Design of a tunable parametric wavelength conversion system between 2 and 3 um pumped by a high-average-power Yb:YAG thin-disk laser

Ondřej Novák; Taisuke Miura; Patricie Severová; Akira Endo; Tomáš Mocek

doi:10.1117/12.2017289

7 May 2013 Design of a tunable parametric wavelength conversion system between 2 and 3 μm pumped by a high-average-power Yb:YAG thin-disk laser

Ondřej Novák, Taisuke Miura, Patricie Severová, Akira Endo, Tomáš Mocek

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8780, High-Power, High-Energy, and High-Intensity Laser Technology; and Research Using Extreme Light: Entering New Frontiers with Petawatt-Class Lasers; 87800P (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2017289
Event: SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics, 2013, Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract

With increasing energy densities of laser pulses the laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) testing becomes an important characterization of optical components. The emission wavelength of several laser materials is in the 2 − 3 μm wavelength-range. We propose a wavelength conversion system generating tunable sub-ns pulses for LIDT measurements in this IR spectral range. The pump beam of the conversion system will be based on the thin-disk laser technology. The Yb-fiber-laser seeded CPA system with high-energy Yb:YAG thin-disk regenerative amplifier will produce uncompressed pulses of 0.5 ns width, 130 mJ energy, at wavelength of 1030 nm with 1 kHz repetition rate giving 130 W of average power. Output of the thin-disk regenerative amplifier will pump an optical parametric generator (OPG) and subsequent optical parametric amplifiers (OPA). The tunable output wavelength of the OPG will be between 1.5 μm - 2.1 μm for the signal beam and between 2.1 μm - 3 μm for the idler beam. The signal will be amplified in the OPAs because the optics and diagnostics is more easily available below 2 μm wavelength. The tunable multi-millijoule source above 2.1 μm will be the idler beam taken from the last amplification stage. High-average output power of 10 W at 1 kHz repetition rate will be unique among 2 − 3 μm tunable systems. Operation of the amplifiers at high-intensities and high-average powers limits the system performance. The thermal load of crystals caused by the partial beam absorption will be studied. Further, the damage threshold of optical components, transmission range of nonlinear crystals, and amplifiers bandwidths will be addressed.

Citation Download Citation

Ondřej Novák, Taisuke Miura, Patricie Severová, Akira Endo, and Tomáš Mocek "Design of a tunable parametric wavelength conversion system between 2 and 3 μm pumped by a high-average-power Yb:YAG thin-disk laser", Proc. SPIE 8780, High-Power, High-Energy, and High-Intensity Laser Technology; and Research Using Extreme Light: Entering New Frontiers with Petawatt-Class Lasers, 87800P (7 May 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2017289

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
8 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Crystals

Optical amplifiers

Picosecond phenomena

Laser damage threshold

Nonlinear crystals

Laser crystals

Absorption

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years