Maik Frede

New ALPS results on hidden-sector lightweights

The ALPS collaboration runs a “Light Shining through a Wall” (LSW) experiment to search for photon oscillations into “Weakly Interacting Sub-eV Particles” (WISPs) often predicted by extensions of the Standard Model. The experiment is set up around a superconducting HERA dipole magnet at the site of DESY. Due to several upgrades of the experiment we are able to place limits on the probability of photon-WISP-photon conversions of a few 10 25 . These limits result in today’s most stringent laboratory constraints on the existence of low mass axion-like particles, hidden photons and minicharged particles.

High power fundamental mode Nd:YAG laser with efficient birefringence compensation.

Experiments on a high-power end-pumped Nd:YAG rod laser with an efficient birefringence compensation will be presented. A linearly polarized output power of 114 W with an M2-value of 1.05 was realized. Furthermore, the from our best knowledge highest injection-locked singlefrequency output power of 87 W in a nearly diffraction-limited beam was demonstrated.

Resonant laser power build-up in ALPS—A light shining through a wall experiment

Abstract The ALPS Collaboration runs a “light shining through a wall” (LSW) experiment to search for photon oscillations into “weakly interacting sub-eV particles” (WISPs) inside of a superconducting HERA dipole magnet at the site of DESY. In this paper we report on the first successful integration of a large-scale optical resonant cavity to boost the available power for WISP production in this type of experiments. The key elements are a frequency tunable narrow line-width continuous wave laser acting as the primary light source and an electronic feed-back control loop to stabilize the power build-up. We describe and characterize our apparatus and demonstrate the data analysis procedures on the basis of a brief exemplary run.

Stabilized high-power laser system for the gravitational wave detector advanced LIGO

An ultra-stable, high-power cw Nd:YAG laser system, developed for the ground-based gravitational wave detector Advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), was comprehensively characterized. Laser power, frequency, beam pointing and beam quality were simultaneously stabilized using different active and passive schemes. The output beam, the performance of the stabilization, and the cross-coupling between different stabilization feedback control loops were characterized and found to fulfill most design requirements. The employed stabilization schemes and the achieved performance are of relevance to many high-precision optical experiments.

Stabilized lasers for advanced gravitational wave detectors

Second generation gravitational wave detectors require high power lasers with more than 100 W of output power and with very low temporal and spatial fluctuations. To achieve the demanding stability levels required, low noise techniques and adequate control actuators have to be part of the high power laser design. In addition feedback control and passive noise filtering is used to reduce the fluctuations in the so-called prestabilized laser system (PSL). In this paper, we discuss the design of a 200 W PSL which is under development for the Advanced LIGO gravitational wave detector and will present the first results. The PSL noise requirements for advanced gravitational wave detectors will be discussed in general and the stabilization scheme proposed for the Advanced LIGO PSL will be described.

Comparison of crystalline and ceramic composite Nd:YAG for high power diode end-pumping

A comparison between composite crystalline and ceramic composite Nd:YAG rods for high power diode end-pumping is presented. Laser output power characteristics as well as the thermal lensing properties of the composite laser rods were evaluated. A maximum laser output power of 121 W and an optical-to-optical efficiency of 48% were achieved by longitudinal pumping with fiber-coupled laser diodes.

250 W end-pumped Nd:YAG laser with direct pumping into the upper laser level

A high-power longitudinally pumped Nd:YAG laser using direct pumping into the upper laser level is demonstrated. With an absorbed pump power of 438 W an output power of 250 W was realized, which results in an optical-to-optical efficiency of 57%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a high-output power 885 nm pumped laser design.

407 W End-pumped Multi-segmented Nd:YAG Laser

A composite crystalline Nd:YAG rod consisting of 5 segments with different dopant concentrations for high power diode end-pumping is presented. A maximum laser output power of 407 W with an optical-to-optical efficiency of 54 % was achieved by longitudinal pumping with a high power laser diode stack.

Brillouin scattering spectra in high-power single-frequency ytterbium doped fiber amplifiers.

We report on theoretical and experimental investigations on spontaneous and stimulated Brillouin scattering during operation of a high-power single-frequency polarization-maintaining ytterbium doped fiber amplifier. For different amplifier configurations with co- and counter-propagating seed and pump radiation the evolution of Brillouin scattering spectra was investigated with a heterodyne detection scheme. Spontaneous Brillouin gain spectra at low powers were additionally investigated using a pump-probe technique. The data obtained from these experiments have been compared with a theoretical model based on coupled intensity equations. A Brillouin scattering suppression has been investigated theoretically and experimentally with externally applied temperature gradients along the fiber resulting in up to 3.5 dB suppression and 115 W of amplifier output power.

Single-frequency master-oscillator photonic crystal fiber amplifier with 148 W output power

We report on a high-power ytterbium doped photonic crystal fiber amplifier using a single-frequency Nd:YAG non-planar ring oscillator seed source. With a large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber, operation below the threshold of stimulated Brillouin scattering is demonstrated with up to 148 W of continuous-wave output power and a slope efficiency of 75%. At maximum output power the amplified spontaneous emission was suppressed by more than 40 dB and the polarization extinction ratio was better than 22 dB. In order to investigate the overlap of the photonic crystal fiber transverse-mode with a Gaussian fundamental mode, sensitive beam quality measurements with a Fabry-Perot ring-cavity are presented.