Tunable UV source based on an LED-pumped cavity-dumped Cr:LiSAF laser.

Area of Science:

• Laser physics
• Nonlinear optics
• Solid-state lasers

Background:

• Cr:LiSAF lasers offer broad spectral emission in the infrared.
• Efficient pumping of solid-state lasers is crucial for high-energy output.
• Frequency conversion techniques are essential for generating light at desired wavelengths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an LED-pumped Cr:LiSAF laser system.
• To achieve efficient frequency tripling of the Cr:LiSAF laser output.
• To demonstrate tunable ultraviolet (UV) generation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a light-emitting diode (LED) for pumping the Cr:LiSAF laser.
• Operated the laser in Q-switched and cavity-dumped regimes.
• Employed two cascaded Lithium Triborate (LBO) crystals for frequency tripling and tuning.

Main Results:

• Generated 1.1 mJ pulses (8.5 ns duration) centered at 840 nm (23 nm FWHM).
• Achieved 13 µJ, 7 ns pulses at 280 nm after frequency tripling.
• Demonstrated tunable UV emission from 276 nm to 284 nm.

Conclusions:

• The developed LED-pumped Cr:LiSAF laser is an efficient source for generating tunable UV light.
• Frequency tripling using LBO crystals effectively converts the broad infrared spectrum to the UV.
• This laser system offers a versatile platform for spectroscopic and other applications requiring tunable UV radiation.