Title :
Characteristics and kinetics of laser-pumped Ti:sapphire oscillators
Author :
Eggleston, John M. ; DeShazer, Larry G. ; Kangas, Kenneth W.
Author_Institution :
Solidlite Corp., Redmond, WA, USA
fDate :
6/1/1988 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The experimental performance of a gain-switched Ti:sapphire laser oscillator pumped by a frequency-doubled Q-switched Nd:YAG laser system is presented for a variety of operating conditions. A theoretical model developed for this oscillator predicts well its performance. The observed curved input-output energy plots for the oscillator result from the kinetics of gain switching and fluorescence decay during the gain buildup period. Fluorescence decay also produces observed oscillator thresholds higher than those normally predicted by the standard gain-equals-loss condition. Gain-switched parasitic modes, with a higher threshold but shorter round-trip time than the resonator mode, cause the resonator mode to oscillate only over a finite range of pump energies. Spectroscopic investigations show that the Ti:sapphire cross-section spectrum is well fit by a Poisson distribution, giving a peak cross section of 3*10/sup -19/ cm/sup 2/ for the pi polarization.<>
Keywords :
fluorescence; luminescence of inorganic solids; optical pumping; sapphire; solid lasers; titanium; Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/:Ti; Poisson distribution; YAG:Nd; YAl5O12:Nd; cross-section spectrum; curved input-output energy plots; fluorescence decay; frequency-doubled Q-switched Nd:YAG laser system; gain buildup period; gain switching; gain-switched; kinetics; laser-pumped Ti:sapphire oscillators; operating conditions; oscillator thresholds; parasitic modes; peak cross section; performance; pi polarization; pump energies; resonator mode; round-trip time; threshold; Fluorescence; Frequency; Kinetic theory; Laser excitation; Laser modes; Laser theory; Oscillators; Predictive models; Pump lasers; Spectroscopy;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
