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Efficient, high repetition-rate femtosecond blue source using a compact Cr:LiSAF laser
Optics Express
|May 20, 2009
Summary
Researchers developed a portable, battery-powered blue light source using a diode-pumped laser and nonlinear crystal. This compact femtosecond blue light source achieves 1% electrical-blue efficiency, the highest reported to date.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Laser Technology
- Nonlinear Optics
Background:
- Compact and efficient femtosecond blue light sources are crucial for various scientific applications.
- Existing sources often lack portability, robustness, or high efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and demonstrate a practical, portable, rugged, and battery-powered femtosecond blue light source.
- To achieve high optical and electrical-to-blue light conversion efficiencies.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a diode-pumped, femtosecond Chromium-doped Lithium Safire (Cr:LiSAF) laser.
- Employing optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) in a potassium niobate (KNbO3) crystal.
- Implementing a simple, single-pass extracavity geometry.
Main Results:
- Achieved 30% optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency.
- Generated 12mW of blue average power from a 3mm KNbO3 crystal.
- Reported 1% electrical-blue efficiency, the highest for a femtosecond blue source.
Conclusions:
- Demonstrated a practical and highly efficient portable femtosecond blue light source.
- The generated blue pulses remain in the femtosecond regime (~540fs) despite group velocity mismatch.
- This technology offers a significant advancement for portable laser applications.
