External-cavity diamond Raman laser increases pump brightness by 50%

May 5, 2014
A team from the Macquarie Photonics Research Centre (Sydney, Australia) has created an external-cavity diamond Raman laser, pumped by a pulsed (36 kHz) 1064-nm-emitting NdYAG laser and emitting light at the eye-safe 1485 nm wavelength, that increases the brightness of the incoming beam by 50%. While the beam quality is improved by a factor of 2.7, the conversion efficiency is 40% (with average output power of 16.2 W), which leads to the 50% brightness increase.

A team from the Macquarie Photonics Research Centre at Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia) has created an external-cavity diamond Raman laser, pumped by a pulsed (36 kHz) 1064-nm-emitting NdYAG laser and emitting light at the eye-safe 1485 nm wavelength, that increases the brightness of the incoming beam by 50%. While the beam quality is improved by a factor of 2.7, the conversion efficiency is 40% (resulting in an average output power of 16.2 W), which leads to the 50% brightness increase.1

The diamond crystal is several millimeters long. The major advantage of using diamond is its outstanding ability to dissipate heat (better than any other material), allowing conversion to be achieved passively in a very small package.

The beam conversion occurs via stimulated Raman scattering, which has been studied in diamond at Macquarie University extensively for the past five years, as reviewed by co-researcher Richard Mildren and colleagues in the new book Optical Engineering of Diamond.2 "The Raman process not only improves the beam quality but also converts the color of the laser beam," says Mildren.

With the proof of concept, and now patent protection, the researchers next plan to demonstrate conversion of higher powers and with lasers at other wavelengths. The work was supported by the Asian Office of Aeronautical Research and Development.

REFERENCES

1. Aaron McKay, Ondrej Kitzler, and Richard P. Mildren, Laser & Photonics Reviews (2014); doi: 10.1002/lpor.201400012

2. Optical Engineering of Diamond, Rich Mildren (Editor), James Rabeau (Editor); ISBN: 978-3-527-41102-3; May, 2013.

About the Author

John Wallace | Senior Technical Editor (1998-2022)

John Wallace was with Laser Focus World for nearly 25 years, retiring in late June 2022. He obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and physics at Rutgers University and a master's in optical engineering at the University of Rochester. Before becoming an editor, John worked as an engineer at RCA, Exxon, Eastman Kodak, and GCA Corporation.

Sponsored Recommendations

Demonstrating Flexible, Powerful 5-axis Laser Micromachining

Sept. 18, 2024
Five-axis scan heads offer fast and flexible solutions for generating precise holes, contoured slots and other geometries with fully defined cross sections. With a suitable system...

Enhance Your Experiments with Chroma's Spectra Viewer

Sept. 5, 2024
Visualize and compare fluorescence spectra with our interactive Spectra Viewer tool. Easily compare and optimize filters and fluorochromes for your experiments with this intuitive...

Optical Filter Orientation Guide

Sept. 5, 2024
Ensure optimal performance of your optical filters with our Orientation Guide. Learn the correct placement and handling techniques to maximize light transmission and filter efficiency...

Ensure Optimal Performance with Shortpass Filters

Sept. 5, 2024
Achieve precise wavelength blocking with our Shortpass Filters. Ideal for applications requiring effective light transmission and cutoff, these filters ensure optimal performance...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!