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Acousto-optic mode locking of 3-microm Er lasers
Applied Optics
|August 25, 2010
Summary
Erbium-doped YAG and YLF lasers were actively mode-locked using a TeO(2) modulator. Er:YLF produced shorter, more stable pulses, while Er:YAG showed higher efficiency in free-running mode.
Area of Science:
- Laser Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Erbium-doped lasers are crucial for various applications.
- Mode-locking is essential for generating ultrashort laser pulses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To actively mode-lock Er:YAG and Er:YLF lasers.
- To compare the performance of Er:YAG and Er:YLF lasers under mode-locking conditions.
Main Methods:
- Active mode-locking using a tellurium dioxide (TeO(2)) acousto-optic modulator.
- Utilizing a lithium niobate (LiNbO(3)) transducer with 4 W of electrical driving power for Er:YLF.
Main Results:
- Er:YLF lasers generated shorter and more stable mode-locked pulses.
- Er:YAG lasers exhibited a higher slope efficiency of 0.8% in free-running operation.
- Mode-locked pulse durations under 700 picoseconds (ps) were achieved with Er:YLF.
Conclusions:
- Er:YLF lasers are advantageous for generating high-quality, stable ultrashort pulses.
- Er:YAG lasers offer superior slope efficiency in free-running configurations.
- The choice between Er:YAG and Er:YLF depends on specific application requirements for pulse characteristics and efficiency.
