High-power/high-brightness diode-pumped 1.9-/spl mu/m thulium and resonantly pumped 2.1-/spl mu/m holmium lasers

Author

Budni, P.A. ; Lemons, M.L. ; Mosto, J.R. ; Chicklis, E.P.

Author_Institution

Sanders Associates Inc., Nashua, NH, USA

Volume

6

Issue

4

fYear

2000

Firstpage

629

Lastpage

635

Abstract

We report high power (>36 W) with beam propagation factor M/sup 2//spl sim/2 in a diode end-pumped Tm:LiYF/sub 4/ (Tm:YLF) laser generating output near the 1.91-/spl mu/m region. Using the 1.91-/spl mu/m emission and high brightness achieved with the Tm:YLF laser we resonantly end-pump the Holmium /sup 5/I/sub 7/ manifold in Ho:YAG and demonstrate /spl sim/19 W of continuous-wave (CW) output. The diode-to-Holmium optical to-optical conversion efficiency achieved is /spl sim/18%. Using a CW pumped and repetitively Q-switched configuration, the Tm:YLF pumped Ho:YAG laser achieves >16 W of output power with an M/sup 2//spl sim/1.48 at 15 kHz. A Q-switched frequency range of 9 to >50 kHz is also achieved.

Keywords

Q-switching; brightness; holmium; optical pumping; solid lasers; 1.91 mum; 18 percent; 19 W; CW laser output; Ho:YAG laser; LiYF/sub 4/; Q-switched frequency range; Tm:LiYF/sub 4/ laser; Tm:YLF laser; YAG:Ho; YAl5O12:Ho; beam propagation factor; diode end-pumped; diode-pumped; high-brightness; high-power; holmium lasers; repetitively Q-switched configuration; resonantly pumped; Brightness; Diodes; Laser beams; Laser excitation; Optical propagation; Power generation; Power lasers; Pump lasers; Resonance; Stimulated emission;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2944.883377

Filename

883377