Engineering topics

Kozlovsky, W. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Kozlovsky, W. J..

6 records

NASA NTRS1988

Efficient monolithic MgO:LiNbO3 singly resonant optical parametric oscillator

A monolithic MgO:LiNbO3 singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) was operated as both a standing-wave and a ring-geometry resonator. The OPO was pumped by the second harmonic of an amplified single-mode diode-laser-pumped Nd:YAG laser. Pump depletions of greater than 60 percent were observed when pumping four times greater than the 35-W threshold. The OPO output at the resonant signal tuned with temperature from 834 to 958 nm, while the corresponding idler tuned from 1.47 to 1.2 microns. The spectral characteristics of the OPO signal output and the relative merits of a standing wave versus a ring geometry are discussed.

Kozlovsky, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

OPO performance with a long pulse length, single frequency Nd:YAG laser pump

With the advent of new nonlinear materials and single-frequency pump sources, there is renewed interest in optical parametric oscillators (OPOs). A single-mode diode-laser-pumped monolithic Nd:YAG nonplanar ring laser that is both amplified and frequency doubled is used to pump a monolithic MgO:LiNbO3 pulsed singly resonant OPO. The OPO signal output was temperature tuned from 834 to 958 nm, producing an idler tuning from 1.47 to 1.2 microns. Efforts toward a CW all-solid-state doubly resonant OPO are also described.

Kozlovsky, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Coherent laser radar at 1.06 micron using Nd:YAG lasers

A coherent laser radar system operating at the 1.06 micron Nd:YAG laser wavelength has been built and operated. A laser-diode-pumped monolithic ring laser served as the master oscillator. A single flash-lamp-pumped zigzag slab amplified the oscillator output to a power of 2.3 kW. Single-mode optical fiber was used to collect and mix the return signal with the local-oscillator output. Signals from clouds at a range of 2.7 km and from atmospheric aerosols at a range of 600 m were detected.

Kane, Thomas J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Diode pumped solid-state laser oscillators for spectroscopic applications

The rapid improvement in diode laser pump sources has led to the recent progress in diode laser pumped solid state lasers. To date, electrical efficiencies of greater than 10 percent were demonstrated. As diode laser costs decrease with increased production volume, diode laser and diode laser array pumped solid state lasers will replace the traditional flashlamp pumped Nd:YAG laser sources. The use of laser diode array pumping of slab geometry lasers will allow efficient, high peak and average power solid state laser sources to be developed. Perhaps the greatest impact of diode laser pumped solid state lasers will be in spectroscopic applications of miniature, monolithic devices. Single-stripe diode-pumped operation of a continuous-wave 946 nm Nd:YAG laser with less than 10 m/w threshold was demonstrated. A slope efficiency of 16 percent near threshold was shown with a projected slope efficiency well above a threshold of 34 percent based on results under Rhodamine 6G dye-laser pumping. Nonlinear crystals for second-harmonic generation of this source were evaluated. The KNbO3 and periodically poled LiNbO3 appear to be the most promising.

Byer, R. L.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Diode-pumped continuous-wave Nd:glass laser

The paper reports on diode-laser pumping of monolithic Nd:glass laser oscillators. End pumping with a single-stripe diode laser, a threshold of 2.2 mW, and a slope efficiency of 42 percent were observed on a 2-mm-long oscillator with a mode radius of 35 microns. The oscillator generated 2.5 mW of single-ended output power in many axial modes.

Kozlovsky, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

62-dB-gain multiple-pass slab geometry Nd:YAG amplifier

A flash-lamp-pumped slab Nd:YAG laser amplifier with 62 dB of gain is demonstrated. The amplifier remains linear for energy extraction up to 12 mJ, and the beam spatial quality remains good at repetition rates up to 10 Hz. The slab geometry provides for gain averaging in the zigzag dimension, thus eliminating the undesirable effects of nonuniform pumping. This averaging and the necessity for only a single compact gain element are valuable attributes that may allow for eventual laser-diode array pumping of the slab Nd:YAG amplifier.

Kane, T. J.↗