A singly resonant, single-axial-mode, optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled KTiOPO4 (PPKTP) is reported. Signal (1.68 micron) and idler (2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report on a comparative evaluation of efficient room-temperature solid-state lasers based on Ti:sapphire and LiF:F(2)(+) operating in the 900-1100-nm range. LiF:F(2)(+) lasers are shown to operate with substantially lower threshold, broader tuning, and higher output pulse energies. The shorter fluorescence lifetime in LiF:F(2)(+) leads to higher peak output powers and a considerable reduction in buildup-time fluctuations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report single longitudinal mode operation of a pulsed Nd:YAG pumped periodically poled lithium niobate optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The combination of a prism and an etalon provides both coarse and fine spectral resolution, thereby eliminating parasitic resonant oscillation of cascaded signal wavelengths, idler wavelengths, and adjacent longitudinal modes of the signal field. Optical bandwidths of less than 300 MHz have been obtained at signal wavelengths between 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe present measurements of thermal and optical properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), PMMA modified by the addition of ethanol (MPMMA), and copolymers of methyl methacrylate with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate [P(HEMA:MMA)]. Spectral transmission of the polymers is excellent (alpha = 0.5 cm(-1) at 400 nm, decreasing to 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStable single-longitudinal-mode operation of a tunable gain-switched Cr:forsterite oscillator-amplifier system is reported. A novel coupled-cavity oscillator configuration provides a low-threshold fluence of 0.3 J cm(-2), making the system attractive for laser media with low gain or high parasitic loss.
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