We report an all-fiber, linearly polarized, 134-W, 1064-nm fiber laser based on a three-stage Ytterbium fiber amplifier system seeded by a gain-switched diode laser with tunable pulse width from 21 to 200 ps at repetition rates of 0.5–1.5 GHz. Optical signal-to-noise ratio was more than 30 dB. Pulse bandwidth was within 1 nm at repetition rates of 0.5–1.5 GHz. The fiber laser offers excellent long term power stability.
We have built a small passively Q-switched solid-state laser with a volume of < 8 cm3 and a weight of < 20 g. The laser is passively Q-switched using a Cr4+ :YAG saturable absorber to generate pulses < 2 ns. The architecture is applied to different laser crystals such as Nd:YLF and Nd:YVO4 that produced 2 mJ at 20 Hz and 0.3 mJ at 10 kHz, respectively. The laser is side-pumped by single or stacked diode bars using a unique pump cavity to homogenize the pump intensity in the laser rod as well as make the structure alignment insensitive when subjected to shock, vibration, and thermal cycling. The laser components can easily be modified to change the output wavelength to green, UV, or mid IR.
We report on an all-fiber, actively mode-locked, tunable, Thulium-doped, fiber laser based on a 20-GHz bandwidth electro-optic intensity modulator (EOM) and a voltage driven 2-μm, intra-cavity, fiber-coupled, Fabry-Perot tunable filter (FFP-TF). The repetition rate of output pulses was 47 MHz and the shortest measured output pulse width was 445 ps. A continuous tuning range of 88 nm has been achieved from 1954 to 2042 nm with a spectral linewidth ≤0.14 nm and an optical signal-to-noise ratio <55 dB. The fiber laser offers an amplitude stability of ±0.2 dB and a wavelength stability of ±0.02 nm over 2 hours.
We report on the development of an all-fiber, 793-nm cladding-pumped tunable Tm-doped fiber laser based on a voltage driven 2-μm, intra-cavity, fiber-coupled, Fabry-Perot tunable filter. Continuous tuning over a 90-nm range has been achieved from 1952 to 2042 nm with a spectral linewidth ≤0.07 nm and an optical signal-to-noise ratio <55 dB. A wavelength stability of ±0.01 nm over a run time of 2 hours has been demonstrated. The desired wavelength from the available 90 nm of tuning range can be selected by the filter with a kHz repetition rate.
A compact laser producing green wavelength with a volume of <; 8 cm3 and a weight of < 80 g finds its application in many fields from military to space based. We built a small solid-state laser that produces 1 mJ of energy per-pulse at a 1 - 20 Hz repetition rate. The laser is passively Q-switched using a Cr4+:YAG saturable absorber to generate pulses <10 ns. A nonlinear crystal doubles the frequency to generate light at 523 nm. The laser is side-pumped by a single bar diode laser using a unique pump cavity to homogenize the pump intensity in the laser rod. The laser components can easily be modified to change the output wavelength from UV to mid IR.
A compact laser with a volume of < 8 cm3 and a weight of < 80 g finds its application in many fields from military to space based. We built a small solid-state laser that produces 1 mJ of energy per-pulse at a 1 - 20 Hz repetition rate. The laser is passively Q-switched using a Cr4+:YAG saturable absorber to generate pulses < 10 ns. A nonlinear crystal doubles the frequency to generate light at 523 nm. The laser is side-pumped by a single bar diode laser using a unique pump cavity to homogenize the pump intensity in the laser rod. The laser components can easily be modified to change the output wavelength from UV to mid IR.
Optical analog to digital conversion schemes require a sampling source of high repetition rate, low temporal jitter, low amplitude noise, and short pulse duration to achieve the desired sampling rate and number of bits of resolution. We report on the development of an actively mode-locked semiconductor external cavity laser system where the emission is comprised of multiple wavelengths nominally centered around 1.55 microns. Cavity design includes an intra-cavity grating to produce a spatially dispersed optical spectral filtering plane. Amplitude filtering in this spectral plane serves to flatten the effective gain and a rectangular aperture array selects those wavelengths which are allowed to lase. Modelocked at 311 MHz and producing 8 spectral lines, the laser provides a sampling rate of approximately 2.5 GHz. Temporal interleaving of the pulse train by factor 4 increases the sampling rate to 10 GHz.
A versatile high power Q-switched Cr:LiSAF laser system has been developed using fiber optics and a low power cw oscillator to remotely control the operating wavelength. This type of system has the advantage of eliminating lossy frequency control elements inside the high power oscillator.
An efficient, compact, tunable ultraviolet laser system has been constructed by frequency tripling a Q-switched, tunable near-infrared Cr:LiSAF laser source. The nonlinear conversion from the fundamental to the third harmonic was accomplished through second harmonic generation in lithium triborate (LBO) followed by sum frequency mixing of the fundamental and the second harmonic in beta-barium borate (BBO). Third harmonic output with this combination of nonlinear crystals has yielded 5 mJ of energy at 280 nm with an overall conversion efficiency of 7%. The Cr:LiSAF master oscillator has been modeled in detail to optimize performance. System specifications of tuning range, linewidth, output energy, temporal behavior, and repetition rate were determined by the end use application as a UV excitation source for a chemical and biological stand-off detection system.
Acceptance of fiber optic position sensors in aerospace applications will be dependent on the ability to prove reliability of the critical components and full assemblies in the expected environment. Considerations include temperature extremes and cycling, shock, vibration, altitude, humidity, corrosion, etc. This paper will present results to date on testing of sensors under some of these environmental conditions and discuss areas of prime concern toward maturing fiber sensors to full flight qualification
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