Wavelength-interval switchable Brillouin–Raman random fiber laser through Brillouin pump manipulation

A wavelength-interval switchable Brillouin–Raman random fiber laser(BRRFL) based on Brillouin pump(BP) manipulation is proposed in this paper. The proposed wavelength-interval switchable BRRFL has a full-open cavity configuration, featuring multiwavelength output with wavelength interval of double Brillouin frequency shifts. Through simultaneously injecting the BP light and its first-order stimulated Brillouin-scattered light into the cavity, the laser output exhibits a wavelength interval of single Brillouin frequency shift. The wavelength-interval switching effect can be manipulated by controlling the power of the first-order stimulated Brillouin scattering light. The experimental results show the multiwavelength output can be switched between double Brillouin frequency shift multiwavelength emission with a broad bandwidth of approximately 60 nm and single Brillouin frequency shift multiwavelength emission of 44 nm. The flexible optically controlled random fiber laser with switchable wavelength interval makes it useful for a wide range of applications and holds significant potential in the field of wavelength-division multiplexing optical communication.

Underwater four-quadrant dual-beam circumferential scanning laser fuze using nonlinear adaptive backscatter filter based on pauseable SAF-LMS algorithm

The phenomenon of a target echo peak overlapping with the backscattered echo peak significantly undermines the detection range and precision of underwater laser fuzes.To overcome this issue,we propose a four-quadrant dual-beam circumferential scanning laser fuze to distinguish various interference signals and provide more real-time data for the backscatter filtering algorithm.This enhances the algorithm loading capability of the fuze.In order to address the problem of insufficient filtering capacity in existing linear backscatter filtering algorithms,we develop a nonlinear backscattering adaptive filter based on the spline adaptive filter least mean square(SAF-LMS)algorithm.We also designed an algorithm pause module to retain the original trend of the target echo peak,improving the time discrimination accuracy and anti-interference capability of the fuze.Finally,experiments are conducted with varying signal-to-noise ratios of the original underwater target echo signals.The experimental results show that the average signal-to-noise ratio before and after filtering can be improved by more than31 d B,with an increase of up to 76%in extreme detection distance.

Recent developments in selective laser processes for wearable devices

Recently,the increasing interest in wearable technology for personal healthcare and smart virtual/augmented reality applications has led to the development of facile fabrication methods.Lasers have long been used to develop original solutions to such challenging technological problems due to their remote,sterile,rapid,and site-selective processing of materials.In this review,recent developments in relevant laser processes are summarized under two separate categories.First,transformative approaches,such as for laser-induced graphene,are introduced.In addition to design optimization and the alteration of a native substrate,the latest advances under a transformative approach now enable more complex material compositions and multilayer device configurations through the simultaneous transformation of heterogeneous precursors,or the sequential addition of functional layers coupled with other electronic elements.In addition,the more conventional laser techniques,such as ablation,sintering,and synthesis,can still be used to enhance the functionality of an entire system through the expansion of applicable materials and the adoption of new mechanisms.Later,various wearable device components developed through the corresponding laser processes are discussed,with an emphasis on chemical/physical sensors and energy devices.In addition,special attention is given to applications that use multiple laser sources or processes,which lay the foundation for the all-laser fabrication of wearable devices.

Vulnerability assessment of UAV engine to laser based on improved shotline method

Laser anti-drone technology is entering the sequence of actual combat,and it is necessary to consider the vulnerability of typical functional parts of UAVs.Since the concept of"vulnerability"was proposed,a variety of analysis programs for battlefield targets to traditional weapons have been developed,but a comprehensive assessment methodology for targets'vulnerability to laser is still missing.Based on the shotline method,this paper proposes a method that equates laser beam to shotline array,an efficient vulnerability analysis program of target to laser is established by this method,and the program includes the circuit board and the wire into the vulnerability analysis category,which improves the precision of the vulnerability analysis.Taking the UAV engine part as the target of vulnerability analysis,combine with the"life-death unit method"to calculate the laser penetration rate of various materials of the UAV,and the influence of laser weapon system parameters and striking orientation on the killing probability is quantified after introducing the penetration rate into the vulnerability analysis program.The quantitative analysis method proposed in this paper has certain general expansibility,which can provide a fresh idea for the vulnerability analysis of other targets to laser.

A High-Resolution Measurement Method for Inner and Outer 3D Surface Profiles of Laser Fusion Targets Using a Laser Differential Confocal–Atomic Force Probe Technique

The high-resolution and nondestructive co-reference measurement of the inner and outer threedimensional(3D)surface profiles of laser fusion targets is difficult to achieve.In this study,we propose a laser differential confocal(LDC)–atomic force probe(AFP)method to measure the inner and outer 3D surface profiles of laser fusion targets at a high resolution.This method utilizes the LDC method to detect the deflection of the AFP and exploits the high spatial resolution of the AFP to enhance the spatial resolution of the outer profile measurement.Nondestructive and co-reference measurements of the inner profile of a target were achieved using the tomographic characteristics of the LDC method.Furthermore,by combining multiple repositionings of the target using a horizontal slewing shaft,the inner and outer 3D surface profiles of the target were obtained,along with a power spectrum assessment of the entire surface.The experimental results revealed that the respective axial and lateral resolutions of the outer profile measurement were 0.5 and 1.3 nm,while the respective axial and lateral resolutions of the inner profile measurement were 2.0 nm and approximately 400.0 nm.The repeatabilities of the rootmean-square deviation measurements for the outer and inner profiles of the target were 2.6 and 2.4 nm,respectively.We believe our study provides a promising method for the high-resolution and nondestructive co-reference measurement of the inner and outer 3D profiles of laser fusion targets.

Femtosecond laser fabrication of 3D vertically aligned micro-pore network on thick-film Li_(4)Ti_(5)O_(12)electrode for high-performance lithium storage

The development of energy storage devices with high energy density relies heavily on thick film electrodes,but it is challenging due to the limited ion transport kinetics inherent in thick electrodes.Here,we report on the preparation of a directional vertical array of micro-porous transport networks on LTO electrodes using a femtosecond laser processing strategy,enabling directional ion rapid transport and achieving good electrochemical performance in thick film electrodes.Various three-dimensional(3D)vertically aligned micro-pore networks are innovatively designed,and the structure,kinetics characteristics,and electrochemical performance of the prepared ion transport channels are analyzed and discussed by multiple characterization and testing methods.Furthermore,the rational mechanisms of electrode performance improvement are studied experimentally and simulated from two aspects of structural mechanics and transmission kinetics.The ion diffusion coefficient,rate performance at 60 C,and electrode interface area of the laser-optimized 60-15%micro-porous transport network electrodes increase by 25.2 times,2.2 times,and 2.15 times,respectively than those of untreated electrodes.Therefore,the preparation of 3D micro-porous transport networks by femtosecond laser on ultra-thick electrodes is a feasible way to develop high-energy batteries.In addition,the unique micro-porous transport network structure can be widely extended to design and explore other high-performance energy materials.

Flexible ureteroscopic treatment of kidney stones: How do the new laser systems change our concepts?

Objective: Flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) has become a widely accepted and effective technique for treating kidney stones. With the development of new laser systems, the fURS approach has evolved significantly. This literature review aims to examine the current state of knowledge on fURS treatment of kidney stones, with a particular focus on the impact of the latest laser technologies on clinical outcomes and patient safety.Methods: We conducted a search of the PubMed/PMC, Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, Embase (Ovid), and Cochrane Databases for all randomized controlled trial articles on laser lithotripsy in September 2023 without time restriction.Results: We found a total of 22 relevant pieces of literature. Holmium laser has been used for intracavitary laser lithotripsy for nearly 30 years and has become the golden standard for the treatment of urinary stones. However, the existing holmium laser cannot completely powder the stone, and the retropulsion of the stone after the laser emission and the thermal damage to the tissue have caused many problems for clinicians. The introduction of thulium fiber laser and Moses technology brings highly efficient dusting lithotripsy effect through laser innovation, limiting pulse energy and broadening pulse frequency.Conclusion: While the holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser remains the primary choice for endoscopic laser lithotripsy, recent technological advancements hint at a potential new gold standard. Parameter range, retropulsion effect, laser fiber adaptability, and overall system performance demand comprehensive attention. The ablation efficacy of high-pulse-frequency devices relies on precise targeting, which may pose practical challenges.

Internal phase control of fiber laser array based on photodetector array

Coherent beam combining(CBC) of fiber laser array is a promising technique to realize high output power while maintaining near diffraction-limited beam quality. To implement CBC, an appropriate phase control feedback structure should be established to realize phase-locking. In this paper, an innovative internal active phase control CBC fiber laser array based on photodetector array is proposed. The dynamic phase noises of the laser amplifiers are compensated before being emitted into free space. And the static phase difference compensation of emitting laser array is realized by interference measurement based on photodetector array. The principle of the technique is illustrated and corresponding simulations are carried out, and a CBC system with four laser channels is built to verify the technique. When the phase controllers are turned on, the phase deviation of the laser array is less than λ/20, and ~ 95% fringe contrast of the irradiation distribution is obtained. The technique proposed in this paper could provide a reference for the system design of a massive high-power CBC system.

Memristive feature and mechanism induced by laser-doping in defect-free 2D semiconductor materials

Memristors as non-volatile memory devices have gained numerous attentions owing to their advantages in storage,in-memory computing, synaptic applications, etc. In recent years, two-dimensional(2D) materials with moderate defects have been discovered to exist memristive feature. However, it is very difficult to obtain moderate defect degree in 2D materials, and studied on modulation means and mechanism becomes urgent and essential. In this work, we realized memristive feature with a bipolar switching and a configurable on/off ratio in a two-terminal MoS_(2) device(on/off ratio ~100), for the first time, from absent to present using laser-modulation to few-layer defect-free MoS_(2)(about 10 layers), and its retention time in both high resistance state and low resistance state can reach 2×10^(4) s. The mechanism of the laser-induced memristive feature has been cleared by dynamic Monte Carlo simulations and first-principles calculations. Furthermore, we verified the universality of the laser-modulation by investigating other 2D materials of TMDs. Our work will open a route to modulate and optimize the performance of 2D semiconductor memristive devices.

975 nm multimode semiconductor lasers with high-order Bragg diffraction gratings

The 975 nm multimode diode lasers with high-order surface Bragg diffraction gratings have been simulated and calcu-lated using the 2D finite difference time domain(FDTD)algorithm and the scattering matrix method(SMM).The periods and etch depth of the grating parameters have been optimized.A board area laser diode(BA-LD)with high-order diffraction grat-ings has been designed and fabricated.At output powers up to 10.5 W,the measured spectral width of full width at half maxi-mum(FWHM)is less than 0.5 nm.The results demonstrate that the designed high-order surface gratings can effectively nar-row the spectral width of multimode semiconductor lasers at high output power.

Broadband bidirectional Brillouin–Raman random fiber laser with ultra-narrow linewidth

We present a Brillouin–Raman random fiber laser(BRRFL)with full-open linear cavity structure to generate broadband Brillouin frequency comb(BFC)with double Brillouin-frequency-shift spacing.The incorporation of a regeneration portion consisting of an erbium-doped fiber and a single-mode fiber enables the generation of broadband BFC.The dynamics of broadband BFC generation changing with the pump power(EDF and Raman)and Brillouin pump(BP)wavelength are investigated in detail,respectively.Under suitable conditions,the bidirectional BRRFL proposed can produce a flatamplitude BFC with 40.7-nm bandwidth ranging from 1531 nm to 1571.7 nm,and built-in 242-order Brillouin Stokes lines(BSLs)with double Brillouin-frequency-shift spacing.Moreover,the linewidth of single BSL is experimentally measured to be about 2.5 kHz.The broadband bidirectional narrow-linewidth BRRFL has great potential applications in optical communication,optical sensing,spectral measurement,and so on.

The Effects of Laser Therapy in Treating Hypertrophic Scars and Keloids after Median Sternotomy:A Scoping Review

Background:Hypertrophic scars and keloids,common complications following median sternotomy for cardiac surgery,significantly impact patient quality of life due to their aesthetic and symptomatic burden.Recent advancements in laser therapy have made it a prominent option for managing these complex scars,yet a com-prehensive understanding of its efficacy is lacking.The aim of this scoping review is to explore the effects of laser therapy in managing hypertrophic scars and keloids after median sternotomy.Methods:This scoping review ana-lyzed studies up to February 2024 from databases including PubMed,EMBASE,CINAHL,Scopus,Web of Science,and the Cochrane Library.We included any study that assessed laser therapy’s effects on hypertrophic scars and keloids following median sternotomy.Studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria with-out publication year,design,or origin restrictions.Results:Six studies met the inclusion criteria,involving a total offive RCTs and one review.These studies primarily tested 585 and 595-nm pulsed dye laser(PDL)treatments,focusing on scar appearance,patient symptoms,and treatment satisfaction.Most studies reported significant improvements in scar height reduction and patient symptom relief after treatment,with mixed results for scar erythema and elasticity.Adverse events were generally mild and transient.Conclusions:Laser therapy offers a beneficial approach for improving the appearance and symptoms of hypertrophic scars and keloids post-median sternotomy.However,further research is necessary to optimize treatment parameters and explore the long-term psychosocial impacts of this therapy.This review highlights the need for more comprehensive studies to establish standardized treatment protocols and evaluate their effectiveness.

Short-term effectiveness of intelligent navigated laser photocoagulation versus subthreshold micropulse laser in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

AIM:To compare the short-term effectiveness of intelligent navigated laser photocoagulation and 577-nm subthreshold micropulse laser(SML)treatment in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy(cCSC).METHODS:This observational retrospective cohort study included 60 consecutive patients who underwent intelligent navigated laser photocoagulation(n=30)or 577-nm SML treatment(n=30)for cCSC between Jan.2021 and Oct.2022.During 3mo follow-up,all patients underwent assessments of best correct visual acuity(BCVA)and optical coherence tomography(OCT).RESULTS:The operation of laser treatment was successful in all cases.At 1mo,BCVA improved significantly more in the intelligent navigated laser photocoagulation group compared to the SML group(P<0.05).The change was not significantly different at 3mo(P>0.05).Central macular thickness(CMT)in the intelligent navigated laser photocoagulation group was lower than in the SML group at 1mo(P<0.05).The subfoveal choroidal thickness(SFCT)in two groups were all significantly improved at 3mo(all P<0.05).The change between two groups was not significantly different at 1mo or at 3mo(P>0.05).CONCLUSION:Intelligent navigated laser photocoagulation is superior to SML for treating cCSC,leading to better improvements in vision and CMT for short term.

Spectral characteristics of laser-plasma instabilities with a broadband laser

Recent experimental progresses regarding broadband laser-plasma instabilities(LPIs)show that a 0.6%laser bandwidth can reduce backscatters of the stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS)and the stimulated Raman scattering(SRS)at normal incidence[Phys.Rev.Lett.132035102(2024)].In this paper,we present a further discussion of the spectral distributions of the scatters developed by broadband LPIs,in addition to a brief validation of the effectiveness of bandwidth on LPIs mitigation at oblique incidence.SBS backscatter has a small redshift in the broadband case contrary to the blueshift with narrowband laser,which may be explained by the self-cross beam energy transfer between the various frequency components within the bandwidth.SRS backscatter spectrum presents a peak at a longer wavelength in the broadband case compared to the short one in the narrowband case,which is possibly attributed to the mitigation effect of bandwidth on filaments at underdense plasmas.The three-halves harmonic emission(3ω/2)has a one-peak spectral distribution under the broadband condition,which is different from the two-peak distribution under the narrowband condition,and may be related to the spectral mixing of different frequency components within the bandwidth if the main sources of the two are both two-plasmon decays.

High performance micromachining of sapphire by laser induced plasma assisted ablation(LIPAA)using GHz burst mode femtosecond pulses

GHz burst-mode femtosecond(fs)laser,which emits a series of pulse trains with extremely short intervals of several hundred picoseconds,provides distinct characteristics in materials processing as compared with the conventional irradiation scheme of fs laser(single-pulse mode).In this paper,we take advantage of the moderate pulse interval of 205 ps(4.88 GHz)in the burst pulse for high-quality and high-efficiency micromachining of single crystalline sapphire by laser induced plasma assisted ablation(LIPAA).Specifically,the preceding pulses in the burst generate plasma by ablation of copper placed behind the sapphire substrate,which interacts with the subsequent pulses to induce ablation at the rear surface of sapphire substrates.As a result,not only the ablation quality but also the ablation efficiency and the fabrication resolution are greatly improved compared to the other schemes including single-pulse mode fs laser direct ablation,single-pulse mode fs-LIPAA,and nanosecond-LIPAA.

Selective Laser Melting of Novel SiC and TiC Strengthen 7075 Aluminum Powders for Anti-Cracks Application

The aerospace and military sectors have widely used AA7075, a type of 7075 aluminum alloy, due to its exceptional mechanical performance. Selective laser melting (SLM) is a highly effective method for producing intricate metallic components, particularly in the case of aluminum alloys like Al-Si-Mg. Nevertheless, the production of high-strength AA7075 by SLM is challenging because of its susceptibility to heat cracking and elemental vaporization. In this study, AA7075 powders were mechanically mixed with SiC and TiC particles. Subsequently, this new type of AA7075 powder was effectively utilized in green laser printing to create solid components with fine-grain strengthening microstructures consisting of equiaxial grains. These as-printed parts exhibit a tensile strength of up to 350 MPa and a ductility exceeding 2.1%. Hardness also increases with the increasing content of mixed powder, highlighting the essential role of SiC and TiC in SLM for improved hardness and tensile strength performance. .

Influence of layer thickness on formation quality,microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of WE43 magnesium alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)of Mg alloys has provided tremendous opportunities for customized production of aeronautical and medical parts.Layer thickness(LT)is of great significance to the L-PBF process but has not been studied for Mg alloys.In this study,WE43 Mg alloy bulk cubes,porous scaffolds,and thin walls with layer thicknesses of 10,20,30,and 40μm were fabricated.The required laser energy input increased with increasing layer thickness and was different for the bulk cubes and porous scaffolds.Porosity tended to occur at the connection joints in porous scaffolds for LT40 and could be eliminated by reducing the laser energy input.For thin wall parts,a large overhang angle or a small wall thickness resulted in porosity when a large layer thicknesses was used,and the porosity disappeared by reducing the layer thickness or laser energy input.A deeper keyhole penetration was found in all occasions with porosity,explaining the influence of layer thickness,geometrical structure,and laser energy input on the porosity.All the samples achieved a high fusion quality with a relative density of over 99.5%using the optimized laser energy input.The increased layer thickness resulted to more precipitation phases,finer grain sizes and decreased grain texture.With the similar high fusion quality,the tensile strength and elongation of bulk samples were significantly improved from 257 MPa and 1.41%with the 10μm layer to 287 MPa and 15.12%with the 40μm layer,in accordance with the microstructural change.The effect of layer thickness on the compressive properties of porous scaffolds was limited.However,the corrosion rate of bulk samples accelerated with increasing the layer thickness,mainly attributed to the increased number of precipitation phases.

Diagnosis of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the stomach by confocal laser endomicroscopy:A case report

BACKGROUND In recent years,confocal laser endomicroscopy(CLE)has become a new endoscopic imaging technology at the microscopic level,which is extensively performed for real-time in vivo histological examination.CLE can be performed to distinguish benign from malignant lesions.In this study,we diagnosed using CLE an asymptomatic patient with poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma.CASE SUMMARY A 63-year-old woman was diagnosed with gastric mucosal lesions,which may be gastric cancer,in the small curvature of the stomach by gastroscopy.She consented to undergo CLE for morphological observation of the gastric mucosa.Through the combination of CLE diagnosis and postoperative pathology,the intraoperative CLE diagnosis was considered to be reliable.According to our experience,CLE can be performed as the first choice for the diagnosis of gastric cancer.CONCLUSION CLE has several advantages over pathological diagnosis.We believe that CLE has great potential in the diagnosis of benign and malignant gastric lesions.

Review on laser directed energy deposited aluminum alloys

Lightweight aluminum(Al)alloys have been widely used in frontier fields like aerospace and automotive industries,which attracts great interest in additive manufacturing(AM)to process high-value Al parts.As a mainstream AM technique,laser-directed energy deposition(LDED)shows good scalability to meet the requirements for large-format component manufacturing and repair.However,LDED Al alloys are highly challenging due to their inherent poor printability(e.g.low laser absorption,high oxidation sensitivity and cracking tendency).To further promote the development of LDED high-performance Al alloys,this review offers a deep understanding of the challenges and strategies to improve printability in LDED Al alloys.The porosity,cracking,distortion,inclusions,element evaporation and resultant inferior mechanical properties(worse than laser powder bed fusion)are the key challenges in LDED Al alloys.Processing parameter optimizations,in-situ alloy design,reinforcing particle addition and field assistance are the efficient approaches to improving the printability and performance of LDED Al alloys.The underlying correlations between processes,alloy innovation,characteristic microstructures,and achievable performances in LDED Al alloys are discussed.The benchmark mechanical properties and primary strengthening mechanism of LDED Al alloys are summarized.This review aims to provide a critical and in-depth evaluation of current progress in LDED Al alloys.Future opportunities and perspectives in LDED high-performance Al alloys are also outlined.

Laser‑Induced and MOF‑Derived Metal Oxide/Carbon Composite for Synergistically Improved Ethanol Sensing at Room temperature

Advancements in sensor technology have significantly enhanced atmospheric monitoring.Notably,metal oxide and carbon(MO_(x)/C)hybrids have gained attention for their exceptional sensitivity and room-temperature sensing performance.However,previous methods of synthesizing MO_(x)/C composites suffer from problems,including inhomogeneity,aggregation,and challenges in micropatterning.Herein,we introduce a refined method that employs a metal–organic framework(MOF)as a precursor combined with direct laser writing.The inherent structure of MOFs ensures a uniform distribution of metal ions and organic linkers,yielding homogeneous MO_(x)/C structures.The laser processing facilitates precise micropatterning(<2μm,comparable to typical photolithography)of the MO_(x)/C crystals.The optimized MOF-derived MO_(x)/C sensor rapidly detected ethanol gas even at room temperature(105 and 18 s for response and recovery,respectively),with a broad range of sensing performance from 170 to 3,400 ppm and a high response value of up to 3,500%.Additionally,this sensor exhibited enhanced stability and thermal resilience compared to previous MOF-based counterparts.This research opens up promising avenues for practical applications in MOF-derived sensing devices.