We demonstrate an external-cavity KGd(WO4)2 (KGW) Raman laser, pumped by an actively Q-switch Tm:YLF MOPA. The fundamental spectral line emitting at 1881 nm allowed the KGW bi-axial crystal to lase at two separate output spectral lines, 2198 and 2265 nm, depending on the seed polarization axis relative to the KGW's axis. The Tm:YLF seed was amplified using a double-pass Tm:YLF crystal based MOPA setup. After amplification, the seed achieved an output power of 9.15 W, and an energy pulse of 4.57 mJ, a pulse duration of 43 ns at a repetition rate of 2 kHz. The max output average power achieved for the 2265 nm was 1.85 W, with a pulse energy of 0.923 mJ at a repetition rate of 2 kHz implying a conversion efficiency of ~20.5%. We noticed a very low conversion efficiency of the shorter KGW spectral shift (at 2198 nm). The reason for this efficiency drop was validated to be the 2nd stokes forming and thus consuming the 1st stokes energy. In favor of the KGW inherent properties and according to the aforementioned results, this crystal appears to be suitable for power scaling as well as for improvement of the Raman conversion efficiency in this spectral range. The KGW crystal is well known for its use in shorter spectral wavelengths. To the best of our knowledge, it is the highest average power achieved by lasing in the 2 μm region using SRS with KGW.
We report a simple robust and broadly spectral-adjustable source generating near fully compressed 1053 nm 62 fs pulses directly out of a highly-nonlinear photonic crystal fiber. A dispersion-nonlinearity balance of 800 nm Ti:Sa 20 fs pulses was obtained initially by negative pre-chirping and then launching the pulses into the fibers' normal dispersion regime. Following a self-phase modulation spectral broadening, some energy that leaked below the zero dispersion point formed a soliton whose central wavelength could be tuned by Self-Frequency-Raman-Shift effect. Contrary to a common approach of power, or, fiber-length control over the shift, here we continuously varied the state of polarization, exploiting the Raman and Kerr nonlinearities responsivity for state of polarization. We obtained soliton pulses with central wavelength tuned over 150 nm, spanning from well below 1000 to over 1150 nm, of which we could select stable pulses around the 1 μm vicinity. With linewidth of > 20 nm FWHM Gaussian-like temporal-shape pulses with ∼ 62 fs duration and near flat phase structure we confirmed high quality pulse source. We believe such scheme can be used for high energy or high power glass lasers systems, such as Nd or Yb ion-doped amplifiers and systems.
Conference Committee Involvement (1)
Ultrafast Optics 2017
8 October 2017 | Jackson Hole, Wyoming, United States
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