Self-consistent spatial mode analysis of self-adaptive laser oscillators (original) (raw)

FWM interaction transfer matrix for self-adaptive laser oscillators

Optics Communications, 2000

The FWM interaction transfer matrix for a self-adaptive laser resonator is deduced. The laser oscillator considered is made of a plane output coupler and an infinite nonlinear FWM medium in a self-intersecting loop geometry. This matrix can be used in different complex configurations to study the spatial evolution of a Gaussian beam.

Efficient Operation of a Solid-State Adaptive Laser Oscillator

Applied Optics, 2002

We present the results of a cw diode-pumped Nd:YVO 4 laser oscillator based on a self-starting adaptive gain-grating resonator. Adaptive laser operation has been demonstrated with 12-W output for 37 W of diode pumping, producing a TEM 00 mode that compensates for thermal aberrations. The issue of the finite aperture of the amplifier is discussed, and a design that incorporates an intracavity lens is used to improve the collection efficiency with severe thermal lensing at high pump powers. The powers of the beams involved in the resonator are compared with theory and are found to be in good agreement. Spectral and temporal behavior of the adaptive laser is investigated, and very interesting behavior is shown, including self-induced temporal modulation dynamics and a switching between a narrowband and a broad bandwidth of operation.

Generation of custom modes in a Nd:YAG laser with a semipassive bimorph adaptive mirror

Applied Physics B, 2006

Custom modes at a wavelength of 1064 nm were generated with a deformable mirror. The required surface deformations of the adaptive mirror were calculated with the Collins integral written in a matrix formalism. The appropriate size and shape of the actuators as well as the needed stroke were determined to ensure that the surface of the controllable mirror matches the phase front of the custom modes. A semipassive bimorph adaptive mirror with five concentric ring-shaped actuators and one defocus actuator was manufactured and characterised. The surface deformation was modelled with the response functions of the adaptive mirror in terms of an expansion with Zernike polynomials. In the experiments the Nd:YAG laser crystal was quasi-CW pumped to avoid thermally induced distortions of the phase front. The adaptive mirror allows to switch between a super-Gaussian mode, a doughnut mode, a Hermite-Gaussian fundamental beam, multi-mode operation or no oscillation in real time during laser operation.

Three-mirror resonator with aspheric feedback mirror for laser spatial mode selection and mode shaping

IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, 2000

The spatial-mode characteristics are studied for a three-mirror resonator consisting of a diffractive aspheric third mirror aligned collinearly with a standing-wave two-mirror resonator. Simulations predict that enhanced spatial-mode selection and mode shaping can be achieved by this three-mirror cavity. A three-mirror Nd:YVO 4 solid-state laser with an optimized aspheric third mirror has been designed and implemented to oscillate in a designed fundamental Gaussian mode. The modal discrimination was measured to be 1.43 and the propagation factor 2 was 1.02.

A theoretical and experimental investigation of the modes of optical resonators with phase-conjugate mirrors

IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, 1979

We present an analysis of resonator properties for a cavity bounded by a phase conjugate mirror, which is generated by a degenerate four-wave nonlinear optical interaction. Using a ray matrix formalism to describe the conjugate mirror, resonator stability conditions are derived. Longitudinal and transverse mode characteristics are discussed. Results are compared with an experiment where laser oscillation was observed at

Three-mirror resonator with aspheric feedback mirror for laser mode selection and mode shaping

Conference on Lasers and Electro Optics 2003 Cleo 03, 2003

The spatial-mode characteristics are studied for a three-mirror resonator consisting of a diffractive aspheric third mirror aligned collinearly with a standing-wave two-mirror resonator. Simulations predict that enhanced spatial-mode selection and mode shaping can be achieved by this three-mirror cavity. A three-mirror Nd:YVO 4 solid-state laser with an optimized aspheric third mirror has been designed and implemented to oscillate in a designed fundamental Gaussian mode. The modal discrimination was measured to be 1.43 and the propagation factor 2 was 1.02.

Dynamic of a Laser Resonator

The dynamics of a laser resonator is presented. It is shown that a non-linear dynamic behaviour takes place when a chaos generating element is introduced within the resonator. The analysis of a laser resonator using ABCD matrix formalism is showed for the case where these elements are present in the resonator. Assuming a ray inside the resonator with parameters y(z) and θ(z) for the effective distance to the optical axis z and angle to the same axis confined in the resonator we obtain expressions for the n-th trip y(z) n and θ(z) n . In particular an expression for y(z) n+1 of the form: y n+1 = ay n (l −y n ) is obtained. Chaotic regions are shown in a simple bifurcation diagram. The dynamics of the resonator can be modified by the change of the resonator parameters. Finally the characteristics of the chaos generating elements is discussed and the matrix elements of a chaos generating matrix [a, b, c, e] are presented.