Peter Dekker

Spectral characterization and diode-pumped laser performance of Yb:YCOB

Infrared and visible absorption and fluorescence spectra of the novel laser crystal Yb:Ca4YB3O10 (Yb:YCOB) were recorded and spectral parameters were calculated. Infrared laser output powers of 446mW were realized from a 1.86mm thick Yb:YCOB crystal pumped by a 1.6W fiber-coupled 976nm diode, with slope efficiency of 73% and threshold of 55mW. Self-frequency-doubled green light was also observed.

Compact Continuous-Wave Yellow Laser Based on a Self-Stimulating Raman Nd:YVO 4 Laser

We report 92mW CW yellow output from a small-scale, diode-pumped intracavity-doubled self-stimulating Raman Nd:YVO4 laser with optical efficiency of 2.2%. We believe this to be the first report of a CW self-stimulating Raman yellow laser.

Design and operation of all-solid-state, 320 mW continuous-wave yellow laser

Continuous-wave powers up to 320mW at 588 nm and quasi-cw powers up to 700mW are reported from diode-pumped Nd:GdVO4 laser with intracavity Raman-shifting (KGW) and intracavity frequency-doubling (LBO) are reported, with efficiency up to 3.2%.

Widely tunable green lasers based on the self-frequency doubling material Yb:YAB

We report widely tunable infrared (70nm) and self-frequency-doubled operation, (with 25-450mW output power), in Yb:YAB, covering the wavelengths of the copper vapor laser (510nm), Argon ion (514nm), doubled Nd:YAG (532nm) and green HeNe (543nm).

Growth and Characterization of Laser Nonlinear-Optical Crystal Yb3+:YAl3(BO3)4

A novel nonlinear-optical laser crystal, Yb3+:YAl3(BO3)4, has been grown with good optical quality by the method of high temperature flux. Room and low temperature absorption and fluorescence spectra have been measured and spectral parameters have been calculated. The ground-state energy-level splitting is 581cm−1. The emission lifetime is 0.68ms and the peak emission cross section is over 1.0×l0−20cm2. The data show that this crystal has potential as an efficient self-doubled laser operating in the green.

High Efficiency, High Power, Self-Frequency Doubled Q-Switched Operation in Yb:YAB

We report 95 % conversion from the optimised Q-switched fundamental output to green output in the self-frequency doubling material Yb:YAB. Maximum average green powers of 2.27 W were obtained at 520-522 nm.

Crystal Characterization and "Natural Quasi-Phase Matching" in Nd- and Yb:YAB

We characterize nonlinear conversion in Yb:YAB and demonstrate a simple non-destructive technique for measuring crystal quality. Imaging the nonlinear conversion onto a CCD camera we observe phase matching characteristics similar to that of quasi-phase-matched crystals.

Efficient 1181nm self-stimulating Raman output from transversely diode-pumped Nd/sup 3+/:KGd(WO/sub 4/)/sub 2/ laser

In this paper, we report 1.8% efficient, self-stimulating Raman output at 1181 nm (corresponding to the 901cm/sup -1/ Raman shift) from a transversely diode-pumped Q-switched Nd:KGW laser. The efficiency is the highest value, to our knowledge, obtained by transversely diode-pumped Nd:KGW Raman lasers.

Measurement of polarization-dependent loss mechanisms in Cr 4+ :YAG

Using a polarized pump-probe technique, we studied the continuous-wave absorption and emission polarization anisotropy of Cr4+:YAG crystals and modeled the ground state absorption and excited state absorption loss. We propose a twisted mode laser cavity to compensate for this anisotropic loss and achieve narrow linewidth output.

Coupled-cavity, single-frequency Yb:YAB yellow laser

CW single-longitudinal-mode output in the 1120–1140 nm range and self-frequencydoubling into the yellow spectral region has been observed in Yb:YAB. Excellent agreement between experiment and modelling of yellow output in a single-crystal solid-state-laser system is observed.