Thin hollow glass waveguide for near IR radiation delivery

Abstract

The delivery of the radiation by thin fiber is required for some application, especially in medical internals treatment. Therefore a new 100 μm and 250 μm inner diameter hollow glass waveguides were developed and investigated for the possibility to transport high power near infrared laser radiation without damage of these delivery systems. As laser sources two Nd:YAG laser systems working in Q-switched regime at wavelength 1.06 μm and 1.34 μm were utilized. Delivered radiation characterization was performed. By Alexandrite laser (755 nm) pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG laser has been generating 1.06 μm wavelength radiation with 6 ns length of pulse and maximum output energy 0.7 mJ (116.7 kW). The laser was Q-switched using LiF:F^2- saturable absorber. Second laser system was Nd:YAG/V:YAG microchip pumped by laser diode operating at 808 nm. The radiation at 1.3 μm wavelength has been generated with 250 Hz repetition rate. Pulse length was 6 ns and mean output power 25 mW. Corresponding pulse energy and peak power was 0.1 mJ and 16.7 kW, respectively. Both lasers were operating in fundamental TEM₀₀ mode (M² ~ 1). For delivery a special cyclic olefin polymer-coated silver hollow glass waveguides with the inner/outer diameters 100/190 μm and 250/360 μm were used. The delivery system was consisted of lens, protector, and waveguide. As results the transmission more than 55% and reasonable spatial profile of laser output radiation were found. From these measurements it can be recommended using of this system for near infrared powerful radiation delivery as well as for medical treatment.