S Yu Tenyakov

Temporal compression of pulses from a 100-KHz-repetiton-rate femtosecond ytterbium laser

We report the temporal compression a femtosecond ytterbium laser pulse at a pulse repetition rate of 100 kHz using the effect of nonlinear self-phase modulation in a gas-filled capillary. A 260-fs laser pulse is compressed down to 17 fs with an energy efficiency of 40%. An average radiation power at the compressor output is 2 W. At a second compression stage, the time contrast is increased and the pulse duration is reduced in the process of the second harmonic generation in a KDP crystal. The obtained pulses have a duration of 11 fs at an efficiency of 35%.

1-kHz-repetition-rate femtosecond Raman laser

A femtosecond Raman laser utilising compressed hydrogen is experimentally investigated under pumping by radiation from a 1-kHz-repetition-rate Ti : sapphire laser. In the regime of double-pulse pumping, the conditions are determined, which correspond to the minimal energy dispersion of Stokes pulses. The optical scheme is realised, which is capable of ensuring the long-term stability of the average power of the first Stokes component with a variation of less than 2%. The Stokes pulses are produced with a pulse duration of 60 fs and energy of 0.26 mJ at a conversion efficiency of 14%.

Influence of ionizing radiation on spectroscopic properties of chromium doped forsterite laser crystals

Chromium-doped forsterite single crystals (Cr:Mg/sub 2/SiO/sub 4/) are an active medium for solid-state lasers tunable near-IR region with use of Cr/sup 4+/ and Cr/sup 3+/ ions as active centers. The influence of high-energy electrons irradiation on absorption and luminescence spectra of Cr/sup 3+/- and Cr/sup 4+/-ions in forsterite laser crystals has been studied for the first time. The crystals were irradiated by 21 MeV electrons with fluence varied within the range 7/spl middot/10/sup 13//2/spl middot/10/sup 15/ cm/sup -2/. Gamma irradiation of the crystals with 1 MeV energy and a dose up to 3/spl middot/10/sup 5/ Gy had also been performed.

Pulsed and cw lasing in a new Cr{sup 3+}:Li:Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} laser crystal

CW and pulsed lasing is obtained for the first time in Cr{sup 3+} ions in a forsterite (Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}) crystal codoped with lithium ions. Pulsed lasing is tunable in the spectral range from 1030 to 1180 nm. (lasers)CW and pulsed lasing is obtained for the first time in Cr3+ ions in a forsterite (Mg2SiO4) crystal codoped with lithium ions. Pulsed lasing is tunable in the spectral range from 1030 to 1180 nm.