Dynamic laser control using feedback from a gain grating

Author

Green, Russell P M ; Crofts, Graham J. ; Hubbard, Wendy ; Udaiyan, Darren ; Kim, Dong Hwan ; Damzen, Michael J.

Author_Institution

Blackett Lab., Imperial Coll., London, UK

Volume

32

Issue

3

fYear

1996

fDate

3/1/1996 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

371

Lastpage

377

Abstract

We demonstrate that self-induced gain gratings can provide nonlinear optical feedback that results in single frequency selection and passive self Q-switching of a conventional linear laser cavity. An experimental Nd:YAG laser system is described that yields a temporally-smooth 20 ns pulse at 1.064 μm. In addition, we show that the feedback has phase-conjugate properties that permit “flower-like” mode formation even though the azimuthal symmetry of the cavity is broken

Keywords

Q-switching; holographic gratings; laser cavity resonators; laser feedback; laser modes; multiwave mixing; neodymium; optical phase conjugation; solid lasers; 1.064 mum; 20 ns; Nd:YAG laser system; YAG:Nd; YAl5O12:Nd; cavity azimuthal symmetry; conventional linear laser cavity; dynamic laser control; feedback; flower-like mode formation; gain grating; holographic laser systems; nonlinear optical feedback; passive self Q-switching; phase-conjugate properties; self-induced gain gratings; single frequency selection; temporally-smooth 20 ns pulse; Gratings; Laser feedback; Laser modes; Nonlinear optics; Optical control; Optical coupling; Optical distortion; Optical feedback; Optical resonators; Optical scattering;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.485385

Filename

485385