A Tunable, Narrow Linewidth, 1 kHz Ce:LiCAF Laser with 46% Efficiency

Tunable, Narrow Linewidth, High Repetition Frequency Ce:LiCAF Lasers Pumped by the Fourth Harmonic of a Diode-Pumped Nd:YLF Laser for Ozone DIAL Measurements

“…Output pulse energy 1 mJ/pulse was obtained from the Ce:LiCAF laser when the total incident pump pulse energy on both faces of the laser crystal was 2.86 mJ/pulse. In our experiments, the slope efficiency is ~ 45%, which was found to be about 90% of the theoretical maximum value for the laser [Fromzel & Prasad, 2003]. This result shows that there is nearly full utilization of the pump energy.…”

“…With moderate (~1mJ) pulse output but high pulse repetition rate (1 kHz) this laser system has a good performance capability. This laser is a further development of a previously reported Ce:LiCAF laser producing ~ 0.5 mJ pulse output at 1 kHz with a 46% conversion efficiency [Fromzel & Prasad, 2003]. …”

“…But the efficiency of this system is very low in view of the multiple non-linear conversion steps. The second method is simpler and more efficient, and involves a Ce:LiCAF laser [Stamm, et al, 1997, Govorkov, et al, 1998, Fromzel & Prasad, 2003] pumped by an appropriate commercially available frequency quadrupled diode-pumped Nd laser to provide direct UV tunability. In this chapter, a new development of all-solid-state Ce:LiCAF tunable UV laser (280nm -315nm), which utilizes a single step conversion of the pump wavelength in Ce:LiCAF crystal, when pumped by frequency quadrupled diode-pumped Nd:YLF laser is described.…”

Rapidly tunable, narrow linewidth, 1W, 1 kHz Ce:LiCAF laser pumped by the fourth harmonic of a diode-pumped Nd:YLF laser for ozone DIAL measurements

“…We have developed a compact and rugged, rapidly tunable (284-315 nm), all-solid-state Ce:LiCAF laser pumped by the fourth harmonic (263 nm) of a diode-pumped Qswitched Nd:YLF laser, capable of producing up to 1 mJ/pulse output at a PRF of 1 kHz. This laser is a further development of a previously reported Ce:LiCAF laser with a 46% conversion efficiency [1], and it is well suited for airborne ozone Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) systems. The Ce:LiCAF laser utilizes a two-step wavelength conversion scheme: a commercial Nd:YLF laser with intra-cavity frequency doubling and fourth harmonic converter is used to pump the tunable Ce:LiCAF.…”

Broadly tunable ultraviolet miniature cerium-doped LiLuF lasers

“…Ce 3+ :LiCaAlF 6 (Ce:LiCAF), and Ce 3+ :LiLuF 4 (Ce:LiLuF) are the two most-studied and used cerium laser crystals, with tunable output from 282-315 nm, and 305-335 nm, respectively [3][4][5]. Ce:LiCAF has been operated with a slope efficiency of 46% at a power of 600 mW pumped by a 1 kHz frequency-quadrupled Nd:YLF laser [5]. Unlike Ce:LiCAF that can be readily pumped at 266 nm from frequency-quadrupled Nd:YAG 1064 nm lasers, Ce:LiLuF has no absorption at 266 nm.…”