Multimode-diode-pumped gas (alkali-vapor) laser

Continuous wave, 30 W laser-diode bar with 10 GHz linewidth for Rb laser pumping

“…Single LDs and laser-diode bars (LDBs) integrated into wavelengthselective external cavities with surface diffraction gratings have shown narrowing of linewidths down to tens of gigahertz at power levels of tens of watts [5][6][7][8][9][10]. Conversely, the alkali-vapor lasers have been optically pumped by LD arrays with linewidths exceeding several nanometers (a few terahertz) by using high-pressure buffer gases [11][12][13] to broaden the alkali absorption transition. Recent technological progress with volume Bragg gratings (VBG) recorded in photothermorefractive glass has opened new opportunities for the design and fabrication of compact external-cavity semiconductor laser systems suitable for optical pumping of solid-state, fiber, and gas lasers [14][15][16].…”

Spectral narrowing of a 980 nm tapered diode laser bar

“…Tapered diode lasers bars 3 can deliver tens of watts of output powers with good beam quality from the individual emitters, which makes them interesting compared to broad area diode laser bars. However, for certain applications such as spin exchange optical pumping 4 , alkali vapour laser pumping 5 , nonlinear frequency conversions etc., it requires very narrow line width emissions 6,7 . High power laser diodes in general emits with a broader line width in the range of a few nanometres which makes them unsuitable for these applications.…”

Resonance transition 795-nm rubidium laser using He buffer gas

“…The first experimental demonstration of an optically pumped alkali laser in which Rb vapor in a buffer gas mixture consisting of ~70 Torr of ethane and ~500 Torr of He was lased under pump excitation from a Ti:sapphire laser [1]. Since then, several demonstrations of alkali resonance transition lasers have been reported in the scientific literature using Rb [2], Cs [3,4,5] and K [6] as the gain media. A notable mention is the work done by Zhdanov et al which used extremely linenarrowed diode arrays, ∆λ<10 GHz, and demonstrated a 17W laser with optical-optical efficiencies of 46% in Rb [7].…”