Efficient all-solid-state yellow laser source producing 1.2-W average power.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics
• Nonlinear Optics

Background:

• All-solid-state laser sources are crucial for various applications.
• Developing efficient solid-state lasers operating in the visible spectrum presents challenges.
• Previous methods for generating 578 nm light often involved complex or less efficient techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a novel, practical, and efficient all-solid-state laser source operating at 578 nm.
• To demonstrate a high-conversion efficiency for generating yellow light from a fundamental laser output.
• To present a compact laser design utilizing intracavity nonlinear optical crystals.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a diode-pumped Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser as the fundamental source at 1064 nm.
• Incorporated an intracavity Lithium Iodate (LiIO3) crystal for Raman conversion to generate first-Stokes output at 1155 nm.
• Employed an intracavity Lithium Triborate (LiB3O5) crystal for frequency doubling the first-Stokes output to achieve 578 nm yellow light.

Main Results:

• Achieved a Q-switched output with a maximum average power of 1.2 W at 578 nm.
• Obtained high conversion efficiencies, reaching up to 33% from the fundamental 1064 nm output to the 578 nm yellow light.
• Demonstrated the feasibility of an all-solid-state approach for generating visible laser light.

Conclusions:

• The developed laser source offers a practical and efficient method for generating 578 nm yellow light.
• The high conversion efficiency and power output make this laser system suitable for various applications requiring visible wavelengths.
• This work highlights the potential of intracavity Raman conversion and frequency doubling in solid-state laser design.