Diode-pumped Nd:YLF all-in-one laser.

Area of Science:

• Lasers and Photonics
• Solid-State Physics
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Nd:YLF lasers are crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Developing compact, high-power pulsed lasers remains an active area of research.
• Diode-pumping offers efficiency and compactness for solid-state laser systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct and evaluate a high-power, longitudinally end-diode-pumped Nd:YLF all-in-one laser.
• To characterize the laser's pulse energy, duration, and repetition rate.
• To investigate methods for stable laser operation and pulse quality.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a compact, single-cavity Nd:YLF laser.
• Longitudinal end-diode-pumping with 3-W and 15-W diode lasers.
• Implementation of controlled prelasing to manage relaxation oscillations.
• Analysis of pulse shaping using the Kuizenga-Siegman theory.

Main Results:

• The all-in-one laser generated 28 ps duration pulses at a 1-kHz repetition rate.
• Pulse energies of approximately 120 µJ and 500 µJ were achieved with 3-W and 15-W diode pumping, respectively.
• Controlled prelasing effectively suppressed large-amplitude relaxation oscillations and minimized leakage.

Conclusions:

• A high-power, compact Nd:YLF all-in-one laser has been successfully demonstrated.
• The laser system exhibits stable operation and high pulse energy suitable for demanding applications.
• The study validates the effectiveness of controlled prelasing and provides insights into pulse shaping.