Super-resolution scanning laser microscopy with a third-order optical nonlinear thin film

In a configuration of optical far-field scanning microscopy, super-resolution achieved by inserting a third-order optical nonlinear thin film is demonstrated and analyzed in terms of the frequency response function. Without the thin film the microscopy is diffraction limited; thus, subwavelength features cannot be resolved. With the nonlinear thin film inserted, the resolution is dramatically improved and thus the microscopy resolves features significantly smaller than the smallest spacing allowed by the diffraction limit. A theoretical model is established and the device is analyzed for the frequency response function. The results show that the frequency response function exceeds the cutoff spatial frequency of the microscopy defined by the laser wavelength and the numerical aperture of the convergent lens. The main contribution to the improvement of the cutoff spatial frequency is from the phase change induced by the complex transmission of the nonlinear thin film. Experimental results are presented and are shown to be consistent with the results of theoretical simulations.

A planar waveguide Nd : YAG laser using active Q-switching of a hybrid unstable resonator

A planar waveguide laser operating in a negative branch unstable resonator is Q-switched by an acoustooptic mod latorin anew configuration, providing effective, high-speed switching. The laser using a 200-mu m Nd:YAG core, face pumped by 10 laser diode bars, has produced 100-W output in a good beam quality at 100-kHz pulse rate, and 4.5 mJ at lower frequency with 15-ns pulse duration.

All solid-state, injection-seeded Ti:sapphire ring laser

In this letter, we present an all solid-state, injection-seeded Ti:sapphire laser. The laser is pumped by a laser diode pumped frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser, and injection-seeded by an external cavity laser diode with the wavelength between 770 and 780 nm. The single longitude mode and the doubling efficiency of the laser are obtained after injection seeding. The experimental setup and relative results are reported. It is a good candidate laser source for mobile differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system.

The analysis of the transient temperature distribution of double-slab Nd:YAG laser medium

A novel double-slab Nd:YAG laser, which uses face-pumped slab medium cooled by liquid with different temperatures on both sides, is proposed. The thermal distortion of wavefront caused by the non-uniform temperature distribution in the laser gain media can be self-compensated. According to the method of operation, the models of the temperature distribution and stress are presented, and the analytic solutions for the model are derived. Furthermore, the numerical simulations with pulse pumping energy of 10 J and repetition frequencies of 500 and 1000 Hz are calculated respectively for Nd:YAG laser medium. The simulation results show that the temperature gradient remains the approximative linearity, and the heat stress is within the extreme range. Then the absorption coefficient is also discussed. The result indicates that the doping concentration cannot be too large for the high repetition frequency laser. It has been proved that the high repetition frequency, high laser beam quality, and high average output power of the order of kilowatt of Nd: YAG slab laser can be achieved in this structure.

A compact diode-pumped injection seeded Nd : YAG laser with resonance-detection technique

A diode pumped injection seeded single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) Nd:YAG laser is achieved by using the resonance-detection technique in Q-switching operation. The pulsed oscillator laser uses a folded cavity to achieve compact construction. This system operates at 100 Hz and provides over 20 mJ/pulse of single-frequency 1064 nm output. The M-2 values of horizontal and vertical axes are 1.58 and 1.41, respectively. The probability of putting out single-longitudinal-mode pulses is 100%. The 355 nm laser output produced by frequency tripling has a linewidth less than 200 MHz. The laser can run over eight hours continually without mode hopping.

Highly efficient diode side-pumped Nd : YAG ceramic laser with 210W output power

We developed a highly efficient diode side-pumped Nd:YAG ceramic laser with a diffusive reflector as an optical pump cavity. A maximum output power of 211.6W was obtained with an optical -to- optical conversion efficiency of 48.7%. This corresponds to the highest conversion efficiency in the side-pumped ceramic rod. Thermal effects of the Nd:YAG ceramic rod were analyzed in detail through the measurements of laser output powers and beam profiles near the critically unstable region. A M-2 beam quality factor of 18.7 was obtained at the maximum laser output power. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical and experimental analysis on green laser crystallization of amorphous silicon thin films

The effect of laser fluence on the crystallization of amorphous silicon irradiated by a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser is studied both theoretically and experimentally. An effective numerical model is set up to predict the melting threshold and the optimized laser fluence for the crystallization of 200-nm-thick amorphous silicon. The variation of the temperature distribution with time and the melt depth is analyzed. Besides the model, the Raman spectra of thin films treated with different fluences are measured to confirm the phase transition and to determine the optimized fluence. The calculating results accord well with those obtained from the experimental data in this research. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intense frequency upconversion luminescence in Yb3+/Tm3+-codoped oxychloride germanate glasses

Yb3+/Tm3+-codoped oxychloride germanate glasses for developing potential upconversion lasers have been fabricated and characterized. Structural properties were obtained based on the Raman spectra analysis, indicating that PbCl2 plays an important role in the formation of glass network and has an important influence on the maximum phonon energies of host glasses. Intense blue and weak red emissions centered at 477 and 650 nm, corresponding to the transitions (1)G(4) -> H-3(6) and (1)G(4) -> H-3(4), respectively, were observed at room temperature. With increasing PbCl2 content, the intensity of blue (477 nm) emission increases significantly, while the red (650 nm) emission increases slowly. The results indicate that PbCl2 has more influence on the blue emissions than the red emission in oxychloride germanate glasses. The possible upconversion mechanisms are discussed and estimated. Intense blue upconversion luminescence indicates that these oxychloride germanate glasses can be used as potential host material for upconversion lasers. C (c) 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.

Frequency up-conversion properties of Er3(+)-doped TeO2-ZnO-PbCl2 oxyhalide tellurite glasses

This paper reports on the successful preparation and a detailed study on the up-conversion properties of Er3+ -doped TeO2-ZnO-PbCl2 oxylialide tellurite glasses. Three intense emissions centered at around 527, 549 and 666 nm have been clearly observed under 977 nm excitation and the involved mechanisms have been explained. The green emissions centered at 527 and 549 nin are due to the H-2(11/2 ->) I-4(15/2) and S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2) transitions, and the red up-conversion emission centered at 666 nm is associated with the F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2) transitions of Er3+ ions, respectively. The quadratic dependence of fluorescence on excitation laser power confirm that two-photons contribute to up-conversion of the green-red emissions. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient frequency upconversion emission in Er3+-doped novel strontium lead bismuth glass

Er3+ -doped strontium lead bismuth glass for developing upconversion lasers has been fabricated and characterized. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Omega(1) (t = 2,4,6), calculated based on the experimental absorption spectrum and Judd-Ofelt theory, were found to be Omega(2) = 2.95 x 10(-20), Omega(4) = 0-91 X 10(-20), and Omega(6) = 0.36 x 10(-20) cm(2). Under 975 nm excitation, intense green and red emissions centered at 525, 546, and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(11/2) --> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) I-4(15/2), and F-4(9/2) --> I-4(15/2) respectively were observed. The upconversion mechanisms are discussed based oil the energy matching and quadratic dependence on excitation power, and the dominant mechanisms are excited state absorption and energy transfer upconversion for the green and red emissions. The long-lived I-4(11/2) level is supposed to serve as the intermediate state responsible for the upconversion processes. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Host dependent frequency upconversion of Er3+-doped oxyfluoride germanate glass

Er3+-doped oxyfluoride germanate glasses have been synthesized by the conventional melting and quenching method. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters were calculated based on the Judd-Ofelt theory and absorption spectra measurements. With the substitution of PbF2 for PbO, the Omega(2) parameter decreases, while the Omega(6) parameter increases. These change trends indicate that fluoride anions come to coordinate erbium cations and the covalency of the Er-O bond decreases. Structural and thermal stability properties were obtained by Raman spectra and differential thermal analysis, indicating that PbF2 plays an important role in the formation of glass network and has an important influence on the maximum phonon energy and thermal stability of host glasses. Intense green and red emissions centered at 525, 546, and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were simultaneously observed at room temperature. With increasing PbF2 content, the intensity of red (657nm) emissions increases significantly, while that of the green (525 and 546nm) emission increases slightly. The results indicate that PbF, has more influence on the red (657nm) emission than the green (525 and 546nm) emissions in oxyfluoride germanate glasses. The possible upconversion luminescence mechanisms have also been estimated and discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intense frequency upconversion fluorescence emission of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped oxychloride germanate glass

Structural and frequency upconversion fluorescence properties of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped oxychloride germanate glasses have been investigated. The Raman spectrum investigation indicates that PbCl2 plays an important role in the formation of glass network and has an important influence on the upconversion luminescence. Intense green and red emissions centered at 525, 546 and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2) and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were observed at room temperature. The possible upconversion mechanism was also estimated and evaluated. Intense upconversion luminescence indicates that Er3+/Yb3+-codoped oxychloride germanate glass is a promising laser material. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Frequency upconversion fluorescence emission of Er3+-doped oxychloride germanate glass

Frequency upconversion fluorescence property of Er3+-doped oxychloride germanate glass is investigated. Intense green and red emissions centred at 525, 546, and 657nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> 4I(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were simultaneously observed at room temperature. The quadratic dependence of the 525, 546, and 657nm emissions on excitation power indicates that a two-photon absorption process occurs under 975nm laser diode (LD) excitation. The Raman spectrum investigation indicates that oxychloride germanate glass has the maximum phonon energy at similar to 805 cm(-1). The thermal stability of this oxychloride germanate glass is evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal stability factor Delta T (Delta T = T-x-T-g) is 187 degrees C. Intense upconversion luminescence and good thermal stability indicate that Er3+-doped oxychloride germanate glass is a promising upconversion laser material.

A novel optical subdivision method for dual-frequency interferometer

The theory of optical subdivision techniques of dual-frequency laser interferometers is stated. And a novel optical subdivision technique is proposed originally to enhance resolution of a commercial interferometer by adding some corner-cubes. Then the performance of the interferometer is tested. The interferometer resolution of 1.24 nm and the average error of below 2 nm are achieved by using the technique. The most novel of the optical subdivision technique is without lambda/4 plates. It is less sensitive to environmental changes, it has prodigious potential to improve resolution farther and it can reduce polarization mixing error. (C) 2007 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Growth of excellent-quality Nd : LuVO4 single crystal and laser properties

High-quality Nd:LuVO4 single crystal was successfully grown by Czochralski method. The assessment of the crystalline quality by the chemical etching method and Conoscope image was reported. The absorption spectra from 300 to 1000 nm and emission spectra from 960 to 1450 nm of Nd: LuVO4 were measured. Laser performance was achieved with Nd:LUVO4 crystal for the transition of F-4(3/2) -> I-4(11/2) (corresponding wavelength 1065.8 nm) in an actively Q-switched operation, and the average output power reached 5.42 W at a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 40 kHz under pump power of 18 W, giving an optical conversion efficiency of 30.1%. The pulse energy and peak power reached 138 mu J and 16.2 kW at PRF of 25 kHz under pump power of 14.2 W, and the pulse duration was 8.5 ns. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.