N G Zakharov

Optical properties and efficient laser oscillation at 2066 nm of novel Tm:Lu 2 O 3 ceramics

Structural, optical, and spectroscopic properties of novel Tm3+:Lu2O3 ceramics are studied. The average grain size is determined to be ~0.54-0.56 μm. The absorption spectra show good opportunities for diode pumping at 796 nm and 811 nm. The ceramics have high mid-IR transmittance of up to 7 μm. Strong luminescence lines are measured at 1942 nm, 1965 nm, and 2066 nm. CW laser operation at 2066 nm with an output power of up to 26 W and a slope efficiency of 42% is obtained. Q-switched operation with a pulse duration of 100-150 ns and a repetition rate of 5-10 kHz is achieved.

The high-energy system of the master oscillator-power amplifier based on the Ho:YAG crystal

The numerical modeling and the experimental research of the Ho: YAG system are done, which consists of the master oscillator and three power amplifiers. The doping level influence of the active elements on the laser oscillator work is researched. The conversion efficiency of the pumping reached 10% when the pulse repetition rate was about 100 Hz. The beam propagation-factor is ~ 1.3.

Holmium laser with an acousto-optic paratellurite filter

Experimental results on a solid-state holmium laser (Ho : YAG) with an intracavity acousto-optic paratellurite filter are presented. The laser power in cw and repetitively pulsed regimes is determined experimentally. It is shown that the use of an acoustooptic filter in the Ho : YAG laser cavity makes it possible to solve several important problems such as obtaining repetitively pulsed lasing, wavelength tuning and linearly polarised emission.

Efficient and compact pulse-periodic Cr2+:CdSe laser emitting in the wavelength regions of 2.8 and 3.3 µm

Pulse-periodic lasing at wavelengths of 2.8 and 3.3 µm is obtained in the Cr2+:CdSe single-crystal laser. In the region of 2.8 µm, the pumping conversion is 28% (more than 50% of the absorbed energy). In the region of 3.3 µm, lasing is achieved at several tunable narrow lines appropriate for using in remote lidars. The pumping conversion in this spectral region is more than 17% (more than 30% of absorbed energy).

High efficiency 2066-nm laser based on Tm:Lu 2 O 3 ceramics

Two-micron laser sources are very attractive for many applications, such as medical surgery, atmospheric wind lidar, gas detection, or pumping of mid-IR optical parametric oscillators [1]. Tm-doped materials (crystals or glass fibers) enabling generation at 1.8–2.1 µm provide a good opportunity for creation of the laser sources. The efficient cross-relaxation populating of the upper 2-µm laser level in addition to pumping of the Tm-doped materials by commercially available laser diodes at 800 nm is their important advantage.

Two-micron lasing in NaLa{sub 1/2}Gd{sub 1/2}(WO{sub 4}){sub 2} crystals doped with Tm{sup 3+} ions

Lasing on the 3F4→3H6 transition of Tm3+ ions in Tm3+:NaLa1/2Gd1/2(WO4)2 crystals pumped by a diode laser is obtained for the first time. The π- and σ-polarised laser radiation at wavelengths of 1908 and 1918 nm was generated with a slope efficiency of 28% and 25%, respectively.