YAP Laser Research Articles

Self-frequency-doubling Yb:GdCOB laser intracavity-pumped Pr:YAP laser

Abstract We present for the first time a Pr:YAlO3 (Pr:YAP) laser emitting at 547 nm intracavity-pumped by a self-frequency-doubling Yb3+:Ca4GdO (BO3)3 (Yb:GdCOB) blue laser at 488 nm. We carried out a model to design the system properly, and the laser performance was experimentally investigated. Intracavity sum-frequency mixing at 547 and 488 nm was then realized in a CsLiB6O10 (CLBO) nonlinear crystal to reach the ultraviolet laser at 258 nm. We obtained a continuous wave output power of 575 mW at 258 nm with a pump source, which is a diode-pumped quasi-three-level Sr1-x La x -y Nd y Mg x Al12-x O19 (Nd:ASL) laser emitting 11.2 W at 902 nm.

Passively mode‐locked Tm:YAP laser with a V2AlC saturable absorber

AbstractIn this work, a V2AlC‐based saturable absorber (SA) was applied to a 2 μm band passively mode‐locked (PML) laser. The saturation intensity and modulation depth of the V2AlC‐based SA were detected by the I‐scan method, which were 225.05 MW/cm2 and 7.68%, respectively. In the PML mode, an average power of 2.12 W at 1939 nm and a pulse width of 1077 ps at 82.49 MHz were obtained from the Tm:YAP laser. In addition, the laser exhibited a good beam quality factor (M2) which was measured to be less than 1.2. These results will pave the way for the application of V2AlC‐based SA in ultrafast lasers.

1 kHz, 5.3 kW peak power pulse generation from a LiNbO3 acousto-optically Q-switched Er:YAP laser

In this paper, we present, for the first time, a bulk LiNbO3 (LN) acousto-optic (AO) Q-switched Er:YAP laser operating at a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 1 kHz. At this frequency, the laser achieves a maximum single pulse energy of 0.34 mJ, with a corresponding pulse duration of 64.5 ns and a peak power of 5.3 kW. Additionally, we characterize the laser beam quality factors, Mx2 = 2.7 and My2 = 2.5, and its central wavelength at 2730.7 nm, all at 1 kHz. These results highlight the significant potential of LN AO Q-switched Er:YAP lasers for enhancing mid-infrared laser applications.

Microhardness and Pushout Bond Strength of Glass Fiber Post-to-Canal Dentin Irrigated with Boric Acid, Nd: YAP, AgNPs, and Curcumin Activated with Microbubble Emulsion. A SEM, EDX Analysis

This study aimed to assess the microhardness (MH) and push-out bond strength (PBS) of fiber post-to-canal dentin when boric acid (BA), Nd: YAP, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and microbubble emulsion (MBE) with curcumin were used as irrigants. Canal therapy was performed and the post space was prepared. Prior to glass fiber post (GFP) insertion, the post space was irrigated using 2.5% NaOCl+17% EDTA, 10% BA+EDTA, Nd: YAP laser+EDTA, AgNP+EDTA, and MBE (curcumin)+EDTA. Following disinfection, microhardness was evaluated. GFP was then inserted and PBS was assessed at the coronal, middle, and apical levels, along with the examination of debonded surfaces via stereomicroscope. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and a Post Hoc Tukey HSD test. The results showed that MH was highest in the group treated with AgNP+EDTA and lowest in the group treated with 10% BA+EDTA. Within the cervical region, the Nd: YAP laser+EDTA group showed the lowest PBS, while the highest PBS was observed in the group treated with MBE (curcumin)+EDTA. In the middle region, the GFP bonded to canal dentin disinfected with 2.5% NaOCl+EDTA was comparable to that treated with Nd: YAP laser+EDTA. In the apical region, the PBS of GFP was highest in the canal disinfected with MBE (curcumin)+EDTA. The study concluded that silver nanoparticles+EDTA and curcumin photosensitizer via microbubble emulsion+EDTA have the potential to be used as alternatives to conventional methods for improving the adhesion of glass fiber post-to-canal dentin, along with enhancing microhardness.

Nonlinear Optical Response of Au/CsPbI3 Quantum Dots and Its Laser Modulation Characteristics at 2.7 μm.

A passively Q-switched Er:YAP laser of 2.7 µm, utilizing Au-doped CsPbI3 quantum dots (QDs) as a saturable absorber (SA), was realized. It was operated stably with a minimum pulse width of 185 ns and a maximum repetition rate of 480 kHz. The maximum pulse energy and the maximum peak power were 0.6 μJ and 2.9 W, respectively, in the Q-switched operation. The results show that the CsPbI3 QDs SA exhibits remarkable laser modulation properties at ~3 μm.

Carbon nanotube-modified adhesive to caries affected dentin conditioned with Nd: YAP laser, phosphoric acid, and photoactivated-erythrosine

AimDentin conditioned with phosphoric acid (PA) Nd: YAP laser, and photoactivated-Ery(Erythrosine) on microleakage, shear bond strength (SBS) degree of conversion (DC), and rheological assessment of adhesive-infused with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Material and methodCarious ninety-six human mandibular molars were included. Specimens were disinfected and allocated into three groups based on surface pretreatment (n = 32) Group 1 (PA), Group 2 (Nd: YAP) laser, and Group 3 (Photoactivated-Ery). Conditioned groups were further divided into two 2 subgroups based on the application of unmodified ERA and CNTs-modified ERA. Composite restorations were placed on the CAD surface and thermal aging of the samples was performed. The microleakage assessment was conducted using a dye penetration test. Universal testing machine (UTM) assessed SBS bond failure was evaluated using a stereomicroscope. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses of CNT, and Fourier Transform Infrared FTIR of adhesives were performed. One-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc analyzed the outcomes. ResultsGroup 1B samples (PA+ CNTs modified adhesive) presented the minimum marginal leakage and highest bond integrity. Group 2A (Nd:YAP laser+Unmodified adhesive) displayed the maximum scores of microleakage and lowest bond strength. ConclusionPhotoactivated Ery-PS can serve as an alternative to phosphoric acid for conditioning CAD. Incorporating CNT in adhesive significantly enhanced bond integrity and marginal seal with no significant difference in DC.

High average power passively Q-switched 2-μm laser with Mo0.5W0.5S2 as a saturable absorber

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with remarkable nonlinear properties, like MoS2/WS2 and the ternary compound Mo0.5W0.5S2, have attracted a lot of attention. The field has made use of the nonlinear characteristics of all-solid-state lasers. The liquid-phase exfoliation method was used in this work to create Mo0.5W0.5S2 nanosheets. At 2 μm, the nonlinear absorption characteristics of Mo0.5W0.5S2 were examined and the results showed a saturation intensity of 1.56 MW/cm2 and a modulation depth of 5.2%. A high-power passively Q-switched Tm:YAP laser with an average output power of 3.20 W and a brief pulse width of 633 ns was produced using the Mo0.5W0.5S2 nanosheet as a saturable absorber. According to the results, Mo0.5W0.5S2 has the potential to produce pulsed lasers with high peak and average powers that operate at about 2 μm.

Enhancing silicon wafer ablation using passive Q-switch [formula omitted] lasers with third-order nonlinear effects

We show that a passive Q-switch nanosecond Tm:Yap laser operating at 1.940μm is a promising candidate for conducting ablation process at the surface of silicon wafers. By modulating the fluence intensity of the lasing source, we can engrave the surface with a short series of pulses and obtain sharp and regular craters with a high level of repeatability. Our results show that we can get highly repeatable craters of diameters ranging from D=10.0μm up to D=40.0μm with a laser operating We easily manage the hole depth by choosing the correct fluence repetition rate between pulses, reducing the waste deposition on the borders of the holes. For fluences greater than 3.8J/cm2, third-order nonlinear effects, such as the lens converging Kerr n2 and the two-photon absorption βTPA effects, turn the silicon into an absorbing medium, improving the ablation process. At a room temperature of 300°K, n2=12.0×10−5±2.0×10−5cm2/GW and βTPA=0.56±0.02cm/GW, the resulting nonlinear factor of merit NFOM=2.1±2.0 is very large; conferring a self-focusing lensing action on the silicon. We also observe that these latter nonlinear effects modify the regular linear regression relating the ablated surface to the logarithm of the fluence, enhancing the efficiency of the ablation process at higher fluences due to these effects.

V2O5/Ti3C2 MXene-Based Solid-State Passively Mode-Locked Tm:YAP laser at 2 μm

In the present work, V2O5/Ti3C2 MXene hybrid nanomaterials were successfully synthesized. The morphology and structure of the prepared V2O5/Ti3C2 MXene were investigated, and the results showed excellent bonding and strong interaction between Ti3C2 MXene and V2O5 nanoparticles. The nonlinear absorption properties of V2O5/Ti3C2 MXene nanocomposites at 2 μm have been investigated using power transfer techniques, and the large modulation depth of the material gives it potential for applications in nonlinear optics. As a result, a 2 μm solid-state mode-locked pulsed laser with V2O5/Ti3C2 MXene as a saturable absorber has been realized for the first time, generating a pulsed laser output as short as 657 ps, which corresponds to an average output power of 0.67 W. The results show that the synthesized V2O5/Ti3C2 MXene hybrid nanomaterials, which have a large optical nonlinearity, can be applied to generating an ultrashort 2 μm pulsed laser.

YAP Ultralate Laser-Evoked Responses in Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Study in Patients with Small Fiber Pathology.

Background: The investigation of C-fiber-evoked ultralow-level responses (ULEPs) at somatic sites is difficult in clinical practice but may be useful in patients with small fiber neuropathy. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate changes in LEPs and ULEPs in patients with fibromyalgia affected or not by abnormal intraepidermal innervation. Methods: We recorded LEPs and ULEPs of the hand, thigh and foot in 13 FM patients with a normal skin biopsy (NFM), 13 patients with a reduced intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) (AFM) and 13 age-matched controls. We used a YAP laser, changing the energy and spot size at the pain threshold for LEPs and at the heat threshold for ULEPs. Results: ULEPs occurred at a small number of sites in both the NFM and AFM groups compared to control subjects. The absence of ULEPs during foot stimulation was characteristic of AFM patients. The amplitude of LEPs and ULEPs was reduced in patients with AFM at the three stimulation sites, and a slight reduction was also observed in the NFM group. Conclusions: The present preliminary results confirmed the reliability of LEPs in detecting small fiber impairments. The complete absence of ULEPs in the upper and lower limbs, including the distal areas, could confirm the results of LEPs in patients with small fiber impairments. Further prospective studies in larger case series could confirm the present findings on the sensitivity of LEP amplitude and ULEP imaging in detecting small fiber impairments and the development of IENFD in FM patients.

Eliciting the rubber hand illusion by the activation of nociceptive C and Aδ fibers.

The coherent perceptual experience of one's own body depends on the processing and integration of signals from multiple sensory modalities, including vision, touch, and proprioception. Although nociception provides critical information about damage to the tissues of one's body, little is known about how nociception contributes to own-body perception. A classic experimental approach to investigate the perceptual and neural mechanisms involved in the multisensory experience of one's own body is the rubber hand illusion (RHI). During the RHI, people experience a rubber hand as part of their own body (sense of body ownership) caused by synchronized stroking of the rubber hand in the participant's view and the hidden participant's real hand. We examined whether the RHI can be elicited by visual and "pure" nociceptive stimulation, ie, without tactile costimulation, and if so, whether it follows the basic perceptual rules of the illusion. In 6 separate experiments involving a total of 180 healthy participants, we used a Nd:YAP laser stimulator to specifically target C and Aδ fibers in the skin and compared the illusion condition (congruent visuonociceptive stimulation) to control conditions of incongruent visuonociceptive, incongruent visuoproprioceptive, and no nociceptive stimulation. The illusion was quantified through direct (questionnaire) and indirect (proprioceptive drift) behavioral measures. We found that a nociceptive rubber hand illusion (N-RHI) could be elicited and that depended on the spatiotemporal congruence of visuonociceptive signals, consistent with basic principles of multisensory integration. Our results suggest that nociceptive information shapes multisensory bodily awareness and contributes to the sense of body ownership.

A high-performance passively Q-switched Tm:YAP laser with a TaSe2 saturable absorber

In this paper, TaSe2 material was prepared and used as a saturable absorber (SA) to modulate a Tm:YAP laser. Under the continuous-wave mode, an 18.31 W diode laser was used to pump the Tm:YAP crystal, and an output power of 6.22 W was achieved at 1993.1 nm with an optical–optical conversion efficiency of 33.9%. Under the passively Q-switched mode, the Tm:YAP pulse laser was modulated by a TaSe2-based SA, and a 2.8 W average power and a 440 ns pulse width at 73.15 kHz were obtained at 1988.4 nm, corresponding to an optical–optical conversion efficiency of 15.2% and a per pulse energy of 38.2 µJ.

The Safety of Removing Fractured Nickel-Titanium Files in Root Canals Using a Nd: YAP Laser.

The fracture of nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) instruments during root canal instrumentation leads to compromised outcomes in endodontic treatments. Despite the significant impact of instrument facture during a root canal treatment, there is still no universally accepted method to address this complication. Several previous studies have shown the ability of a Neodymium: Yttrium-Aluminum-Perovskite (Nd: YAP) laser to cut endodontic files. This study aims to determine safe irradiation conditions for a clinical procedure involving the use of a Neodymium: Yttrium-Aluminum-Perovskite (Nd: YAP) laser for removing fractured nickel-titanium files in root canals. A total of 54 extracted permanent human teeth (n = 54) were used. This study involved nine distinct groups, each employing different irradiation conditions. Groups 1 s, 3 s, 5 s, 10 s, and 15 s simply consist of irradiation for 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 s, respectively. After identifying the longest and safest duration time, four additional groups were proposed (labeled A, B, C, and D). Group A was composed of three series of irradiations of 5 s each separated by a rest time of 30 s (L5s + 30 s RT). Group B consisted of three series of irradiations of 5 s each separated by a rest time of 60 s (L5s + 60 s RT). Group C consisted of two series of irradiations of 5 s each separated by a rest time of 30 s (L5s + 30 s RT), and group D consisted of two series of irradiations of 5 s each separated by a rest time of 5 s (L5s + 5 s RT). In all groups, during the rest time, continuous irrigation with 2.5 mL of sodium hypochlorite (3% NaOCl) was carried out. The variation in temperature during irradiation was registered with a thermocouple during irradiation with different protocols. The mean and standard deviation of the temperature increase was noted. The calculation of the temperature was made as the Δ of the highest recorded temperature at the root surface minus (-) that recorded at baseline (37°). Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used after irradiation in all groups in order to assess the morphological changes in the root dentinal walls. The Nd: YAP laser irradiation parameters were a power of 3W, an energy of 300 mJ per pulse, a fiber diameter of 200 µm, a pulsed mode of irradiation with a frequency of 10 Hz, a pulse duration of 150 µs, and an energy density of 955.41 J/cm2. Our results show that the safest protocol for bypassing and/or removing broken instruments involves three series of irradiation of 5 s each with a rest time of 30 s between each series. Furthermore, our results suggest that continuous irradiation for 10 s or more may be harmful for periodontal tissue.

High power self-Q-switched Tm:YAP laser

To the best of our knowledge, the output performance of a self-Q-switched Tm:YAP laser has been controlled by adjusting the cavity length for the first time. By using a concise concave-flat cavity, a pulsed laser emitting at 1993 nm is produced without any additional modulation device. Under a stable self-Q-switched mode, the maximum average output power of 9.76 W is achieved from the laser when the incident pump power is 28.78 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 36.9% and an optical-to-optical conversion efficacy of 33.9%. Also, the narrowest pulse width of 485 ns at 48.97 kHz is obtained from the laser with a single pulse energy of 199.3 µJ. As far as we know, this laser has the highest average power and narrowest pulse width compared to other self-Q-switched Tm:YAP lasers.

4.1 W continuous-wave and broadly wavelength tunable Tm-doped laser in 2.1-2.4 µm spectral region based on vibronic and electronic transitions

Efficient diode-pumped continuous-wave (CW) and wavelength tunable Tm:YAP lasers based on the vibronic and electronic transitions are investigated. A total maximum output power of 4.1 W is achieved with multi-wavelength output around 2162 nm and 2274 nm, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 29.8% for a 3 at. % Tm:YAP crystal. A maximum output power of 2.48 W with a slope efficiency of 25.4% is obtained at 2146 nm for a 4 at. % Tm:YAP crystal. Using a birefringent filter (BF), the emission wavelengths of the Tm:YAP laser are tuned over spectral ranges of 59 nm from 2115 nm to 2174 nm and 127 nm from 2267 nm to 2394 nm, respectively, which is the first demonstration of wavelength tunable Tm:YAP laser based on the electronic transition 3H4→3H5 and vibronic transition 3F4→3H6, to the best of our knowledge. The results show great potentials of the Tm:YAP crystal for realizing efficient lasers in the spectral range of 2.1-2.4 µm.

High peak power passively Q-switched Tm:YAP solid-state laser with Cr2+:ZnSe and Cr2+:ZnS saturable absorber

We experimentally demonstrate a passively Q-switched thulium-doped YAlO3 (Tm:YAP) laser based on the Cr2+:ZnSe (Chromium, Zinc Selenide) and Cr2+:ZnS (Zinc Sulfide) crystals. Wavelength tuning for 1.87 μm, 1.90 μm, and 1.94 μm operations was achieved by employing a birefringent plate. The impact of varying doping concentrations of Cr2+:ZnS crystals and a Cr2+:ZnSe crystal on the laser output was investigated. During the analysis, the passively Q-switched Tm:YAP laser achieved a pulse with the highest peak power of 107.5 kW and the narrowest pulse width of ∼6 ns, utilizing a Cr2+:ZnSe crystal as the saturable absorber (SA) with a modulation depth (ΔR) of 14 %.

Efficient degenerate middle infrared ZGP-OPO pumped by an electro-optically Q-switched Tm:YAP laser

Efficient degenerate middle infrared ZGP-OPO pumped by an electro-optically Q-switched Tm:YAP laser

High power Er:YAP laser at 2.92 μm based on incoherent beam combining

We report on a high-power Er3+-doped yttrium aluminum perovskite (Er:YAP) laser system run by incoherent beam combining at RT. A stable continuous-wave (CW) laser beam at 2.92 μm with an average power of 8.2 W is generated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average power achieved from CW Er3+-doped solid-state lasers above 2.9 μm. No power saturation is observed, indicating that the output power can be further scaled up. Moreover, the experimental results show that the beam quality is maintained during the beam combining process.

Pulsed Ho:YLF laser intra-cavity pumped by a diode-pumped Q-switched Tm:YAP laser.

We reported an intra-cavity pumped Q-switched laser with dual-wavelength synchronous output at 2066.7 nm and 1940nm. Ho:YLF crystal was pumped by a self-Q-switched Tm:YAP laser, which was served as both a gain medium and a saturable absorber simultaneously. For Ho:YLF laser, under 11.4-W incident pump power, a stable pulse laser was achieved at 2066.7 nm with the highest peak power of 69.65 W and the pulse repetition rate of 42.14 kHz. Under the same incident pump power, the highest peak power and pulse repetition rate of Tm:YAP laser were 17.85 W and 50.82 kHz, corresponding to the central wavelength of 1940nm. These results suggested that Q-switching without additional absorber element were effective way to obtain high-efficiency and compact 2.1 µm pulsed laser.

WSe2/BN heterostructure as saturable absorber for a diode-pumped passively Q-switched 2 µm solid-state laser.

We have successfully achieved the synthesis of heterojunction consisting of WSe2 and BN, by using a liquid phase exfoliation method, and characterization of the prepared materials under the microstructure. The WSe2/BN heterojunction was used as a saturable absorber in the Tm:YAP laser for passively Q-switched operation, and a pulsed laser with an output wavelength around 2 µm range was successfully obtained. After comparing the effects of resonators composed of different cavity mirrors, it is concluded that when the curvature radius of the input mirror is 250 mm and the transmittance of the output coupler is 2.5%, the best output performance was obtained. The maximum average output power of 834 mW was achieved, with a pulsed repetition frequency of 43.51 kHz and a minimum pulse duration of 1.28 µs, corresponding to a peak power of 14.97 W and a maximum single pulse energy of 19.17 µJ.