Lithium niobate miniature lasers and single-crystal fibers
LiNbO{sub 3} is a widely used optical material because of its excellent electro-optic and nonlinear properties. By doping LiNbO{sub 3} with an active ion such as Nd, laser oscillation and amplification are added to the panoply of LiNbO{sub 3} device possibilities. Furthermore, by providing LiNbO{sub 3} devices with the waveguide confinement of single-crystal fibers, their performance can be significantly improved. Chapter 1 introduces the subject. Chapter 2 is devoted to miniature continuous-wave Nd:MgO:LiNbO{sub 3} lasers. Important results are the first demonstration of room-temperature, true continuous-wave laser oscillation in Nd-doped LiNbO{sub 3} and the first demonstration of diode-pumped laser action in this material. The Nd:MgO:LiNbO{sub 3} lasers exhibited pump power thresholds (1.9 mW) and slope efficiencies (45%) that are among the state-of-the-art in solid state lasers. Chapter 2 also contains a detailed study on photoconductivity. It explains how the addition of MgO eliminates photorefractive damage. Chapter 3 studies Q-switched laser operation in Nd:MgO:LiNbO{sub 3}. Q-switching consists of generating very intense, nanosecond pulses by rapidly switching the cavity loss.
- Research Organization:
- Stanford Univ., CA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5653947
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CRYSTAL DOPING
CRYSTALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRO-OPTICAL EFFECTS
FIBERS
LASERS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
MONOCRYSTALS
NIOBATES
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Q-SWITCHING
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SOLID STATE LASERS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS