Highly efficient picosecond all-solid-state Raman laser at 1179 and 1227  nm on single and combined Raman lines in a...

Area of Science:

• Solid-state laser physics
• Nonlinear optics
• Raman spectroscopy

Background:

• Barium tungstate (BaWO4) crystals are known for their potential as Raman gain media.
• Developing efficient all-solid-state lasers is crucial for various applications requiring compact and robust laser sources.
• Picosecond synchronous pumping enables precise control over laser dynamics and output characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a highly efficient ring-cavity all-solid-state BaWO4 Raman laser.
• To investigate Raman generation at both the long-shift (925 cm−1) and short-shift (332 cm−1) Raman lines.
• To achieve high slope efficiencies and output pulse energies for practical applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a ring-cavity configuration for the all-solid-state BaWO4 Raman laser.
• Employed external picosecond synchronous pumping at a 1063 nm wavelength.
• Investigated Raman generation at the ν1 (925 cm−1) and ν2 (332 cm−1) Stokes lines, as well as combined (ν1+ν2) shifts.

Main Results:

• Achieved slope efficiencies of 68.8% and 38.6% at the ν1-shifted (1179 nm) and (ν1+ν2)-shifted (1227 nm) Stokes wavelengths, respectively.
• Obtained output pulse energies of 103 nJ (1179 nm) and 53 nJ (1227 nm).
• Demonstrated self-mode locking of the (ν1+ν2)-shifted Stokes field, resulting in a 12-fold pulse shortening to 3 ps with 1.5 times higher peak power than the pump.

Conclusions:

• The developed BaWO4 Raman laser exhibits high efficiency and significant output pulse energies.
• The self-mode locking capability enables generation of ultrashort pulses with enhanced peak power.
• This work highlights the potential of BaWO4 crystals for advanced laser applications requiring high performance.