J. Saikawa

Diode radial-pumped composite Yb:YAG microchip laser

Summary form only given. The Yb:YAG medium was demonstrated to be a promising candidate for high-power 1-/spl mu/m laser systems, as well as for use in a tunable, single-axial-mode microchip configuration. Yb:YAG has a long-storage lifetime (951 /spl mu/s), a very low quantum defect (8.6%), and the 940-nm absorption in Yb:YAG is nearly ten times broader than that of the 808-nm absorption feature in Nd:YAG. Unlike four-level systems, the quasi-three-level structure of Yb:YAG requires strong pumping to overcome the deleterious effects of lower laser level reabsorption.

Novel end-pumping method for stable and compact microchip laser

Passively Q-switched microchip lasers are very attractive for various applications because of their sub-nanosecond pulse width, simple and rugged construction and low-cost [1]. We have earlier reported the design of Nd:YAG/Cr4+:YAG passively Q-switched microchip lasers for efficient wavelength conversion from the second to the ninth harmonic [2]. These lasers are useful for spectroscopy, LIDAR, LIBS, materials micro-processing, etc.

Efficient 1.3-/spl mu/m laser oscillation and heat generation characteristics in Nd:GdVO/sub 4/ laser under direct pumping into /sup 4/F/sub 3/2/ emitting level

We demonstrated a near quantum-limited slope efficiency in 1.3-mum cw Nd:GdVO4 laser under a 879-nm (Ti:Sapphire laser) pumping. Large heat generation due to non-radiative decay in Nd:GdVO4 crystal under non-lasing condition was discussed

Mode-locked Yb:YAG lasers by using SHG nonlinear mirror

We have demonstrated a passively mode-locked Yb:YAG laser by using a second-harmonic nonlinear mirror (NLM) technique with a non-critical phase matched LBO crystal. Under cw Ti:sapphire laser pumping the device outputs Q-switched mode-locking (QML) pulse trains with an average output power of 844 mW and an optical conversion efficiency of 51%; the duration of an individual mode-locked pulse was determined as 9 ps. The possibility of high power sub-picosecond laser pulse generation in Yb:YAG under diode laser pumping is discussed.

Intra-cavity frequency doubling of a Nd:YAG laser passively Q-switched by Cr/sup 4+/:YAG saturable absorber

Summary form only given. We report a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser which was passively Q-switched by a Cr/sup 4+/:YAG saturable absorber (SA), and intra-cavity frequency doubled by a LiB/sub 3/O/sub 5/ crystal. The maximum green average power was 1.0 W, with the laser operating at 3.8 kHz repetition frequency.

Volume holographic memories by using tunable frequency-doubled Yb:YAG microchip laser

Optical data storage in volume holograms has been an exciting prospect for high data storage technology since the digital volume holographic storage system was demonstrated. Angle and wavelength-multiplexed recordings have excellent potential for a large storage capacity. Recently we developed a diode-pumped single-frequency and tunable Yb:YAG microchip laser. We demonstrate the angle and wavelength multiplexed recording by using the tunable intracavity frequency-doubled Yb:YAG green laser.