Period Continuous Tuning of an Efficient Mid-Infrared Optical Parametric Oscillator Based on a Fan-out Periodically Poled MgO-Doped Lithium Niobate

We report a period continuously tunable, efficient, mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator （OPO） based on a fan-out periodically poled MgO-doped congruent lithium niobate （PPMgLN）. The OPO is pumped by a Nd：YAG laser and a maximum idler output average power of 1.65W at 3.93μm is obtained with a pump average power of 10.5W, corresponding to the conversion efficiency of about 16% from the pump to the idler. The output spectral properties of the OPO with the fan-out crystal are analyzed. The OPO is continuously tuned over 3.78-4.58μm （idler） when fan-out periods are changed from 27.0 to 29.4μm. Compared with temperature tuning, fan-out period continuous tuning has faster tuning rate and wider tuning range.

LD Side-Pumped Passive Mode-Locked TEM_00 Nd：YAG Laser Based on SESAM

We report an LD side-pumped continuous-wave passive mode-locked Nd：YAG laser with a Z-type folded cavity based on a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror （SESAM）. The average output power 2.95 W of mode-locked laser with electro-optical conversion efficiency of 1.3% and high beam quality （Mx2=1.25 and My2=1.22） is achieved. The repetition rate of mode-locked pulse of 88 MHz with pulse energy of 34 nJ is obtained.

Effects of pulse width and repetition rate of pulsed laser on kinetics and production of singlet oxygen luminescence

Pulsed and continuous-wave(CW)lasers have been widely used as the light sources for photodynamic therapy(PDT)treatment.Singlet oxygen(^(1)O_(2))is known to be a major cytotoxic agent in type-II PDT and can be directly detected by its near-infrared luminescence at 1270 nm.As compared to CW laser excitation,the effiects of pulse width and repetition rate of pulsed laser on the kinetics and production of^(1)O_(2)luminescence were quantitatively studied during photosensitization of Rose Bengal.Significant di®erence in kinetics of^(1)O_(2)luminescence was found under the excitation with various pulse widths of nanosecond,microsecond and CW irradiation with power of 20mW.The peak intensity and duration of^(1)O_(2)production varied with the pulse widths for pulsed laser excitation,while the^(1)O_(2)was generated continuously and its production reached a steady state with CW excitation.However,no significant di®erence(P>0:05)in integral^(1)O_(2)production was observed.The results suggest that the PDT efficacy using pulsed laser may be identical to the CW laser with the same wavelength and the same average°uence rate below a threshold in solution.

Experimental investigation of the stimulated Raman scattering effect in high-power nanosecond superfluorescent fiber source

In this work,we experimentally investigate the dependence of the stimulated Raman scattering(SRS)effect on the seed linewidth of a high-power nanosecond superfluorescent fiber source(ns-SFS).The results reveal that the SRS in the ns-SFS amplifier is significantly influenced by the full width at half maximum(FWHM)of the ns-SFS seed,and there is an optimal FWHM linewidth of 2 nm to achieve the lowest SRS in our case.The first-order SRS power ratio increases rapidly when the seed’s linewidth deviates from the optimal FWHM linewidth.By power scaling the ns-SFS seed with the optimal FWHM linewidth,a narrowband all-fiberized ns-SFS amplifier is achieved with a maximum average power of 602 W,pulse energy of 24.1 mJ and corresponding peak power of 422.5 kW.This is the highest average power and pulse energy achieved for all-fiberized ns-SFS amplifiers to the best of our knowledge.

Vertically standing PtSe_2 film: a saturable absorber for a passively mode-locked Nd:LuVO_4 laser

The novel vertically standing Pt Se2 film on transparent quartz was prepared by selenization of platinum film deposited by the magnetron sputtering method, and an Nd:Lu VO4 passively mode-locked solid-state laser was realized by using the fabricated Pt Se2 film as a saturable absorber. The X-ray diffraction pattern and Raman spectrum of the film indicate its good crystallinity with a layered structure. The thickness of Pt Se2 film is measured to be 24 nm according to the cross-section height profile of the atomic force microscope image. Highresolution transmission electron microscopy images clearly demonstrate its vertically standing structure with an interlayer distance of 0.54 nm along the c-axis direction. The modulation depth(ΔT) and saturation fluence(Φs)of Pt Se2 film are measured to be 12.6% and 17.1 μJ∕cm2, respectively. The obtained mode-locked laser spectrum has a central wavelength of 1066.573 nm, with a 3 d B bandwidth of 0.106 nm. The transform limited pulse width of the mode-locked laser was calculated to be 15.8 ps. A maximum average output power of 180 m W with a working repetition rate of 61.3 MHz is obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the generation of ultrafast mode-locked laser pulses by using layered Pt Se2 as a saturable absorber.

The next detectors for gravitational wave astronomy

This paper focuses on the next detectors for gravitational wave astronomy which will be required after the current ground based detectors have completed their initial observations, and probably achieved the first direct detection of gravitational waves. The next detectors will need to have greater sensitivity, while also enabling the world array of detectors to have improved angular resolution to allow localisation of signal sources. Sect. 1 of this paper begins by reviewing proposals for the next ground based detectors,and presents an analysis of the sensitivity of an 8 km armlength detector, which is proposed as a safe and cost-effective means to attain a 4-fold improvement in sensitivity. The scientific benefits of creating a pair of such detectors in China and Australia is emphasised. Sect. 2 of this paper discusses the high performance suspension systems for test masses that will be an essential component for future detectors, while sect. 3 discusses solutions to the problem of Newtonian noise which arise from fluctuations in gravity gradient forces acting on test masses. Such gravitational perturbations cannot be shielded, and set limits to low frequency sensitivity unless measured and suppressed. Sects. 4 and 5 address critical operational technologies that will be ongoing issues in future detectors. Sect. 4 addresses the design of thermal compensation systems needed in all high optical power interferometers operating at room temperature. Parametric instability control is addressed in sect. 5. Only recently proven to occur in Advanced LIGO, parametric instability phenomenon brings both risks and opportunities for future detectors. The path to future enhancements of detectors will come from quantum measurement technologies. Sect. 6 focuses on the use of optomechanical devices for obtaining enhanced sensitivity, while sect. 7 reviews a range of quantum measurement options.

High-energy,hundred-picosecond pulsed 266 nm mid-ultraviolet generation by a barium borate crystal

We present a high-energy,hundred-picosecond(ps)pulsed mid-ultraviolet solid-state laser at 266 nm by a direct second harmonic generation(SHG)in a barium borate(BaB_(2)O_(4),BBO)nonlinear crystal.The green pump source is a 710 mJ,330 ps pulsed laser at a wavelength of 532 nm with a repetition rate of 1 Hz.Under a green pump energy of 710 mJ,a maximum output energy of 253.3 mJ at 266 nm is achieved with 250 ps pulse duration resulting in a peak power of more than 1 GW,corresponding to an SHG conversion efficiency of 35.7%from 532 to 266 nm.The experimental data were well consistent with the theoretical prediction.To the best of our knowledge,this laser exhibits both the highest output energy and highest peak power ever achieved in a hundred-ps/ps regime at 266 nm for BBO-SHG.

Gravitational wave astronomy: the current status

In the centenary year of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, this paper reviews the current status of gravitational wave astronomy across a spectrum which stretches from attohertz to kilohertz frequencies. Sect. 1 of this paper reviews the historical development of gravitational wave astronomy from Einstein's first prediction to our current understanding the spectrum. It is shown that detection of signals in the audio frequency spectrum can be expected very soon, and that a north-south pair of next generation detectors would provide large scientific benefits. Sect. 2 reviews the theory of gravitational waves and the principles of detection using laser interferometry. The state of the art Advanced LIGO detectors are then described. These detectors have a high chance of detecting the first events in the near future. Sect. 3 reviews the KAGRA detector currently under development in Japan,which will be the first laser interferometer detector to use cryogenic test masses. Sect. 4 of this paper reviews gravitational wave detection in the nanohertz frequency band using the technique of pulsar timing. Sect. 5 reviews the status of gravitational wave detection in the attohertz frequency band, detectable in the polarisation of the cosmic microwave background, and discusses the prospects for detection of primordial waves from the big bang. The techniques described in sects. 1–5 have already placed significant limits on the strength of gravitational wave sources. Sects. 6 and 7 review ambitious plans for future space based gravitational wave detectors in the millihertz frequency band. Sect. 6 presents a roadmap for development of space based gravitational wave detectors by China while sect. 7 discusses a key enabling technology for space interferometry known as time delay interferometry.

Design of coherent wideband radiation process in a Nd3+-doped high entropy glass system

We discover that the spatially coherent radiation within a certain frequency range can be obtained without a common nonlinear optical process.Conventionally,the emission spectra were obtained by de-exciting excited centers from real excited energy levels to the ground state.Our findings are achieved by deploying a high-entropy glass system(HEGS)doped with neodymium ions.The HEGS exhibits a much broader infrared absorption than common glass systems,which can be attributed to be high-frequency optical branch phonons or allowable multi-phonon processes caused by phonon broadening in the system.A broadened phonon-assisted wideband radiation(BPAWR)is induced if the pump laser is absorbed by the system.The subsequent low-threshold self-absorption coherence modulation(SACM)can be controlled by changing excitation wavelengths,sample size,and doping concentrations.The SACM can be red-shifted through the emission of phonons of the excited species and be blue-shifted by absorbing phonons before they are de-excited.There is a time delay up to 1.66 ns between the pump pulse and the BPAWR when measured after traveling through a 35 mm long sample,which is much longer than the Raman process.The BPAWR-SACM can amplify the centered non-absorption band with a gain up to 26.02 dB.These results reveal that the shift of the novel radiation is determined by the frequency of the non-absorption band near the absorption region,and therefore the emission shifts can be modulated by changing the absorption spectrum.When used in fiber lasers,the BPAWR-SACM process may help to achieve tunability.

152 W high-power blue diode laser operated at 447 nm

We demonstrate a high-power blue diode laser operated at 447 nm combining laser diodes using an optical fiber bundle. As many as 127 diode lasers at 447 nm were coupled into 400 μm/0.22 NA fibers using an aspherical lens group with different focus lengths. The bare fibers were mechanically bundled through high temperature ultraviolet adhesive after the coatings of the 127 fibers were stripped. The diameter of the fiber bundle was 6 mm. The total output power of such a bundle was 152 W with electro-optical conversion efficiency of 27.56%and the RMS power instability was less than ±1% within 3 h.

High-power near diffraction-limited 1 064-nm Nd:YAG rod laser and second harmonic generation by intracavity-frequency-doubling

We present a near diffraction-limited 1 064-nm Nd：YAG rod laser with output power of 82.3 W （M2 ≈1.38）. The power fluctuation over two hours is better than ±1.1%. Pulsed 1 064-nm laser with an average power of 66.6 W and pulse width of 46 ns are achieved when the laser is Q-switched at a repetition rate of 10 kHz. The short pulse duration stems from Using intracavity-frequency-doubling, a 35.0-W achieved with a pulse width of 43 ns. the short cavity as well as the high-gain laser modules. near diffraction-limited 532-nm green laser （M2 ≈1.32） is

1.2 kW all-fiber narrow-linewidth picosecond MOPA system

Achieving an all-fiber ultra-fast system with above kW average power and mJ pulse energy is extremely challenging.This paper demonstrated a picosecond monolithic master oscillator power amplifier system at a 25 MHz repetition frequency with an average power of approximately 1.2 kW,a pulse energy of approximately 48μJ and a peak power of approximately 0.45 MW.The nonlinear effects were suppressed by adopting a dispersion stretched seed pulse(with a narrow linewidth of 0.052 nm)and a multi-mode master amplifier with an extra-large mode area;then an ultimate narrow bandwidth of 1.32 nm and a moderately broadened pulse of approximately 107 ps were achieved.Meanwhile,the great spatio-temporal stability was verified experimentally,and no sign of transverse mode instability appeared even at the maximum output power.The system has shown great power and energy capability with a sacrificed beam propagation product of 5.28 mm·mrad.In addition,further scaling of the peak power and pulse energy can be achieved by employing a lower repetition and a conventional compressor.