic, V.; Alfano, Robert R.

1993-01-01

Major accomplishments under NASA grant NAG-1-1346 are summarized. (1) numerical modeling of the four mirror astigmatically compensated, Z-fold cavity was performed and several design parameters to be used for the construction of a femtosecond forsterite laser were revealed by simulation. (2) femtosecond pulses from a continuous wave mode-locked chromium doped forsterite laser were generated. The forsterite laser was actively mode-locked using an acousto-optic modulator operating at 78 MHz with two Brewster high dispersion glass prisms for intra-cavity chirp compensation. Transform-limited sub-100-fs pulses were routinely generated in the TEM(sub 00) mode with 85 mW of continuous power tunable over 1230-1280 nm. The shortest pulses of 60-fs pulsewidth were measured. (3) Self-mode-locked operation of the Cr:forsterite laser was achieved. Synchronous pumping was used to mode lock the forsterite laser resulting in picosecond pulses, which in turn provided the starting mechanism for self-mode-locking. The pulses generated had an FWHM of 105 fs and were tunable between 1230-1270 nm. (4) Numerical calculations indicated that the pair of SF 14 prisms used in the cavity compensated for quadratic phase but introduced a large cubic phase term. Further calculations of other optical glasses indicated that a pair of SFN 64 prisms can introduce the same amount of quadratic phase as SF 14 prisms but introduce a smaller cubic phase. When the SF 14 prisms were replaced by SFN 64 prisms the pulsewidth was reduced to 50 fs. Great improvement was observed in the stability of the self mode-locked forsterite laser and in the ease of achieving mode locking. Using the same experimental arrangement and a new forsterite crystal with improved FOM the pulse width was reduced to 36 fs.

Development of flashlamp-pumped Q-switched Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG lasers for mid-infrared LIDAR application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Young S.; Kim, Kyong H.; Whitney, Donald A.; Hess, Robert V.; Barnes, Norman P.; Bair, Clayton H.; Brockman, Philip

1989-01-01

A flashlamp-pumped 2.1 micron Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG laser was studied for both normal mode and Q-switched operations under a wide variety of experimental conditions in order to optimize performance. Laser output energy, slope efficiency, threshold and pulselength were determined as a function of operating temperature, output mirror reflectivity, input electrical energy and Q-switch opening time. The measured normal-mode laser thresholds of a Ho(3+) (0.45 atomic percent):Tm(3+) (2.5 atomic percent):Cr(3+) (0.8 atomic percent):YAG crystal ranged form 26 to 50 J between 120 and 200 K with slope efficiencies up to 0.36 percent with a 60 percent reflective output mirror. Under Q-switched operation the slope efficiency was 90 percent of the normal-mode result. Development of solid state lasers with Ho(3+), Tm(3+) and/or Er(3+) doped crystals has been pursued by NASA for eye-dafe mid-infrared LIDAR (light detection and ranging) application. As a part of the project, the authors have been working on evaluating Ho(3+):Tm(3+):Cr(3+):YAG crystals for normal-mode and Q-switched 2.1 micron laser operations in order to determine an optimum Tm(3+) concentration under flashlamp pumping conditions. Lasing properties of the Ho(3+) in the mid-infrared region have been studied by many research groups since the early 1960's. However, the technology of those lasers is still premature for lidar application. In order to overcome the inefficiency related to narrow absorption bands of the Ho(3+), Tm(3+) and Er(3+), the erbium has been replaced by chromium. The improvement in flashlamp-pumped Ho(3+) laser efficiency has been demonstrated recently by several research groups by utilizing the broad absorption spectrum of Cr(3+) which covers the flashlamp's emission spectrum. Efficient energy transfer to the Tm(3+) and then the Ho(3+) occurs subsequently. It is known that high Tm(3+) concentration and low Ho(3+) concentration are preferred to achieve a quantum efficiency approaching two and to avoid large reabsorption losses. However, determination of the optimum Tm(3+) concentration required to ensure efficient energy transfer from Cr(3+) to Tm(3+) and from Tm(3+) to Ho(3+) has not been made in the Ho:Tm:CR:YAG crystal. The results obtained so far are given.

Single- and dual-wavelength laser operation of a diode-pumped Nd:LaF3 single crystal around 1.05 μm and 1.32 μm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Bin; Huang, Xiaoxu; Lan, Jinglong; Lin, Zhi; Wang, Yi; Xu, Huiying; Cai, Zhiping; Moncorgé, Richard

2016-07-01

Calibrated room temperature polarized emission spectra recorded between 850 and 1400 nm and nearly free from any reabsorption effect are presented for the first time. A laser output power of 2.35 W is obtained at 1063.45 nm with a laser slope efficiency of about 56% by pumping an uncoated Nd:LaF3 single crystal with a fiber-coupled laser diode at 790 nm inside a standard two-mirror linear laser cavity. True dual-wavelength laser operation on two orthogonally polarized laser lines around 1040 and 1065 nm as well as continuous laser wavelength tuning around 1040 nm, 1048 nm and 1064 nm are also achieved for the first time by using either an intracavity etalon or a birefringent filter. Laser operation is finally obtained around 1330.73 nm with a maximum output power of 0.18 W and a laser slope efficiency of about 4% and simultaneous dual-wavelength laser operation at 1329.04 and 1359.67 nm is demonstrated by using a glass etalon.

Investigation and optimal design of Photonic Crystal Fiber Bragg Grating using the Bat Algorithm and Binary Morse-Thue fractal Sequence, for eye-safe Tunable Fiber and Solid-State Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Muraeb, Ahmed Mohammed Maim

This dissertation presents new approaches to design photonic crystal fiber Bragg grating, which is a main component in wavelength-tunable fiber and solid-state laser (SSL) systems operating in eye-safe wavelength region (1.4 - 2 mum). Although they have their own name, fiber lasers can be categorized as SSL as they are being used in making Ion-doped SSL. Today however, fiber lasers compete with and threaten to replace most of high-power, bulk SSLs and even some gas lasers. Hence, an eye-safe dual-wavelength Tunable Fiber Ring Laser (TFRL) system is considered in this work. This work addresses: 1. Eye-safe region laser areas of applications, TFRL system description, and wavelength tuning mechanisms with focus on (1.8 - 2 mum) range. 2. Optimal design method for Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) using the Bat Algorithm, with the novel Adaptive Position Update (APU-BA) (our work [1]). The latter enhances the search performance and accuracy of BA for FBG design. Also, APU-BA shows better search performance and higher accuracy against previously reported methods and algorithms. 3. Investigation and design of novel High-Birefringence Photonic Crystal Fiber (JIBPCF) structures based on the Binary Morse-Thue fractal Sequence (BMTS) [2]. The latter offers desirably higher birefringence and lower confinement loss with dispersion-free single-mode operation in the eye-safe region of interest (1.8 - 2 microm). 4. Combining the above results, for final design of the photonic crystal fiber Bragg grating device (serving as wavelength-selective reflector in TFRL). Fiber Bragg grating design and analysis were carried out using MATLAG RTM. Resulting in refractive index modulation over the designed FBG length for a given target FBG reflectance spectrum. Hexagonal standard Silica Glass solid-core 5-ring HB-PCF with circular air holes, is designed based on BMTS. COMSOL MultiphysicsRTM - Wave Optics Module is used in modeling and analysis for the design. Four BMTS formations were proposed, and compared in terms of PCF design parameters (mainly: birefringence). Fabrication in agreement with commercially available PCFs, are concerned in structure geometrical design.

Development of mid-infrared solid state lasers for spaceborne lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitney, Donald A.

1990-01-01

Researchers investigated laser performance of Ho(3+):Tm(3+):Cr(3+):YAG crystals under both Cr:GSAG laser and flashlamp pumping. A flashlamp pumped Cr:GSAG laser was built to simulate high power quasi-CW laser diode pumping of a 2.1 micron holmium laser. The 2.1 micron output laser energy exceeded more than 14 mJ, the highest value reported to date under laser pumping near 785 nm. This was obtained in a pulse length of nearly 650 microns from a 3 x 3 mm Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG rod by using the flashlamp-pumped Cr:GSAG laser as a pumping source at the diode laser wavelength, 785 microns. In addition, Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG crystals with various Tm(3+) concentrations have been evaluated for flashlamp-pumped normal mode and Q-switched 2.1 micron laser operations under a wide variety of experimental conditions in order to understand internal dynamic processes among the ions and to determine an optimum lasing condition. An increase of the laser slope efficiency was observed with the increase of the Tm(3+) concentration from 2.5 atomic percent to 4.5 atomic percent. The thermal dependence of the laser performance was also investigated. Q-switched laser output energies corresponding to nearly 100 percent of the normal-mode laser energies were obtained in a strong single spike of 200 ns pulse length by optimizing the opening time of a lithium niobate Q-switch.

Prototype laser-diode-pumped solid state laser transmitters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kane, Thomas J.; Cheng, Emily A. P.; Wallace, Richard W.

1989-01-01

Monolithic, diode-pumped Nd:YAG ring lasers can provide diffraction-limited, single-frequency, narrow-linewidth, tunable output which is adequate for use as a local oscillator in a coherent communication system. A laser was built which had a linewidth of about 2 kHz, a power of 5 milliwatts, and which was tunable over a range of 30 MHz in a few microseconds. This laser was phase-locked to a second, similar laser. This demonstrates that the powerful technique of heterodyne detection is possible with a diode-pumped laser used as the local oscillator. Laser diode pumping of monolithic Nd:YAG rings can lead to output powers of hundreds of milliwatts from a single laser. A laser was built with a single-mode output of 310 mW. Several lasers can be chained together to sum their power, while maintaining diffraction-limited, single frequency operation. This technique was demonstrated with two lasers, with a total output of 340 mW, and is expected to be practical for up to about ten lasers. Thus with lasers of 310 mW, output of up to 3 W is possible. The chaining technique, if properly engineered, results in redundancy. The technique of resonant external modulation and doubling is designed to efficiently convert the continuous wave, infrared output of our lasers into low duty-cycle pulsed green output. This technique was verified through both computer modeling and experimentation. Further work would be necessary to develop a deliverable system using this technique.

Cavity length dependence of mode beating in passively Q-switched Nd-solid state lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zameroski, Nathan D.; Wanke, Michael; Bossert, David

2013-03-01

The temporal intensity profile of pulse(s) from passively Q-switched and passively Q-switched mode locked (QSML) solid-state lasers is known to be dependent on cavity length. In this work, the pulse width, modulation depth, and beat frequencies of a Nd:Cr:GSGG laser using a Cr+4:YAG passive Q-switch are investigated as function cavity length. Measured temporal widths are linearly correlated with cavity length but generally 3-5 ns larger than theoretical predictions. Some cavity lengths exhibit pulse profiles with no modulation while other lengths exhibit complete amplitude modulation. The observed beat frequencies at certain cavity lengths cannot be accounted for with passively QSML models in which the pulse train repetition rate is τRT-1, τRT= round-trip time. They can be explained, however, by including coupled cavity mode-locking effects. A theoretical model developed for a two section coupled cavity semiconductor laser is adapted to a solid-state laser to interpret measured beat frequencies. We also numerically evaluate the temporal criterion required to achieve temporally smooth Q-switched pulses, versus cavity length and pump rate. We show that in flash lamp pumped systems, the difference in buildup time between longitudinal modes is largely dependent on the pump rate. In applications where short pulse delay is important, the pumping rate may limit the ability to achieve temporally smooth pulses in passively Q-switched lasers. Simulations support trends in experimental data. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Design and Operational Characteristics of the Shuttle Coherent Wind Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amzajerdian, Farzin; Spiers, Gary D.; Peters, Bruce R.; Li, Ye; Blackwell, Timothy S.; Geary, Joseph M.

1998-01-01

NOAA has identified the measurement of atmospheric wind velocities as one of the key unmet data sets for its next generation of sensing platforms. The merits of coherent lidars for the measurement of atmospheric winds from space platforms have been widely recognized; however, it is only recently that several key technologies have advanced to a point where a compact, high fidelity system could be created. Advances have been made in the areas of the diode-pumped, eye-safe, solid state lasers and room temperature, wide bandwidth, semiconductor detectors operating in the near-infrared region. These new lasers can be integrated into efficient and compact optical systems creating new possibilities for the development of low-cost, reliable, and compact coherent lidar systems for wind measurements. Over the past five years, the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) has been working toward further advancing the solid state coherent lidar technology for the measurement of atmospheric winds from space. As part of this effort, UAH had established the design characteristics and defined the expected performance for three different proposed space-based instruments: a technology demonstrator, an operational prototype, and a 7-year lifetime operational instrument. SPARCLE is an ambitious project that is intended to evaluate the suitability of coherent lidar for wind measurements, demonstrate the maturity of the technology for space application, and provide a useable data set for model development and validation. This paper describes the SPARCLE instrument's major physical and environmental design constraints, optical and mechanical designs, and its operational characteristics.

Modulated and continuous-wave operations of low-power thulium (Tm:YAP) laser in tissue welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilici, Temel; Tabakoğlu, Haşim Özgür; Topaloğlu, Nermin; Kalaycıoğlu, Hamit; Kurt, Adnan; Sennaroglu, Alphan; Gülsoy, Murat

2010-05-01

Our aim is to explore the welding capabilities of a thulium (Tm:YAP) laser in modulated and continuous-wave (CW) modes of operation. The Tm:YAP laser system developed for this study includes a Tm:YAP laser resonator, diode laser driver, water chiller, modulation controller unit, and acquisition/control software. Full-thickness incisions on Wistar rat skin were welded by the Tm:YAP laser system at 100 mW and 5 s in both modulated and CW modes of operation (34.66 W/cm2). The skin samples were examined during a 21-day healing period by histology and tensile tests. The results were compared with the samples closed by conventional suture technique. For the laser groups, immediate closure at the surface layers of the incisions was observed. Full closures were observed for both modulated and CW modes of operation at day 4. The tensile forces for both modulated and CW modes of operation were found to be significantly higher than the values found by conventional suture technique. The 1980-nm Tm:YAP laser system operating in both modulated and CW modes maximizes the therapeutic effect while minimizing undesired side effects of laser tissue welding. Hence, it is a potentially important alternative tool to the conventional suturing technique.

Photothermal effect of infrared lasers on ex vivo lamb brain tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özgürün, Baturay; Gülsoy, Murat

2018-02-01

Here, the most suitable infrared laser for a neurosurgery operation is suggested, among 1940-nm thulium fiber, 1470-nm diode, 1070-nm ytterbium fiber and 980-nm diode lasers. Cortical and subcortical ex-vivo lamb brain tissues are exposed to the laser light with the combinations of some laser parameters such as output power, energy density, operation mode (continuous and pulsed-modulated) and operation time. In this way, the greatest ablation efficiency associated with the best neurosurgical laser type can be defined. The research can be divided into two parts; pre-dosimetry and dosimetry studies. The former is used to determine safe operation zones for the dosimetry study by defining coagulation and carbonization onset times for each of the brain tissues. The latter is the main part of this research, and both tissues are exposed to laser irradiation with various energy density levels associated with the output power and operation time. In addition, photo-thermal effects are compared for two laser operation modes, and then coagulation and ablation diameters to calculate the ablation efficiency are measured under a light microscope. Consequently, results are compared graphically and statistically, and it is found that thulium and 1470-nm diode lasers can be utilized as subcortical and cortical tissue ablator devices, respectively.

Lasing by driven atoms-cavity system in collective strong coupling regime.

PubMed

Sawant, Rahul; Rangwala, S A

2017-09-12

The interaction of laser cooled atoms with resonant light is determined by the natural linewidth of the excited state. An optical cavity is another optically resonant system where the loss from the cavity determines the resonant optical response of the system. The near resonant combination of an optical Fabry-Pérot cavity with laser cooled and trapped atoms couples two distinct optical resonators via light and has great potential for precision measurements and the creation of versatile quantum optics systems. Here we show how driven magneto-optically trapped atoms in collective strong coupling regime with the cavity leads to lasing at a frequency red detuned from the atomic transition. Lasing is demonstrated experimentally by the observation of a lasing threshold accompanied by polarization and spatial mode purity, and line-narrowing in the outcoupled light. Spontaneous emission into the cavity mode by the driven atoms stimulates lasing action, which is capable of operating as a continuous wave laser in steady state, without a seed laser. The system is modeled theoretically, and qualitative agreement with experimentally observed lasing is seen. Our result opens up a range of new measurement possibilities with this system.

Vortex Laser based on III-V semiconductor metasurface: direct generation of coherent Laguerre-Gauss modes carrying controlled orbital angular momentum

PubMed Central

Seghilani, Mohamed S.; Myara, Mikhael; Sellahi, Mohamed; Legratiet, Luc; Sagnes, Isabelle; Beaudoin, Grégoire; Lalanne, Philippe; Garnache, Arnaud

2016-01-01

The generation of a coherent state, supporting a large photon number, with controlled orbital-angular-momentum L = ħl (of charge l per photon) presents both fundamental and technological challenges: we demonstrate a surface-emitting laser, based on III-V semiconductor technology with an integrated metasurface, generating vortex-like coherent state in the Laguerre-Gauss basis. We use a first order phase perturbation to lift orbital degeneracy of wavefunctions, by introducing a weak anisotropy called here “orbital birefringence”, based on a dielectric metasurface. The azimuthal symmetry breakdown and non-linear laser dynamics create “orbital gain dichroism” allowing selecting vortex handedness. This coherent photonic device was characterized and studied, experimentally and theoretically. It exhibits a low divergence (<1°) diffraction limited beam, emitting 49 mW output power in the near-IR at λ ≃ 1 μm, a charge l = ±1, … ±4 (>50 dB vortex purity), and single frequency operation in a stable low noise regime (0.1% rms). Such high performance laser opens the path to widespread new photonic applications. PMID:27917885

[INVITED] Computational intelligence for smart laser materials processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casalino, Giuseppe

2018-03-01

Computational intelligence (CI) involves using a computer algorithm to capture hidden knowledge from data and to use them for training ;intelligent machine; to make complex decisions without human intervention. As simulation is becoming more prevalent from design and planning to manufacturing and operations, laser material processing can also benefit from computer generating knowledge through soft computing. This work is a review of the state-of-the-art on the methodology and applications of CI in laser materials processing (LMP), which is nowadays receiving increasing interest from world class manufacturers and 4.0 industry. The focus is on the methods that have been proven effective and robust in solving several problems in welding, cutting, drilling, surface treating and additive manufacturing using the laser beam. After a basic description of the most common computational intelligences employed in manufacturing, four sections, namely, laser joining, machining, surface, and additive covered the most recent applications in the already extensive literature regarding the CI in LMP. Eventually, emerging trends and future challenges were identified and discussed.

Evolution of Wigner function in laser process under the action of linear resonance force and its application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dao-ming, Lu

2018-05-01

The negativity of Wigner function (WF) is one of the important symbols of non-classical properties of light field. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the evolution of WF in dissipative process. The evolution formula of WF in laser process under the action of linear resonance force is given by virtue of thermo entangled state representation and the technique of integration within an ordered product of operator. As its application, the evolution of WF of thermal field and that of single-photon-added coherent state are discussed. The results show that the WF of thermal field maintains its original character. On the other hand, the negative region size and the depth of negativity of WF of single- photon-added coherent state decrease until it vanishes with dissipation. This shows that the non-classical property of single-photon-added coherent state is weakened, until it disappears with dissipation time increasing.

Laser Spectroscopy and AB Initio Calculations on the TaF Molecule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, Kiu Fung; Zou, Wenli; Liu, Wenjian; Cheung, Allan S. C.

2016-06-01

Electronic transition spectrum of the tantalum monoflouride (TaF) molecule in the spectral region between 448 and 520 nm has been studied using the technique of laser-ablation/reaction free jet expansion and laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy. TaF molecule was produced by reacting laser-ablated tantalum atoms with sulfur hexafluoride gas seeded in argon. Sixteen vibrational bands with resolved rotational structure have been recorded and analyzed, which were organized into six electronic transition systems and the ground state has been identified to be the X3Σ-(0+) state with bond length, ro, and equilibrium vibrational frequency, ωe, determined to be 1.8209 Å and 700.1 wn respectively. In addition, four vibrational bands belong to another transition system involving lower state with Ω = 2 component has also been analyzed. All observed transitions are with ΔΩ = 0. Least-squares fit of the measured line positions yielded molecular constants for the electronic states involved. The Λ-S and Ω states of TaF were calculated at the state-averaged complete active space self-consistent field (SA-CASSCF) and the subsequent internally contracted multi-reference configuration interaction with singles and doubles and Davidson's cluster correction (MRCISD+Q) levels of theory with the active space of 4 electrons in 6 orbitals, that is, the molecular orbitals corresponding to Ta 5d6s are active. The spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is calculated by the state-interaction approach at the SA-CASSCF level via the relativistic effective core potentials (RECPs) spin-orbit operator, where the diagonal elements of the spin-orbit matrix are replaced by the above MRCISD+Q energies. The spectroscopic properties of the ground and many low-lying electronic states of the TaF molecule will be reported. With respect to the observed electronic states in this work, the calculated results are in good agreement with our experimental determinations. This work represents the first experimental investigation of the molecular structure of the TaF molecule.

A femtosecond Yb-doped fiber laser with generalized vector vortex beams output (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huo, Tiancheng; Qi, Li; Zhang, Buyun; Chen, Zhongping

2017-03-01

Light carries both spin and orbital angular momentum (OAM) and the superpositions of these two dynamical properties have found many applications. Many techniques exist to create such light sources but none allow their creation at the femtosecond fiber laser. Here we report on a novel mode-locked Ytterbium-doped fiber laser that generates femtosecond pulses with generalized vector vortex states. The controlled generation of such pulses such as azimuthally and radially polarized light with definite orbital angular momentum modes are demonstrated. A unidirectional ring cavity constructed with the Yb-doped fiber placed at the end of the fiber section to reduces unnecessary nonlinear effects is employed for self-starting operation. Pairs of diffraction gratings are used for compensating the normal group velocity dispersion of the fiber and other elements. Mode-locked operation is achieved based on nonlinear polarization evolution, which is mainly implemented with the single mode fiber, the bulk wave plates and the variable spiral plates (q-plate with topological charge q=0.5). The conversion from spin angular momentum to the OAM and reverse inside the laser cavity are realized by means of a quarter-wave plate and a q-plate so that the polarization control was mapped to OAM mode control. The fiber laser is diode pumped by a wavelength-division multiplexing coupler, which leads to excellent stability and portability.

Wavelength tunable L Band polarization-locked vector soliton fiber laser based on SWCNT-SA and CFBG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Yaxi; Wang, Jiaqi; Wang, Liang; Cheng, Zhenzhou

2018-04-01

Wavelength tunable L-Band polarization-locked vector soliton fiber laser based on single-walled carbon nanotube saturable absorber (SWCNT-SA) and chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) is presented for the first time. By inserting the SWCNT-SA into an all-fiber laser cavity, polarization-locked vector solitons (PLVS) are obtained. The CFBG glued on a plastic cantilever is used for wavelength tuning. By mechanically bending the cantilever, the center wavelength of the PLVS pulses can be continuously tuned from 1606.8 nm to 1614 nm, while the polarization-locked state is kept stable. The properties and dynamics of PLVSs are experimentally investigated and stable PLVS operation including high-order PLVSs is demonstrated. The pulse width and repetition rate are 7.06 ps and 11.9 MHz at a wavelength of 1611 nm, respectively. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using polarization-insensitive CFBG to realize wavelength tuning in PLVS fiber laser.

Development of an eye-safe solid-state tunable laser transmitter in the 1.4-1.5 μm wavelength region based on Cr4+:YAG crystal for lidar applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrova-Mayor, Anna; Wulfmeyer, Volker; Weibring, Petter

2008-04-01

An experimental optimization of the efficiency of a gain switched tunable Cr4+:YAG laser at 10 Hz is described. The thermal lensing during pulsed operation was measured. Optimal performance occurred at a crystal temperature of 34 °C and resulted in an output energy of ~7 mJ and a pulse duration of ~35 ns. Tunability in the range of 1350-1500 nm, spectral linewidth of ~200 GHz, and M2<4 are demonstrated. The main laser material parameters are estimated. Such a laser could be employed in a laboratory-based nonscanning lidar system if a narrowband birefringent filter is installed. The tunability will permit the improvement of the Cr4+:YAG transmitter for water-vapor differential absorption lidar if injection seeding is applied.

Dispersion engineering of mode-locked fibre lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, R. I.

2018-03-01

Mode-locked fibre lasers are important sources of ultrashort pulses, where stable pulse generation is achieved through a balance of periodic amplitude and phase evolutions. A range of distinct cavity pulse dynamics have been revealed, arising from the interplay between dispersion and nonlinearity in addition to dissipative processes such as filtering. This has led to the discovery of numerous novel operating regimes, offering significantly improved laser performance. In this Topical Review, we summarise the main steady-state pulse dynamics reported to date through cavity dispersion engineering, including average solitons, dispersion-managed solitons, dissipative solitons, giant-chirped pulses and similaritons. Characteristic features and the stabilisation mechanism of each regime are described, supported by numerical modelling, in addition to the typical performance and limitations. Opportunities for further pulse energy scaling are discussed, in addition to considering other recent advances including automated self-tuning cavities and fluoride-fibre-based mid-infrared mode-locked lasers.

Development of Solid State Laser Materials for Application in Lasers for Atmospheric Ozone and Water Vapor Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noginov, Makhail A.; Loutts, G. B.

2002-01-01

We have grown neodymium doped mixed apatite crystals, (Sr(x)Ba(l-x)5(PO4)3F, Sr5(P(1-x)V(x)O4)3F, and Ba5(P(1-x)V(x)O4)3F, and spectroscopically studied them as potential gain media for a laser source for atmospheric water sensing operating at 944.11 nm0. We conclude that an appropriate apatite host material for a 944.11 nm laser should be a mixture of Sr5(PO4)3F with a small fraction of Ba5(PO4)3F. The precise wavelength tuning around 944.11 nm can be accomplished by varying the host composition, temperature, and threshold population inversion. In apatite crystals of mixed composition, the Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) loss at 1.06 microns is predicted to be significantly smaller than that in the end members.

Spectroscopy of the three-photon laser excitation of cold Rubidium Rydberg atoms in a magneto-optical trap

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

Entin, V. M.; Yakshina, E. A.; Tretyakov, D. B.

2013-05-15

The spectra of the three-photon laser excitation 5S{sub 1/2} {yields} 5P{sub 3/2} {yields} 6S{sub 1/2}nP of cold Rb Rydberg atoms in an operating magneto-optical trap based on continuous single-frequency lasers at each stage are studied. These spectra contain two partly overlapping peaks of different amplitudes, which correspond to coherent three-photon excitation and incoherent three-step excitation due to the presence of two different ways of excitation through the dressed states of intermediate levels. A four-level theoretical model based on optical Bloch equations is developed to analyze these spectra. Good agreement between the experimental and calculated data is achieved by introducing additionalmore » decay of optical coherence induced by a finite laser line width and other broadening sources (stray electromagnetic fields, residual Doppler broadening, interatomic interactions) into the model.« less

Methods and apparatus for removal and control of material in laser drilling of a borehole

DOEpatents

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

2014-01-28

The removal of material from the path of a high power laser beam during down hole laser operations including drilling of a borehole and removal of displaced laser effected borehole material from the borehole during laser operations. In particular, paths, dynamics and parameters of fluid flows for use in conjunction with a laser bottom hole assembly.

Methods and apparatus for removal and control of material in laser drilling of a borehole

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

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

2016-12-06

The removal of material from the path of a high power laser beam during down hole laser operations including drilling of a borehole and removal of displaced laser effected borehole material from the borehole during laser operations. In particular, paths, dynamics and parameters of fluid flows for use in conjunction with a laser bottom hole assembly.

Hybrid laser arc welding: State-of-art review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acherjee, Bappa

2018-02-01

Hybrid laser arc welding simultaneously utilizes the arc welding and the laser welding, in a common interaction zone. The synergic effects of laser beam and eclectic arc in the same weld pool results in an increase of welding speed and penetration depth along with the enhancement of gap bridging capability and process stability. This paper presents the current status of this hybrid technique in terms of research, developments and applications. Effort is made to present a comprehensive technical know-how about this process through a systematic review of research articles, industrial catalogues, technical notes, etc. In the introductory part of the review, an overview of the hybrid laser arc welding is presented, including operation principle, process requirements, historical developments, benefits and drawbacks of the process. This is followed by a detailed discussion on control parameters those govern the performance of hybrid laser arc welding process. Thereafter, a report of improvements of performance and weld qualities achieved by using hybrid welding process is presented based on review of several research papers. The succeeding sections furnish the examples of industrial applications and the concluding remarks.

Stable CW Single-Frequency Operation of Fabry-Perot Laser Diodes by Self-Injection Phase Locking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duerksen, Gary L.; Krainak, Michael A.

1999-01-01

Previously, single-frequency semiconductor laser operation using fiber Bragg gratings has been achieved by two methods: 1) use of the FBG as the output coupler for an anti-reflection-coated semiconductor gain element'; 2) pulsed operation of a gain-switched Fabry-Perot laser diode with FBG-optical and RF-electrical feedback. Here, we demonstrate CW single frequency operation from a non-AR coated Fabry-Perot laser diode using only FBG optical feedback. We coupled a nominal 935 run-wavelength Fabry-Perot laser diode to an ultra narrow band (18 pm) FBG. When tuned by varying its temperature, the laser wavelength is pulled toward the centerline of the Bragg grating, and the spectrum of the laser output is seen to fall into three discrete stability regimes as measured by the side-mode suppression ratio.

Investigation on gas medium parameters for an ArF excimer laser through orthogonal experimental design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Xingliang; Sha, Pengfei; Fan, Yuanyuan; Jiang, R.; Zhao, Jiangshan; Zhou, Yi; Yang, Junhong; Xiong, Guangliang; Wang, Yu

2018-02-01

Due to complex kinetics of formation and loss mechanisms, such as ion-ion recombination reaction, neutral species harpoon reaction, excited state quenching and photon absorption, as well as their interactions, the performance behavior of different laser gas medium parameters for excimer laser varies greatly. Therefore, the effects of gas composition and total gas pressure on excimer laser performance attract continual research studies. In this work, orthogonal experimental design (OED) is used to investigate quantitative and qualitative correlations between output laser energy characteristics and gas medium parameters for an ArF excimer laser with plano-plano optical resonator operation. Optimized output laser energy with good pulse to pulse stability can be obtained effectively by proper selection of the gas medium parameters, which makes the most of the ArF excimer laser device. Simple and efficient method for gas medium optimization is proposed and demonstrated experimentally, which provides a global and systematic solution. By detailed statistical analysis, the significance sequence of relevant parameter factors and the optimized composition for gas medium parameters are obtained. Compared with conventional route of varying single gas parameter factor sequentially, this paper presents a more comprehensive way of considering multivariables simultaneously, which seems promising in striking an appropriate balance among various complicated parameters for power scaling study of an excimer laser.

Single mode, short cavity, Pb-salt diode lasers operating in the 5, 10, and 30-microns spectral regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linden, K. J.

1985-01-01

Pb-salt diode lasers are being used as frequency-tunable infrared sources in high resolution spectroscopy and heterodyne detection applications. Recent advances in short cavity, stripe-geometry laser configurations have led to significant increases in maximum CW operating temperature, single mode operation, and increased single mode tuning range. This paper describes short cavity, stripe geometry lasers operating in the 5, 10, and 30-microns spectral regions, with single mode tuning ranges of over 6/cm.

Stable CW Single Frequency Operation of Fabry-Perot Laser Diodes by Self-Injection Phase Locking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duerksen, Gary L.; Krainak, Michael A.

1999-01-01

Previously, single-frequency semiconductor laser operation using fiber Bragg gratings has been achieved by tWo methods: 1) use of the FBG as the output coupler for an anti-reflection-coated semiconductor gain element'; 2) pulsed operation of a gain-switched Fabry-Perot laser diode with FBG-optical and RF-electrical feedback'. Here, we demonstrate CW single frequency operation from a non-AR coated Fabry-Perot laser diode using only FBG optical feedback.

Stable CW Single-Frequency Operation of Fabry-Perot Laser Diodes by Self-Injection Phase Locking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duerksen, Gary L.; Krainak, Michael A.

1998-01-01

Previously, single-frequency semiconductor laser operation using fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) has been achieved by two methods: (1) use of the FBG as the output coupler for an anti-reflection-coated semiconductor gain element; (2) pulsed operation of a gain-switched Fabry-Perot laser diode with FBG-optical and RF-electrical feedback. Here, we demonstrate CW single frequency operation from a non-AR coated Fabry-Perot laser diode using only FBG optical feedback.

Airborne Visible Laser Optical Communications Program (AVLOC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, J. H.

1975-01-01

The design, development, and operation of airborne and ground-based laser communications and laser radar hardware is described in support of the Airborne Visible Laser Optical Communication program. The major emphasis is placed on the development of a highly flexible test bed for the evaluation of laser communications systems techniques and components in an operational environment.

A real-time laser feedback control method for the three-wave laser source used in the polarimeter-interferometer diagnostic on Joint-TEXT tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, C. Y.; Chen, J.; Li, Q.; Liu, Y.; Gao, L.

2014-12-01

A three-wave laser polarimeter-interferometer, equipped with three independent far-infrared laser sources, has been developed on Joint-TEXT (J-TEXT) tokamak. The diagnostic system is capable of high-resolution temporal and phase measurement of the Faraday angle and line-integrated density. However, for long-term operation (>10 min), the free-running lasers can lead to large drifts of the intermediate frequencies (˜100-˜500 kHz/10 min) and decay of laser power (˜10%-˜20%/10 min), which act to degrade diagnostic performance. In addition, these effects lead to increased maintenance cost and limit measurement applicability to long pulse/steady state experiments. To solve this problem, a real-time feedback control method of the laser source is proposed. By accurately controlling the length of each laser cavity, both the intermediate frequencies and laser power can be simultaneously controlled: the intermediate frequencies are controlled according to the pre-set values, while the laser powers are maintained at an optimal level. Based on this approach, a real-time feedback control system has been developed and applied on J-TEXT polarimeter-interferometer. Long-term (theoretically no time limit) feedback of intermediate frequencies (maximum change less than ±12 kHz) and laser powers (maximum relative power change less than ±7%) has been successfully achieved.

A real-time laser feedback control method for the three-wave laser source used in the polarimeter-interferometer diagnostic on Joint-TEXT tokamak.

PubMed

Xiong, C Y; Chen, J; Li, Q; Liu, Y; Gao, L

2014-12-01

A three-wave laser polarimeter-interferometer, equipped with three independent far-infrared laser sources, has been developed on Joint-TEXT (J-TEXT) tokamak. The diagnostic system is capable of high-resolution temporal and phase measurement of the Faraday angle and line-integrated density. However, for long-term operation (>10 min), the free-running lasers can lead to large drifts of the intermediate frequencies (∼100-∼500 kHz/10 min) and decay of laser power (∼10%-∼20%/10 min), which act to degrade diagnostic performance. In addition, these effects lead to increased maintenance cost and limit measurement applicability to long pulse/steady state experiments. To solve this problem, a real-time feedback control method of the laser source is proposed. By accurately controlling the length of each laser cavity, both the intermediate frequencies and laser power can be simultaneously controlled: the intermediate frequencies are controlled according to the pre-set values, while the laser powers are maintained at an optimal level. Based on this approach, a real-time feedback control system has been developed and applied on J-TEXT polarimeter-interferometer. Long-term (theoretically no time limit) feedback of intermediate frequencies (maximum change less than ±12 kHz) and laser powers (maximum relative power change less than ±7%) has been successfully achieved.

Improving the Reliability and Modal Stability of High Power 870 nm AlGaAs CSP Laser Diodes for Applications to Free Space Communication Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connolly, J. C.; Alphonse, G. A.; Carlin, D. B.; Ettenberg, M.

1991-01-01

The operating characteristics (power-current, beam divergence, etc.) and reliability assessment of high-power CSP lasers is discussed. The emission wavelength of these lasers was optimized at 860 to 880 nm. The operational characteristics of a new laser, the inverse channel substrate planar (ICSP) laser, grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), is discussed and the reliability assessment of this laser is reported. The highlights of this study include a reduction in the threshold current value for the laser to 15 mA and a degradation rate of less than 2 kW/hr for the lasers operating at 60 mW of peak output power.

Ergonomics of medical lasers: operator's viewpoint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, David W.; Jobes, H. M.; Hinshaw, J. Raymond; Lanzafame, Raymond J.

1992-06-01

Lasers are instruments that may enhance the surgeons ability to perform surgery. Many medical lasers sit unused. Lack of use is associated with 'user unfriendliness'. Nurses and surgeons often cite factors such as complexity, location, and types of controls, and content of displays. Other factors such as culture-ethnology and its relationship to command words and symbols, affect understandability of controls, displays and user friendliness. Laser designers and engineers must analyze the interaction between laser users and products. They must fully understand the training limitations and unique working environments (surgical specialty) of operators. Laser design and operation must coincide with specific needs and expectations of the nurses and physicians. Poor design and engineering compromises results in non use of expensive instrumentation, products which are ineffective for clinical use, and could potentially increase the risk of possible injury to patients and staff. This paper discusses the design and operation of medical laser systems. The advantages and disadvantages of several laser systems will be presented. User interfaces for controls - color, function, touch activation, labels and size, sound cues, laser activation, type and amount of feedback information during operation; design of storage for accessories, and need for features such as pulsing, and milliwatts will be discussed. We will present what we consider to be an ideal laser system.

Laser-Induced Fluorescence Velocity Measurements of a Low Power Cylindrical Hall Thruster

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-25

Hall thruster . Xenon ion velocities for the thruster are derived from laser-induced fluorescence measurements of the 5d[4]7/2-6p[3]5/2 xenon ion excited state transition. Three operating conditions are considered with variations to the magnetic field strength and chamber background pressure in an effort to capture their effects on ion acceleration and centerline ion energy distributions. Under nominal conditions, xenon ions are accelerated to an energy of 25 eV within the thruster with an additional 188 eV gain in the thruster plume. At a position 40 mm into the plume,

Real-time control system for adaptive resonator

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

Flath, L; An, J; Brase, J

2000-07-24

Sustained operation of high average power solid-state lasers currently requires an adaptive resonator to produce the optimal beam quality. We describe the architecture of a real-time adaptive control system for correcting intra-cavity aberrations in a heat capacity laser. Image data collected from a wavefront sensor are processed and used to control phase with a high-spatial-resolution deformable mirror. Our controller takes advantage of recent developments in low-cost, high-performance processor technology. A desktop-based computational engine and object-oriented software architecture replaces the high-cost rack-mount embedded computers of previous systems.

What can we learn from relaxation measurements of a laser-perturbed atmosphere? A modeling study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clericetti, Agostino; Vandenbergh, Hubert; Rossi, Michel J.

1994-01-01

The chemical kinetic aspects of a transient increase in OH and HO2 by several orders of magnitude are explored in three model tropospheres. This chemical kinetic modeling effort was undertaken to support the operation of a pump-and-probe LIDAR instrument. A powerful excimer laser pulse perturbs the troposphere after which its relaxation back to steady state is examined by remote sensing, for example by DIAL or LIF. Instead of probing ambient levels of key free radicals, a study of the relaxation kinetics in real time enables chemical mechanistic studies in situ.

Electrodeless-discharge-vapor-lamp-based Faraday anomalous-dispersion optical filter.

PubMed

Sun, Qinqing; Zhuang, Wei; Liu, Zhiwen; Chen, Jingbiao

2011-12-01

We report an excited-state Faraday anomalous-dispersion optical filter operating on the rubidium 5P(3/2)-5D(5/2) transition (775.9 nm in vacuum) without the use of a pump laser. An electrodeless discharge vapor lamp is employed to replace the Rb vapor cell in a traditional Faraday anomalous-dispersion optical filter system. Atoms can be excited by power rather than a complex frequency-locked pump laser. A proof-of-concept experimental demonstration with a maximum transmission of 1.9% and a filter bandwidth of 650 MHz is presented. © 2011 Optical Society of America

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.

Kinetic analysis of rare gas metastable production and optically pumped Xe lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demyanov, A. V.; Kochetov, I. V.; Mikheyev, P. A.; Azyazov, V. N.; Heaven, M. C.

2018-01-01

Optically pumped all-rare-gas lasers use metastable rare gas atoms as the lasing species in mixtures with He or Ar buffer gas. The metastables are generated in a glow discharge, and we report model calculations for the optimal production of Ne*, Ar*, Kr* and Xe*. Discharge efficiency was estimated by solving the Boltzmann equation. Laser efficiency, gain and output power of the CW optically pumped Xe laser were assessed as functions of heavier rare gas content, pressure, optical pump intensity and the optical path length. It was found that, for efficient operation the heavier rare gas content has to be of the order of one percent or less, and the total pressure—in the range 0.3-1.5 atm. Output power and specific discharge power increase approximately linearly with pump intensity over the output range from 300-500 W cm-2. Ternary mixtures Xe:Ar:He were found to be the most promising. Total laser efficiency was found to be nearly the same for pumping the 2p8 or 2p9 state, reaching 61%-70% for a pump intensity of ~720 W cm-2 when the Xe fraction was in the range 0.001 ÷ 0.01 and Ar fraction—0.1 ÷ 0.5. However, when the 2p8 state was pumped, the maximum total efficiency occurred at larger pressures than for pumping of the 2p9 state. The discharge power density required to sustain a sufficient Xe* number density was in the range of tens of watts per cubic centimeter for 50% Ar in the mixture.

Passive Q switching and mode-locking of Er:glass lasers using VO2 mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollack, S. A.; Chang, D. B.; Chudnovky, F. A.; Khakhaev, I. A.

1995-09-01

Passive Q switching of an Er:glass laser with the pulse width varying between 14 and 80 ns has been demonstrated, using three resonator vanadium-dioxide-coated (VO2) mirror samples with temperature-dependent reflectivity and differing in the reflectivity contrast. The reflectivity changes because of a phase transition from a semiconductor to a metallic state. Broad band operating characteristics of VO2 mirrors provide Q switching over a wide range of wavelengths. In addition, mode-locked pulses with much shorter time scales have been observed, due to exciton formation and recombination. A simple criterion is derived for the allowable ambient temperatures at which the Q switching operates effectively. A simple relation has also been found relating the duration of the Q-switched pulse to the contrast in reflectivities of the two mirror phases.

Advances in Fabry-Perot and tunable quantum cascade lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, C. Kumar N.

2017-05-01

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are becoming mature infrared emitting devices that convert electrical power directly into optical power and generate laser radiation in the mid wave infrared (MWIR) and long wave infrared (LWIR) regions. These lasers operate at room temperature in the 3.5 μm to >12.0 μm region. QCLs operate at longer wavelengths into the terahertz region; however, these require some level of cryogenic cooling. Nonetheless, QCLs are the only solid-state sources that convert electrical power into optical power directly in these spectral regions. Three critical advances have contributed to the broad range of applications of QCLs, since their first demonstration in 1994 [1]. The first of these was the utilization of two phonon resonance for deexcitation of electrons from the lower lasing level [2]; the second is the utilization of epi-down mounting with hard solder of QCLs for practical applications [3]; and the third is the invention of nonresonant extraction for deexciting electrons from the lower laser level and simultaneously removing constraints on QCL structure design for extending high power room temperature operation to a broad range of wavelengths [4]. Although QCLs generate CW radiation at room temperature at wavelengths ranging from 3.5 μm to <12.0 μm, two spectral regions are very important for a broad range of applications. These are the first and the second atmospheric transmission windows from 3.5 μm to 5.0 μm and from 8.0 μm to 12.0 μm, respectively. Both of these windows (except for the spectral region near 4.2 μm, which is dominated by the infrared absorption from atmospheric carbon dioxide) are relatively free from atmospheric absorption and have a range of applications that involve long distance propagation.

Deep-UV Based Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter for Spectral Sensing Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Narasimha S.

2006-01-01

In this paper, recent progress made in the development of quartz and KDP crystal based acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF) are presented. These AOTFs are developed for operation over deep-UV to near-UV wavelengths of 190 nm to 400 nm. Preliminary output performance measurements of quartz AOTF and design specifications of KDP AOTF are presented. At 355 nm, the quartz AOTF device offered approx.15% diffraction efficiency with a passband full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) of less than 0.0625 nm. Further characterization of quartz AOTF devices at deep-UV wavelengths is progressing. The hermetic packaging of KDP AOTF is nearing completion. The solid-state optical sources being used for excitation include nonlinear optics based high-energy tunable UV transmitters that operate around 320 nm and 308 nm wavelengths, and a tunable deep-UV laser operating over 193 nm to 210 nm. These AOTF devices have been developed as turn-key devices for primarily for space-based chemical and biological sensing applications using laser induced Fluorescence and resonance Raman techniques.

Blue diode-pumped solid-state-laser based on ytterbium doped laser crystals operating on the resonance zero-phonon transition

DOEpatents

Krupke, William F.; Payne, Stephen A.; Marshall, Christopher D.

2001-01-01

The invention provides an efficient, compact means of generating blue laser light at a wavelength near .about.493+/-3 nm, based on the use of a laser diode-pumped Yb-doped laser crystal emitting on its zero phonon line (ZPL) resonance transition at a wavelength near .about.986+/-6 nm, whose fundamental infrared output radiation is harmonically doubled into the blue spectral region. The invention is applied to the excitation of biofluorescent dyes (in the .about.490-496 nm spectral region) utilized in flow cytometry, immunoassay, DNA sequencing, and other biofluorescence instruments. The preferred host crystals have strong ZPL fluorecence (laser) transitions lying in the spectral range from .about.980 to .about.992 nm (so that when frequency-doubled, they produce output radiation in the spectral range from 490 to 496 nm). Alternate preferred Yb doped tungstate crystals, such as Yb:KY(WO.sub.4).sub.2, may be configured to lase on the resonant ZPL transition near 981 nm (in lieu of the normal 1025 nm transition). The laser light is then doubled in the blue at 490.5 nm.