Continuous wave Nd:YAG channel waveguide laser produced by focused proton beam writing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics

Background:

• Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers are widely used in various applications.
• Optical channel waveguides offer miniaturization and enhanced light-matter interaction for laser devices.
• Fabrication techniques are crucial for realizing high-performance integrated optical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate mirrorless continuous wave (CW) laser oscillation in a Nd:YAG optical channel waveguide.
• To investigate the performance characteristics, including pump power threshold and slope efficiency, of the fabricated waveguide laser.
• To explore the potential of focused proton beam writing for creating integrated optical laser components.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a Nd:YAG optical channel waveguide using 1 MeV focused proton beam writing.
• Pumping the waveguide with an 808 nm laser source to achieve continuous wave oscillation.
• Characterization of laser output at 1064 nm, measuring pump power threshold, slope efficiency, and maximum output power.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of mirrorless CW laser oscillation at 1064 nm.
• A low pump power threshold of 94 mW was achieved.
• A high laser slope efficiency of 40% was recorded.
• A maximum output power of 63 mW was obtained at an absorbed pump power of 247 mW.

Conclusions:

• Focused proton beam writing is an effective method for fabricating Nd:YAG optical channel waveguides for laser applications.
• The demonstrated waveguide laser exhibits efficient performance, indicating potential for compact and integrated laser sources.
• Mirrorless oscillation in such waveguides opens possibilities for simplified laser designs and advanced photonic integrated circuits.