Production of high average power UV by second-harmonic and sum-frequency generation from copper-vapor lasers

Author

Coutts, David W. ; Brown, Daniel J.W.

Author_Institution

Centre for Lasers & Applications, Macquarie Univ., Sydney, NSW, Australia

Volume

1

Issue

3

fYear

1995

fDate

9/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

768

Lastpage

778

Abstract

Progress in high average power UV generation by nonlinear frequency conversion of the output of copper-vapor lasers (CVL´s) is reviewed. The specific parameters controlling the efficiency of nonlinear frequency conversion using CVL´s are highlighted, with CVL beam quality and matching the optical beam delivery system to the characteristics of the nonlinear crystal being identified as the most significant issues. Recent experimental studies of second harmonic generation (SHG) with single-CVL oscillators and CVL oscillator-amplifier systems show that by careful optimization of the CVL pump laser and beam delivery systems, it is now possible to generate multiwatt average powers in the UV with high optical conversion efficiency (up to 35%) and overall electrical efficiency (approaching 0.1%)

Keywords

copper; gas lasers; optical harmonic generation; 0.1 percent; 35 percent; Cu; Cu-vapor lasers; beam quality; electrical efficiency; high average power UV generation; multiwatt average powers; nonlinear crystal; nonlinear frequency conversion; optical beam delivery system; optical conversion efficiency; oscillator-amplifier systems; oscillators; second-harmonic generation; sum-frequency generation; Frequency conversion; Laser beams; Laser excitation; Nonlinear control systems; Optical beams; Optical control; Optical harmonic generation; Power generation; Power lasers; Production;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2944.473658

Filename

473658