Olivier Musset

50 mJ/30 ns FTIR Q-switched diode-pumped Er:Yb:glass 1.54 μm laser

Abstract 50 mJ Q-switched output at 30 ns pulse duration was demonstrated with a transversely diode-pumped bulk Er 3+ :Yb 3+ :glass 1.54 μm laser system of uncomplicated and compact design, using a piezoelectrically driven FTIR shutter. In long-pulse operation, 360 mJ output was obtained for 2.65 J incident optical pump energy. Maximum optical slope efficiencies of 20.5% and 5.4% were measured in long-pulse and Q-switched operation, respectively. Optimum Q-switch timing was studied taking into account the Yb 3+ →Er 3+ energy transfer process and was correlated with free-running delay parameters.

Characteristics of laser operation at 1064 nm in Nd:YVO4 under diode pumping at 808 and 914 nm

A comparative study between 808 and 914 nm pumping of Nd:YVO4 crystals for laser operation at 1064 nm has been carried out. Using similar setups, performances of both configurations were first studied in the continuous wave, small-signal gain, and Q-switched regimes. Thanks to a numerical model, it is shown that fluorescence quenching and upconversion processes limit the possible uses for the 914 nm pumping scheme to regimes with low population inversions.

1.65-μm Er:Yb:YAG diode-pumped laser delivering 80-mJ pulse energy

We demonstrate efficient lasing of bulk diode-pumped Er 31 :Yb 31 :YAG at 1.645 mm. The material is transversely pumped using three quasi-cw 960-nm laser diode arrays in a simple arrangement. In the free-running mode of operation, an output pulse energy of 79 mJ is obtained at 4.7 J of incident optical pump energy. The lasing threshold lies in the range 1.0 to 1.9 J in long-pulse operation, depending on pumping conditions, and optical slope efficiencies of 2.2% to 3.4% were measured with respect to the incident pump energy. Furthermore, initial Q-switching experiments with a Co:MALO saturable absorber yielded pulses of 1.7-mJ energy and 340-ns FWHM duration. As the reported laser setup also has an uncomplicated and compact design, it represents a good crystalline rare-earth candidate system with superior material qualities to compete against the established glass-host materials in the eye-safe wavelength range.

80-mJ/1.64-μm pulsed Er:Yb:YAG diode-pumped laser

Efficient lasing at 1.645mm of bulk diode-pumped Er3+:Yb3+:YAG is demonstrated. The material is transversely pumped using three quasi-cw 960-nm laser-diode arrays in a simple arrangement. In free-running mode of operation, output pulse energy of 79mJ is obtained at 4.7J of incident optical pump energy. Lasing threshold lies in the range of 1.0-1.9J in long-pulse operation, depending on pumping conditions, while optical slope efficiencies of 2.2-3.4% were measured with respect to the incident pump energy. Furthermore, initial Q-switching experiments with a Co:MALO saturable absorber yielded pulses of 1.7mJ energy and 340ns FWHM duration. As the reported laser setup is also characterized by an uncomplicated and compact design, it represents a good crystalline rare-earth candidate system with superior material qualities to compete against the established glass-host materials in the eyesafe wavelength range.

On the potential of 914 nm pumping of Nd:YVO4 for laser operation at 1064 nm

1064 nm-Nd :YVO4 lasers were pumped at 808 nm and 914 nm. The comparative study shows that 914 nm-pumping is adapted for cw operation whereas 808 nm-pumping provides higher population inversion interesting for Q-switched operation.

Pulse timing effects in bulk Er/Yb codoped diode-pumped eyesafe lasers

In this work, diode-pumping with appropriately modulated pulses is used to expose subtle input / output pulse-timing characteristics of Er3+ /Yb3+ systems, study their relation to laser efficiency and demonstrate some unique laser-pulse timing behavior. Er+3/Yb+3 codoped glass and YAG laser-host materials with similar concentrations (optimized for eyesafe emission in the 1.6-mum region) were studied in the same diode-pumped setup, in similar resonator configurations and analogous operating conditions.

Efficient pulsed 946-nm laser emission from Nd:YAG pumped by a titanium-doped sapphire laser.

Efficient pulsed room-temperature laser emission at 946 nm is obtained from a Nd:YAG rod pumped by a Ti-doped sapphire laser in the free-running mode. Three bonded YAG rods of 3-mm diameter with different Nd concentrations and active lengths were tested. A maximum output energy of 83.5 mJ at 3 Hz was obtained with a slope efficiency of 32.3% in an end-pumping configuration.