A wavelength-versatile, continuous-wave, self-Raman solid-state laser operating in the visible

Andrew J Lee,James A Piper,David J Spence,Helen M Pask

doi:10.1364/oe.18.020013

Abstract

We report a continuous-wave Nd:GdVO(4) self-Raman laser generating wavelength-selectable output in the green-yellow spectral region. The laser combines stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) with intracavity second harmonic and sum-frequency generation (SHG/SFG) to enable "on-demand" operation at any one of three wavelengths, 532 nm, 559 nm and 586 nm, each with output power greater than 3.5 W. Using experimental and numerical modelling results, we show how the highly-interactive, simultaneous non-linear processes of SRS and SHG/SFG may be balanced to achieve stable, selectable multi-wavelength visible operation.

Highlights

Stimulated Raman scattering, arising from the third-order nonlinear susceptibility of an optical medium, was amongst the first nonlinear optical processes observed following the#131732 - $15.00 USD (C) 2010 OSAReceived 15 Jul 2010; revised 30 Aug 2010; accepted 2 Sep 2010; published 9 Sep 2010 13 September 2010 / Vol 18, No 19 / OPTICS EXPRESS 20013 discovery of the laser [1]
While the potential for efficient frequency conversion of Q-switched solid-state lasers using stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in crystalline materials was first demonstrated by Amman in1975 [5], another 25 years of Raman material and laser development was necessary before SRS in crystals emerged as a practical means of wavelength extension [6,7,8]
The first report of a CW crystalline Raman laser was made only in 2004 [9], but in the past two years we have demonstrated all-solid-state CW visible laser sources based on simultaneous intracavity SRS and SHG in crystalline materials with output powers over 2 W at single wavelengths in the yellow, with diode-visible conversion efficiencies over 15% [10]

Summary

Introduction

Stimulated Raman scattering, arising from the third-order nonlinear susceptibility of an optical medium, was amongst the first nonlinear optical processes observed following the#131732 - $15.00 USD (C) 2010 OSAReceived 15 Jul 2010; revised 30 Aug 2010; accepted 2 Sep 2010; published 9 Sep 2010 13 September 2010 / Vol 18, No 19 / OPTICS EXPRESS 20013 discovery of the laser [1]. The second-order nonlinear processes of SHG and SFG in crystalline materials ( KTP, BBO and LBO) have become ubiquitous in frequency-conversion of solid-state lasers. While the potential for efficient frequency conversion of Q-switched solid-state lasers using SRS in crystalline materials was first demonstrated by Amman in1975 [5], another 25 years of Raman material and laser development was necessary before SRS in crystals emerged as a practical means of wavelength extension [6,7,8]. The first report of a CW crystalline Raman laser was made only in 2004 [9], but in the past two years we have demonstrated all-solid-state CW visible laser sources based on simultaneous intracavity SRS and SHG in crystalline materials with output powers over 2 W at single wavelengths in the yellow, with diode-visible conversion efficiencies over 15% [10]

Methods

Results

Conclusion