Baodong Gai

Phase-interfacial stimulated Raman scattering generated in strongly pumped water.

We have observed unusual blue-shifted radiations in water pumped by a strong 532-nm nanosecond laser. Properties including divergence, polarizations, and pulse shapes of the unusual radiations are measured and compared with those of the regular stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in water. The unusual radiations are attributed to the parametric anti-Stokes SRS that occurs on the interface of water and ionization plasma (or gas) formed in the laser-induced breakdown of water.

H2 stimulated Raman scattering in a multi-pass cell

Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) is an effective means of laser wavelength conversion. Hydrogen is an excellent Raman medium for its high stimulated Raman gain coefficient and good flowability which can rapidly dissipate the heat generated by SRS process. In this paper we reported the H2 SRS in multiple-pass cell pumped by the fundamental frequency output of a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser. Two concave reflection mirrors (with 1000 mm curvature radius and 50 mm diameter) were used in our experiment, both mirrors with a hole near the edge and were positioned to form co-center cavity, therefore the laser could repeatedly pass and refocus in the Raman cell to achieve a high SRS conversion efficiency and reduce SRS threshold for pump laser. By changing the pass number (1～17) of optical path in the Raman cell and the pump power(0～2.5MW), the Stokes conversion efficiency is optimized. Experimental results indicated that the Raman threshold was 0.178MW and the highest photon conversion efficiency was 50 %.

2.94 μm diode side pumped ErYAG laser

We have demonstrated an average output power of 10 W quasi-continuous-wave mid-infrared laser at 2.94 μm from a diode laser (LD) side-pumped Er-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) crystal. The Er:YAG crystal was composed of Er-doped (50% doped) (YAG) bonded to undoped YAG. The LD was operated at a repetition rate of 150Hz and a pulse-width of 300 μs. The optical-optical conversion efficiency and the slope efficiency were 5.6% and 9.1%, respectively. The slope efficiency was not saturation yet, a higher output power can be expected with a higher LD pump power and colder temperature of the Er:YAG crystal.

Spectrum characteristic study of sodium-ethane excimer pairs

Excimer pumped sodium laser (XPNaL) can accurately achieve lasing at 589.16 nm without any complicated control system to reduce the wavelength error, so XPNaL will provide a novel technical system for sodium beacon laser. In this paper, we studied the Na-C2H6 system, which was an efficient excimer pair. We excited the Na-C2H6 system using a pulsed dye laser with wavelength of 553 nm, and measured lifetime of sodium D2 line based on the fluorescence spectra. Meanwhile, we have also detected strong amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) signal in Na-C2H6 system, through the experimental study, the Na-C2H6 system is considered to own the potential to be utilized in high power XPNaL.

Blue satellites of absorption spectrum study of sodium based excimer-pumped alkali vapor laser

Sodium based excimer-pump alkali laser (Na-XPAL) is expected to be an efficient method to generate sodium beacon light, but the information about the spectroscopic characters of Na-XPAL remains sparse so far. In this work, we utilized the relative fluorescence intensity to study the absorption spectrum of blue satellites of complexes of sodium with different collision partners. The yellow fluorescence of Na D1 and D2 line was clearly visible. After processing the fluorescence intensity and the input pumping laser relative intensity, we obtained the Na-CH4 system’s blue satellites was from 553nm to 556nm. Meanwhile, we experimentally demonstrated the Na-Ar and Na-Xe system’s wavelength range of blue satellites. Also, it was observed that the Na-Xe system’s absorption was stronger than the other two systems.

Small signal gain measurement of liquid oxygen under different wavelength laser pump

Oxygen molecules existed in pairs under liquid condition, the radiation from vibrational ground state of 1 Δ state to the first vibrational excited state of 3 ∑ state was electronic dipole moment transition allowed, and a photon with wavelength of 1580 nm was emitted. In our experiment, dye laser with wavelength of 581 nm, 634 nm, 764 nm was used to excite liquid oxygen to different excited states, while a tunable OPO was used as the seeder laser, and the small signal gain was measured to be 0.23 cm-1, 0.3 cm-1 and 0.076 cm-1 respectively. The small signal gain (pump by photon of 634 nm) was significantly higher than that of common solid state lasers and chemical lasers. When the fundamental output of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser was used as the pump source, the corresponding small signal gain was 0.12 cm-1. The profiles of small signal gain form 1579.2 nm to 1580.8 nm were also presented. These results were consistent with theoretical calculation. The high positive gain indicated that the liquid oxygen was a potential medium for high energy laser. A comprehensive parameter optimization was still necessary in order to improve the mall signal gain.

420nm alkali blue laser based on two-photon absorption

Based on two-photon absorption, a 420nm blue laser of alkali Rb vapor was demonstrated, and a dye laser was used as the pumping laser. Utilizing the energy level structure of Rb atom, lasering mechanism and two-photon absorption process are analyzed. Absorbing two 778.1nm photons, Rb atoms were excited from 52 S1/2 to 52 D5/2, then relaxed to 62 P3/2 with mid infrared photon radiation. 420nm blue laser was achieved by the transition 62 P3/2→52 S1/2. To improve efficiency of the blue laser, two-photon resonant excitation pumped alkali vapor blue lasers are proposed, which will be good beam quality, high efficiency and scalable blue lasers. The development of diode pumped alkali vapor blue laser is expected.

Multi-photon processes in alkali metal vapors

Achieving population inversion through multi-photon cascade pumping is almost always difficult, and most laser medium work under 1-photon excitation mechanism. But for alkali atoms such as cesium, relatively large absorption cross sections of several low, cascading energy levels enable them properties such as up conversion. Here we carried out research on two-photon excitation alkali fluorescence. Two photons of near infrared region are used to excite alkali atoms to n 2 D5/2, n 2 D3/2 or higher energy levels, then the blue fluorescence of (n+1) 2 P3/2,(n+1) 2 P1/2→n 2 S1/2 are observed. Different pumping paths are tried and by the recorded spectra, transition routes of cesium are deducted and concluded. Finally the possibility of two-photon style DPALs (diode pumped alkali laser) are discussed, such alkali lasers can give output wavelengths in the shorter end of visual spectroscopy (400-460 nm) and are expected to get application in underwater communication and material laser processing.