Theory modeling and experimental research of external-cavity frequency doubling technology of short pulse laser

Abstract

Q-switched Short pulse laser has been widely applied in many fields, such as optical ranging, remote sensing, communications, nonlinear optics and spectroscopy etc. Q-switched Nd³⁺: YAG laser, with its high thermal conductivity and resistance to damage threshold, longer energy levels were generally used especially. Second harmonics generation was usually obtained through optical nonlinear effects in crystal. To the frequency doubling technology, poor conversion efficiency and multi-output frequency are the main problems. Researchers focus more on phase and group velocity matching induced by nonlinear effects, but pays less attention on theoretical modeling and numerical calculation of factors affecting frequency doubling of pulsed laser. In this article, nonlinear effects of double frequency crystals in Q-switched Nd³⁺: YAG laser was first analyzed in theory, then we deduced the relation expressions between factors affecting the efficiency of frequency doubling( thickness of frequency doubling crystal, cross section area of incident beam, power of the fundamental field, phase matching of incidence light)and double frequency efficiency. Secondly, taken KTP Crystal for example; numerical results and theirs' corresponding curves on these relation expressions was calculated and drawn with MATLAB software. These findings can be used for processing the specific requests of frequency doubling crystal. Finally, Theory modeling and numerical calculation were tested in experiment. The experiment results are in good agreement with those obtained in theory.