Laser-induced plasma formation in water with up to 400 mJ double-pulse LIBS

Double-pulse LIBS is a promising technique for deep-sea applications.LIBS measurements in shallow water with up to 400 mJ each pulse were done to select laser parameters which promote optimized spectral line emission from plasma even at elevated pressures,where line broadening until loss of most of the spectral information can occur.Optical emission spectroscopy,using a Czerny-Turner spectrometer,has been applied to investigate the dependence of the emitted radiation on laser parameters and hydrostatic pressure.It has been found,that higher laser pulse energies,especially with short pulse delay as required in high water pressure,can also have an adverse effect on the measured spectrum.

Analysis of Aluminum Alloy Double-Pulse MIG Welding Arc Signal Characteristics Based on Broadband Mode Decomposition

Welding voltage and current in arc signals are directly related to arc stability and welding quality.Process experiments with different parameters were organized according to the orthogonal experimental design method by constructing an aluminum alloy double-pulse metal inert gas(MIG)welding arc electric signal test platform.The data acquisition system of the aluminum alloy MIG welding process was established to obtain real-time arc signal information reflecting the welding process.The aluminum alloy’s collected double-pulse arc current signals are decomposed adaptively by broadband mode decomposition(BMD).The direct current(DC)signal,pulse signal,distortion signal,ripple signal,and noise signal are separated and extracted,and the composite multiscale fuzzy entropy(CMFE)is calculated for the component set of the electrical signal.The experimental results show that the current waveform obtained by the double-pulse MIG welding current signal is consistent with the corresponding weld forming diagram.Simultaneously,the composite multiscale fuzzy entropy is calculated for the arc characteristic parameters.The rationality of matching process parameters and arc stability of aluminum alloy’s double-pulse MIG welding were evaluated.

Long-Pulse Single-Frequency All-Fiber Amplifier

In this paper, we report a high power long-pulse single-frequency all-fiber amplifier at 1064 nm with near-diffraction-limited beam quality based on a polarization-maintaining tapered Yb-doped fiber (T-YDF). By applying square wave pulse modulation to the diodes, with a frequency of 50 Hz and a pulse width of 668 μs, the peak power of the output laser reached 257 W with an average power of 8.65 W, linewidth of 10.6 kHz and M2 < 1.5. .

Application of Stand-off Double-Pulse Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy in Elemental Analysis of Magnesium Alloy

In this study, a stand-off and collinear double pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy （DP LIBS） system was designed, and the magnesium alloy samples at a distance of 2.5 m away from the LIBS system were measured. The effect of inter-pulse delay on spectra was studied, and the signal enhancement was observed compared to the single pulse LIBS （SP LIBS）. The morphology of the ablated crater on the sample indicated a higher efficiency of surface pretreatment in DP LIBS. The calibration curves of Ytterbium （Y） and Zirconium （Zr） were investigated. The square of the correlation coefficient of the calibration curve of element Y reached up to 0.9998.

A 3-kHz Er:YAG single-frequency laser with a‘triple-reflection’configuration on a piezoelectric actuator

A novel Er:YAG laser system operating at 1645 nm with high pulse-repetition-frequency(PRF)of kHz level is demonstrated.A ring cavity with double gain medium end-pumped by two fiber lasers is utilized to obtain high pulse energy.A novel‘triple-reflection’configuration on a piezoelectric actuator(PZT)is adopted to achieve high-repetition-rate at 3-kHz operation with the ramp-fire locking method.Single frequency pulses with maximum average power of 18.3 W at 3 kHz are obtained,and the pulse duration time is 318 ns.The full line width at half maximum(FWHM)of the pulses measured by the heterodyne technique is 1.71 MHz at 3 kHz.To the best of our knowledge,this is the highest PRF single-frequency laser pulses achieved based Er:YAG gain medium.

A Single-Frequency Linearly Polarized Fiber Laser Using a Newly Developed Heavily Tm3+-Doped Germanate Glass Fiber at 1.95 μm

A compact linearly polarized, low-noise, narrow-linewidth, single-frequency fiber laser at 1950nm is demonstrated. This compact fiber laser is based on a 21-mm-long homemade Tm3＋-doped germanate glass fiber. Over 100-mW stable continuous-wave single transverse and longitudinal mode lasing at 195Ohm are achieved. The measured relative intensity noise is less than -135dB/Hz at frequencies over 5 MHz. The signal-to-noise ratio of the laser is larger than 72dB, and the laser linewidth is less than 6kHz, while the obtained linear polarization extinction ratio is higher than 22 dB.

Low noise,continuous-wave single-frequency 1.5-μm laser generated by a singly resonant optical parametric oscillator

We report a low noise continuous-wave （CW） single-frequency 1.5-μm laser source obtained by a singly resonant optical parametric oscillator （SRO） based on periodically poled lithium niobate （PPLN）. The SRO was pumped by a CW single-frequency Nd：YVO4 laser at 1.06μm. The 1.02 W of CW single-frequency signal laser at 1.5 μm was obtained at pump power of 6 W. At the output power of around 0.75 W, the power stability was better than ±l.5% and no mode-hopping was observed in 30 min and frequency stability was better than 8.5 MHz in 1 min. The signal wavelength could be tuned from 1.57 to 1.59 μm by varying the PPLN temperature. The 1.5-μm laser exhibits low noise characteristics, the intensity noise of the laser reaches the shot noise limit （SNL） at an analysis frequency of 4 MHz and the phase noise is less than 1 dB above the SNL at analysis frequencies above 10 MHz.

Stable continuous-wave single-frequency intracavity frequency-doubled laser with intensity noise suppressed in audio frequency region

We demonstrated a continuous wave(cw) single-frequency intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YVO_4/LBO laser with 532 nm output of 7.5 W and 1.06 μm output of 3.1 W, and low intensity noise in audio frequency region.To suppress the intensity noise of the high power 532 nm laser, a laser frequency locking system and a feedback loop based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer were designed and used.The influences of the frequency stabilization and the crucial parameters of the MZI, such as the power splitting ratio of the beam splitters and the locking state of the MZI, on the intensity noise of the 532 nm laser were investigated in detail.After the experimental optimizations, the laser intensity noise in the frequency region from 0.4 kHz to 10 kHz was significantly suppressed.

Simultaneously Suppressing Low-Frequency and Relaxation Oscillation Intensity Noise in a DBR Single-Frequency Phosphate Fiber Laser

Effective multiple optoelectronic feedback circuits for simultaneously suppressing low-frequency and relaxation oscillation intensity noise in a single-frequency phosphate fiber laser are demonstrated. The forward transfer function, which relates the laser output intensity to the pump modulations, is measured and analyzed. A custom two-path feedback system operating at different frequency bands is designed to adjust the pump current directly. The relative intensity noise is decreased by 20dB from 0.2 to 5kHz and over lOdB from 5 to lOkHz. The relaxation oscillation peak is suppressed by 22dB. In addition, a long term （24h） laser instability of less than 0.05% is achieved.

A 330-W single-frequency retrievable multi-tone monolithic fiber amplifier

A single-frequency retrievable phase modulated multi-tone fiber amplifier is presented in theory and demonstrated in experiment. A multi-tone seed laser generated by a sine wave phase modulated single-frequency laser is employed for stimulated Brillouin scattering suppression in an all-fiber amplifier. A demodulation signal which is π phase shifted with respect to the modulation signal is used to retrieve the single-frequency laser from the multi-tone laser. In experiment, we first optimize the all-fiber master-oscillator power-amplifier. With this amplifier, we demonstrate a single-frequency retrievable multi-tone laser with 330-W output when driven by the multi-tone seed, while the ultimate output power is only 130 W when driven by the single-frequency laser. Then, we carry out an experiment for retrieving the single-frequency laser from the amplified multi-tone laser. Results indicate that the single-frequency laser can be retrieved with a sideband suppression of more than 20 dB. Retrieving an even higher power single-frequency laser is possible if a high power demodulator is available.

On ionosphere-delay processing methods for single-frequency precise-point positioning

In single-frequency precise-point positioning of a satellite,ionosphere delay is one of the most important factors impacting the accuracy. Because of the instability of the ionosphere and uncertainty of its physical properties, the positioning accuracy is seriously limited when using a precision-limited model for correction. In order to reduce the error, we propose to introduce some ionosphere parameter for real-time ionosphere-delay estimation by applying various mapping functions. Through calculation with data from the IGS（ International GPS Service） tracking station and comparison among results of using several different models and mapping functions, the feasibility and effectiveness of the new method are verified.

Stochastic Analysis of Low-Cost Single-Frequency GPS Receivers

Typically, dual-frequency geodetic grade GNSS receivers are utilized for positioning applications that require high accuracy. Single-frequency high grade receivers can be used to minimize the expenses of such dual-frequency receivers. However, user has to consider the resultant positioning accuracy. Since the evolution of low-cost single-frequency (LCSF) receivers is typically cheaper than single-frequency high grade receivers, it is possible to obtain comparable positioning accuracy if the corresponding observables are accurately modelled. In this paper, two LCSF GPS receivers are used to form short baseline. Raw GPS measurements are recorded for several consecutive days. The collected data are used to develop the stochastic model of GPS observables from such receivers. Different functions are tested to determine the best fitting model which is found to be 3 parameters exponential decay function. The new developed model is used to process different data sets and the results are compared against the traditional model. Both results from the newly developed and the traditional models are compared with the reference solution obtained from dual-frequency receiver. It is shown that the newly developed model improves the root-mean-square of the estimated horizontal coordinates by about 10% and improves the root-mean-square of the up component by about 39%.

An Efficient Single-Frequency Yb-Doped All-Fiber MOPA Laser at 1064.3 nm

An efficient narrow=linewidth single-frequency （SF） Yb-doped all-fiber master oscillator power amplifier （MOPA） laser operating at 1064.3 nm is demonstrated experimentally. A ring cavity SF fiber laser is used as the seed source for the MOPA system and the Yb-doped fibers are employed as the gain medium or the saturable absorber. The SF operation is observed to be stable without mode hopping. The highest output power of 266 mW is obtained under the 400row pump power with the corresponding slope efficiency of 66.2-. The Hnewidth of the amplified output laser is approximately I kHz and its optical signal-to-noise ratio is over 45 dB.

Single-frequency distributed Bragg reflector Tm:YAG ceramic derived all-glass fiber laser at 1.95 μm

A 135 mW single-frequency distributed Bragg reflector fiber laser at 1.95μm was obtained based on a Tm:YAG ceramic-derived all-glass fiber.The fiber laser achieved an optical signal-to-noise ratio of~77 d B.Moreover,the threshold and linewidth of the single-frequency laser were measured to be 15.4 mW and 4.5 kHz,respectively.In addition,the measured relative intensity noise was less than-140 d B·Hz^(-1)at frequencies of over 10 MHz.The results show that the as-drawn Tm:YAG ceramic-derived all-glass fiber is highly promising for~2μm single-frequency fiber laser applications.

Development of an injection-seeded single-frequency laser by using the phase modulated technique

An injection-seeded single-frequency Q-switched Nd：YAG laser is accomplished by using a phase modulated rampfire technique. A RbTiOPO4（RTP） electro-optic crystal is selected for effective optical path length modulation of the slave self-filtering unstable resonator. This single-frequency laser is capable of producing 50 m J pulse energy at 1 Hz repetition rate with a pulse width of 16 ns. The standard deviation of laser pulse intensity for consecutive 100 shots from the mean pulse intensity is less than 1.05%. A spectral linewidth of less than 0.5 pm with a frequency jitter of about 14 fm over30 min is obtained.

Influence on the Lifetime of ^(87)Rb Bose-Einstein Condensation for Far-Detuning Single-Frequency Lasers with Different Phase Noises

We study the influence of the phase noises of far detuning single frequency lasers on the lifetime of Bose-Einstein condensation（BEC）of^（87）Rb in an optical dipole trap.As a comparison,we shine a continuous-wave singlefrequency Ti：sapphire laser,an external-cavity diode laser and a phase-locked diode laser on BEC.We measure the heating and lifetime of BEC in two different hyperfine states：｜F=2,m_F=2〉and｜F=1,m_F=1〉.Due to the narrow linewidth and small phase noise,the continuous-wave single-frequency Ti：sapphire laser has less influence on the lifetime of^（87）Rb BEC than the external-cavity diode laser.To reduce the phase noise of the external-cavity diode laser,we use an optical phase-locked loop for the external-cavity diode laser to be locked on a Ti：sapphire laser.The lifetime of BEC is increased when applfying the phase-Jocked diode laser in contrast with the external-cavity diode laser.

Re-Heating Effect on the Enhancement of Plasma Emission Generated from Fe Under Femtosecond Double-Pulse Laser Irradiation

In this paper, we present a study on the effect of inter-pulse delay using femtosecond double-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in a collinear geometry. The temporal evolution of spectral intensity is performed for the lines of Fe I 423.60 nm, Fe I 425.08 nm and Fe I 427.18 nm. It is found that, by selecting appropriate inter-pulse delay, the signal enhancement can be significantly increased compared with the single-pulse case. A three-fold enhancement in the current experiment is obtained. The plasma temperature and electron density are also investigated based on the theory of Boltzmann plot and Stark broadening. We attribute the main mechanism for emission enhancement to the plasma re-heating effect.

Tungsten ion source under double-pulse laser ablation system

New tungsten ion source is produced by using single and double-pulse laser ablation system. Combined collinear Nd：YAG laser beams（266＋1064 nm） are optimized to focus on the sample in air. Optimization of the experimental parameters is achieved to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the emission spectra. The velocity distribution of the emitted plasma cloud is carefully measured. The influences of the potential difference between the bias electrodes, laser wavelength and intensity on the current signal are also studied. The results show that the increase in the tungsten ion velocity under the double-pulse lasers causes the output current signal to increase by about three folds. The electron density and temperature are calculated by using the Stark-broadened line profile of tungsten line and Boltzmann plot method of the upper energy levels, respectively. The signal intensity dependence of the tungsten ion angular distribution is also analyzed. The results indicate that the double-pulse laser ablation configuration is more potent technique for producing more metal ion source deposition, thin film formation, and activated plasma-facing component material.

Single-frequency upconverted laser generation by phase summation

The phase summation effect in sum-frequency mixing process is utilized to avoid a nonlinearity obstacle in the power scaling of single-frequency visible or ultraviolet lasers.Two single-frequency fundamental lasers are spectrally broadened by phase modulation to suppress stimulated Brillouin scattering in fiber amplifier and achieve higher power.After sum-frequency mixing in a nonlinear optical crystal,the upconverted laser returns to single frequency due to phase summation,when the phase modulations on two fundamental lasers have a similar amplitude but opposite sign.The method was experimentally proved in a Raman fiber amplifier-based laser system,which generated a power-scalable sideband-free single-frequency 590 nm laser.The proposal manifests the importance of phase operation in wave-mixing processes for precision laser technology.

Nonlinear ionization control by temporally shaped fs+ps double-pulse sequence on ZnO

We designed a femtosecond(fs)+picosecond(ps)double-pulse sequence by using a Mach-Zehnder-like apparatus to split a single 120 fs pulse into two sub-pulses,and one of them was stretched to a width of 2 ps by a four-pass grating system.Through observing the ripples induced on the ZnO surface,we found the ionization rate appeared to be higher for the sequence in which the fs pulse arrived first.The electron rate equation was used to calculate changes of electron density distribution for the sequences with different delay times.We suggest that using a temporally shaped fs+ps pulse sequence can achieve nonlinear ionization control and influence the induced ripples.