DBR and DFB lasers in neodymium- and ytterbium-doped photothermorefractive glasses.

The first demonstration, to the best of our knowledge, of distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and monolithic distributed feedback (DFB) lasers in photothermorefractive glass doped with rare-earth ions is reported. The lasers were produced by incorporation of the volume Bragg gratings into the laser gain elements. A monolithic single-frequency solid-state laser with a linewidth of 250 kHz and output power of 150 mW at 1066 nm is demonstrated.

Near-IR absorption in high-purity photothermorefractive glass and holographic optical elements: measurement and application for high-energy lasers.

Volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) in photothermorefractive (PTR) glass are widely used for laser beam control including high-power laser systems. Among them, spectral beam combining based on VBGs is one of the most promising. Achieving 100+ kW of combined laser beams requires the development of PTR glass and VBGs with an extremely low absorption coefficient and therefore methods of its measurement.

Continuous-wave diode-pumped laser action of Nd³⁺-doped photo-thermo-refractive glass.

Laser action of the photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass, which is the photosensitive material for holographic recording of volume Bragg gratings (VBGs), was demonstrated for the first time by introducing Nd³⁺. Nd:PTR glass has a bandwidth of 27.8 nm and 16.

High-efficiency bragg gratings in photothermorefractive glass.

Photosensitive silicate glasses doped with silver, cerium, fluorine, and bromine were fabricated at the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers. Bragg diffractive gratings were recorded in the volume of these glasses with a photothermorefractive process (exposure to UV radiation of a He-Cd laser at 325 nm is followed by thermal development at 520 degrees C). Absolute diffraction efficiency of as much as 93% was observed for 1-mm-thick gratings with spatial frequencies up to 2500 mm(-1).