US 4,646,308 AGranted

Synchronously pumped dye laser using ultrashort pump pulses

AssigneeSpectra-Physics, Inc.

InventorsJames D. Kafka, Thomas M. Baer

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Abstract

The output of a continuous wave modelocked Nd:YAG laser is first pulse compressed and then frequency doubled from infrared to green, to provide a new pumping source for a synchronously pumped dye laser. The disclosed apparatus and methods can achieve tunable subpicosecond pulses at relatively high average power, over 300 milliwatts. The 1064 nanometer output of the pulse compressor is frequency doubled to 532 nanometers so as to provide 3.5 picosecond pump pulses at 82 MHz and average power exceeding one watt. When this is used to pump a Rhodamine 6G dye laser, tunable pulses as short as 190 femtoseconds output can be obtained from the dye laser, with average power over 300 milliwatts. With the addition of a cavity dumper, tunable subpicosecond pulses of 80 kilowatt peak power have been generated.

Claims7

Dependent claims

Apparatus for producing a subpicosecond pulsewidth output from a dye laser at relatively high average power, comprising,

a Nd:YAG pumping laser with means for generating a continuous wave mode-locked infrared laser beam,
an infrared pulse compressor receiving the infrared beam and effective to narrow the pulsewidth of the beam, the pulse compressor compressing the infrared beam to a narrower pulsewidth, increasing peak power, to a pulsewidth at least as narrow as the relaxation time of an infrared dye of a dye laser to be pumped,
frequency doubling means for doubling the frequency of the output of the infrared pulse compressor to produce a frequency doubled output in the green light range, and
a synchronously pumped dye laser, positioned to be pumped by the frequency doubled green output,
whereby a subpicosecond output may be obtained at high average power output through efficient pulse compression and frequency doubling of the pulse-compressed infrared beam.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/782,765Filed 30 Sep 1985
Granted: 24 Feb 1987
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H01S 3/08036
Single-mode emission: using intracavity dispersive, polarising or birefringent elements
H01S 3/0057
Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser…
H01S 3/094026
By coherent light: for synchronously pumping, e.g. for mode locking
H01S 3/0092
Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser…