Tunability of laser based on Yb-doped hot-pressed CaF 2 ceramics

Abstract

The aim of presented study was an investigation of tunability of diode pumped laser based on hot-pressed Yb:CaF₂ ceramics. The tested Yb:CaF₂ sample was in the form of 3.5mm thick plane-parallel face-polished plate (without AR coatings). The Yb³⁺ concentration was 5.5 %. A fiber (core diameter 200 μm, NA= 0.22) coupled laser diode (LIMO, HLU25F200-980) with emission at wavelength 976 nm, was used for longitudinal Yb:CaF₂ pumping. The laser diode was operating in the pulsed regime (4 ms pulse length, 20 Hz repetition rate). The duty-cycle 8% ensured a low thermal load even under the maximum diode pumping power amplitude 10W (crystal sample was only air-cooled). This radiation was focused into the crystal (pumping beam waist diameter ~ 170 μm). The 145mm long semi-hemispherical laser resonator consisted of a flat pumping mirror (HR @ 1.01 − 1.09 μm, HT @ 0.97 μm) and curved (r = 150mm) output coupler with a reflectivity of ~ 98% @ 1.01 − 1.09 μm. Tuning of the ytterbium laser was accomplished by using a birefringent filter (single 1.5mm thick quartz plate) placed inside the optical resonator at the Brewster angle between the output coupler and the laser active medium. The extremely broad and smooth tuning was obtained. The laser was continuously tunable over ~ 66nm (from 1015nm to 1081 nm) and the tuning band was mostly limited by free spectral range of used birefringent filter. The tunability FWHM was 40 nm corresponding bandwidth 10 THz results in Fourier limited gaussian pulse width ~ 40 fs (FWHM). The maximum output power amplitude 0.68W was obtained at wavelength 1054nm for absorbed pump power amplitude 6W. The laser slope efficiency was 15%.