金属波导连续光泵气体太赫兹激光器

Optically pumped metallic waveguide cw terahertz gas laser

针对紧凑型光泵气体太赫兹激光器(OPTL)技术,设计并研制了全金属波导结构的气体太赫兹(THz)激光器原理样机.THz激光器工作介质为CH_3OH气体,最佳工作气压30 Pa,在波长9.69μm、连续功率44 W的9P(36)支CO_2激光泵浦下,实验测得在2.52 THz频点输出功率150 m W,光子转换效率为8.4%.研究THz激光输出功率与CH_3OH工作气压、泵浦光功率的关系、以及THz激光输出稳定性,并通过压电陶瓷对THz激光腔长进行精密调节,同时测量输出功率的变化情况,讨论了金属波导THz激光器的纵模特性.实验工作与结果为下一步紧凑型折叠波导腔全金属OPTL的研制提供了参考.

A prototype of optically-pumped terahertz （THz） gas laser （OPTL） with metallic waveguide was designed and manufactured. The output power of THz laser radiation is 150 mW, pumping by a 44 W, 9P36 （9.69 μm） cw CO2 laser. The THz laser medium is CHaOH vapour, and the pressure is 30 Pa. The photon conversion efficiency is 8.4%. The relationships of THz laser power versus working gas pressure and pump power are given. The stability of the output power in ten minutes was meas- ured. The variation of THz laser power was measured by adjusting the length of the THz laser cavity precisely through a piezoelectric translator. The characteristics of the longitudinal modes in the metallic waveguide THz laser are discussed. The experimental work and results are helpful for further researches on the compact folded all-metal waveguide OPTL.