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Glasses with a large laser effect: Nd-phosphate and Nd-fluorophosphate
Applied Optics
|March 6, 2010
Summary
Nd-phosphate and fluorophosphate glasses offer excellent laser properties, including high emission cross sections and low thermal distortion. Fluorine addition significantly reduces the nonlinear refractive index, making them ideal for advanced laser applications like nuclear fusion research.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Optics and Photonics
- Laser Physics
Background:
- Neodymium-doped phosphate glasses exhibit desirable laser characteristics.
- Thermal distortion and nonlinear refractive index are critical parameters for high-power lasers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe Nd-phosphate glasses with excellent laser effects.
- To investigate the impact of fluorine addition on glass properties, specifically the nonlinear refractive index.
- To identify suitable glass compositions for material processing, measurement techniques, and nuclear fusion lasers.
Main Methods:
- Characterization of Nd-phosphate glasses for laser performance.
- Analysis of fluorophosphate glasses to determine the effect of fluorine on nonlinear optical properties.
- Evaluation of thermal distortion and induced-emission cross sections.
Main Results:
- Nd-phosphate glasses demonstrate large induced-emission cross sections and low thermal distortion.
- Addition of fluorine to phosphate glasses (fluorophosphate glasses) lowers the nonlinear refractive index.
- Nonlinear refractive index can be reduced to as low as 0.5 x 10(-13) esu.
Conclusions:
- Nd-phosphate glasses are suitable for small to medium laser equipment in material processing and metrology.
- Fluorophosphate glasses are particularly advantageous for the final stages of large amplifier chains in nuclear fusion experiments due to their reduced nonlinear refractive index.
