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Efficient 1856 nm emission from Tm,Mg:LiNbO3 laser
Optics Express
|October 10, 2013
Summary
Researchers achieved efficient continuous-wave laser emission at 1856 nm using a novel Tm,Mg:LiNbO(3) crystal. This breakthrough enables watt-level output, overcoming previous limitations in Thulium-doped Lithium Niobate lasers.
Area of Science:
- Solid-state laser technology
- Materials science
- Nonlinear optics
Background:
- Thulium-doped Lithium Niobate (Tm:LiNbO3) lasers are crucial for 2-micron applications.
- Previous Tm:LiNbO3 lasers suffered from low output power and photorefractive degradation.
- High doping concentrations in LiNbO3 can lead to performance issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate efficient continuous-wave (CW) laser operation at 1856 nm from a highly doped Tm,Mg:LiNbO3 crystal.
- To investigate the impact of magnesium co-doping on laser performance and photorefractive resistance.
- To explore multi-wavelength laser capabilities and potential for integrated optic devices.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a Tm,Mg:LiNbO3 crystal slab with high Tm3+ doping concentration.
- Continuous-wave laser oscillation experiment at 1856 nm using the crystal slab.
- Characterization of output power, slope efficiency, beam quality (M2), and photorefractive stability.
- Utilizing different narrow-band output couplers for multi-wavelength operation.
Main Results:
- Achieved maximum continuous-wave output power of 2.62 W at 1856 nm.
- Obtained a high slope efficiency of 19.6% and a beam quality factor M2 of 1.7 at room temperature.
- Demonstrated watt-level laser operation, a four-order-of-magnitude improvement over previous Tm:LiNbO3 lasers.
- Observed no performance degradation due to the photorefractive effect, attributed to Mg co-doping.
- Successfully realized multi-wavelength laser operation.
Conclusions:
- The Tm,Mg:LiNbO3 crystal enables efficient watt-level laser operation at 1856 nm.
- Magnesium co-doping effectively suppresses the photorefractive effect, enhancing laser stability.
- This work paves the way for 2-micron integrated optic devices with simultaneous laser oscillation, electro-optic, and nonlinear optical functionalities.
