Laser amplifiers producing high energy (multi-J) nanosecond pulses at high repetition rate (multi-Hz) are required for a wide range of commercial and scientific applications. The DiPOLE concept, developed at the STFC Central Laser Facility (UK), consists in scalable, high-energy DPSSL amplifiers based on cryogenically-cooled, multi-slab ceramic Yb:YAG. In this work we discuss the most recent developments aimed at scaling the pulse repetition of new generation DiPOLE lasers from 10 Hz to 100 Hz. We present the design and current status of a 10 J, 100 Hz DiPOLE laser. We will discuss thermal management approaches adopted for this system.
Laser radiation in the wavelength range around 2 μm is required for its specific properties - it is very suitable for medical
applications, remote sensing, or pumping of optical parametric oscillators to generate ultrafast pulses in the mid-IR
region further exploited in nonlinear optics. Crystals as YLF, YAG, LLF, and GdVO4 doped by holmium were already
investigated and found suitable for the tunable laser generation around 2.1 mμ. Only a few works are devoted to the laser
operation of holmium-doped fluorides as CaF2. In this work, pulsed and continuous-wave laser operation of a modified-
Bridgman-grown Ho:CaF2 active crystal at room temperature is reported. A commercial 50 W 1940 nm Tm-fiber laser
was used to pump a laser oscillator based on a novel 10 mm long 0.5 at.% Ho:CaF2 active crystal placed in the Peltiercooled
holder. In the pulsed regime (10 ms, 10 Hz), the laser slope efficiency of 53 % with respect to the absorbed pump
power was achieved. The laser generated at the central wavelength of ~2085 nm with the maximum mean output power
of 365 mW corresponding to the power amplitude of 3.65 W. In the continuous wave regime, the maximum output
power was 1.11 W with the slope efficiency of 41 % with respect to the absorbed pump power. To our best knowledge
this is the first demonstration of this laser active material operating in the CW regime at room temperature. The tuning
range over 60 nm from 2034 to 2094 nm was achieved using a birefringent filter showing the possibility to develop
a mode-locked laser system generating pulses in the sub-picosecond range.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.