Pulse amplification of a single-frequency cr:forsterite laser

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics
• Quantum Electronics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Tunable solid-state lasers are crucial for various spectroscopic and scientific applications.
• Achieving stable single-longitudinal-mode operation in gain-switched systems presents significant challenges, particularly for materials with low gain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate stable single-longitudinal-mode operation of a tunable gain-switched chromium-doped forsterite (Cr:forsterite) oscillator-amplifier system.
• To investigate the performance of Cr:forsterite amplifiers with varying doping concentrations and configurations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a novel coupled-cavity oscillator configuration to achieve low-threshold operation.
• Employed a range of Cr:forsterite crystals with Cr(4+) concentrations from 3-21 x 10^18 cm(-3).
• Investigated amplifier performance in both single- and double-pass configurations.

Main Results:

• Achieved stable single-longitudinal-mode operation across a 100-nm wavelength range.
• Demonstrated a low-threshold fluence of 0.3 J cm(-2).
• Obtained nearly transform-limited pulses with instrument-limited bandwidths of 150 MHz.

Conclusions:

• The coupled-cavity oscillator design enables efficient, low-threshold operation suitable for low-gain laser media.
• The Cr:forsterite system demonstrates potential for tunable, narrow-bandwidth laser applications.
• Further investigation into amplifier configurations can optimize performance for specific laser requirements.