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High-power diode-pumped Yb3+:CaF2 femtosecond laser
A Lucca1, G Debourg, M Jacquemet
1Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et de l'Université Paris-Sud, Centre Universitaire, Batiment 503, 91403 Orsay Cedex, France. andrea.lucca@iota.u-psud.fr
Optics Letters
|December 21, 2004
Summary
This study presents the first high-power femtosecond laser using Ytterbium-doped Calcium Fluoride (Yb3+:CaF2) crystals. This diode-pumped laser achieves significant output power and short pulse durations for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Laser Physics
- Solid-State Lasers
- Materials Science
Background:
- Diode-pumped solid-state lasers are crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
- Femtosecond lasers require precise control over pulse duration and power output.
- Yb3+:CaF2 is a promising gain medium for laser development due to its favorable spectroscopic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a high-power, passively mode-locked femtosecond laser utilizing an Yb3+:CaF2 single crystal.
- To investigate the performance characteristics of such a laser system when directly pumped by a high-power fiber-coupled diode laser.
Main Methods:
- Direct diode-pumping of a 5-at.% Yb3+:CaF2 single crystal laser.
- Employing prisms for dispersion compensation to achieve femtosecond pulse generation.
- Utilizing chirped mirrors for dispersion compensation to enhance output power.
- Characterizing pulse duration, average power, wavelength tunability, pulse energy, and peak power.
Main Results:
- Achieved femtosecond pulses as short as 150 fs with prism compensation.
- Obtained up to 1.4 W average output power with 220 fs pulse duration (1049 nm).
- With chirped mirrors, reached 1.74 W average power (230 fs pulse duration, 20 nJ energy, 85 kW peak power).
- Demonstrated wavelength tunability from 1040 to 1053 nm.
Conclusions:
- Successfully demonstrated the first high-power passively mode-locked femtosecond laser based on Yb3+:CaF2.
- The Yb3+:CaF2 crystal is a viable and effective gain medium for high-power femtosecond laser generation.
- The developed laser system offers significant potential for applications requiring high peak power and ultrashort pulses.