Dual-wavelength eye-safe Nd:YAP Raman laser.

Area of Science:

• Laser physics
• Nonlinear optics
• Solid-state lasers

Background:

• Diode-pumped, Q-switched lasers are crucial for various applications.
• Intracavity Raman shifting offers a method for wavelength conversion.
• Eye-safe laser sources are in demand for applications like remote sensing and medical treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate diode-pumped, Q-switched intracavity-Raman-shifted Nd:YAP lasers.
• To utilize potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) and potassium titanyl arsenate (KTA) nonlinear crystals for generating eye-safe radiation.
• To characterize the dual-wavelength emission properties and output power.

Main Methods:

• Employing a diode-pumped, Q-switched Nd:YAP laser system.
• Integrating KTP and KTA nonlinear crystals for intracavity Raman shifting.
• Measuring output power, pulse duration, and spectral characteristics at distinct wavelengths.

Main Results:

• Achieved simultaneous dual-wavelength laser emission from both Nd:YAP/KTP and Nd:YAP/KTA configurations.
• The Nd:YAP/KTP laser produced 3 ns pulses with 21 kW peak power at 1478 nm and 1503 nm.
• The Nd:YAP/KTA laser generated 220 mW average output power at 1474 nm and 1480 nm.

Conclusions:

• Demonstrated the feasibility of generating eye-safe, dual-wavelength radiation using intracavity Raman-shifted Nd:YAP lasers with KTP or KTA.
• The choice of nonlinear crystal influences the output characteristics, enabling high peak power or substantial average power generation.
• These results highlight the potential for tunable, eye-safe laser sources for diverse applications.