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Discretely tunable, all-solid-state laser in the green, yellow, and red
Richard P Mildren1, Helen M Pask, Hamish Ogilvy
1Centre for Lasers and Applications, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia. rmildren@ics.mq.edu.au
Optics Letters
|July 13, 2005
Summary
This study presents a novel all-solid-state Raman laser. It achieves tunable visible light output through nonlinear frequency generation, offering a new tool for optical applications.
Area of Science:
- Laser Physics
- Nonlinear Optics
- Solid-State Lasers
Background:
- Intracavity Raman lasers offer a pathway to generating various wavelengths from a single laser system.
- Nonlinear frequency conversion techniques are crucial for extending the spectral output of lasers into the visible range.
- Developing all-solid-state visible lasers is important for diverse applications, including spectroscopy and optical sensing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate an all-solid-state intracavity Raman laser system.
- To achieve tunable visible output by combining Raman scattering with nonlinear sum-frequency generation.
- To investigate the performance of the laser under varying pump power and tuning conditions.
Main Methods:
- A diode-end-pumped Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser was used as the fundamental source.
- An acousto-optic Q-switch, a Potassium Gadolinium Tungstate (KGd(WO4)2) Raman crystal, and a Lithium Triborate (LBO) nonlinear converter were integrated into the laser resonator.
- The resonator was designed to manage dynamic thermal lensing effects for stable operation.
Main Results:
- The laser system successfully generated visible output wavelengths.
- Output powers up to 1.8 W were achieved with 20 W of pump power.
- Tunable output wavelengths at 532, 555, 579, and 606 nm were demonstrated, selected by angle and temperature tuning of the nonlinear medium.
Conclusions:
- The developed all-solid-state intracavity Raman laser with nonlinear sum-frequency generation is a viable method for producing tunable visible light.
- The system demonstrates efficient wavelength generation through the combination of Raman Stokes fields and their second harmonics/sum frequencies.
- This laser architecture provides a flexible platform for generating multiple visible wavelengths for various scientific and technological applications.