High-power tunable diode-pumped Yb3+:CaF2 laser

Study on lattice dynamics and thermal conductivity of fluorite AF2 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) based on first principles calculations

Fluorite materials have received particular attention in electron optics due to their favorable optical properties. However, further exploration of these materials in the thermoelectric (TE) field is hampered by the lack of studies on their lattice thermal transport properties. In this work, we use first-principles calculations, combined with self-consistent phonon theory, compressive sensing lattice dynamics and the Boltzmann transport equation, to study the microscopic mechanism of lattice thermal transport properties in AF2 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) with a fluorite structure. We investigate the effects of three-phonon and four-phonon scattering and quartic anharmonic renormalization of phonon frequencies on this system. The results show that the bonding strength of atoms A (Ca, Sr, and Ba) plays an important role in the thermal transport process, and the third-order anharmonicity also plays an important role in this system. Meanwhile, the role of the quartic anharmonicity cannot be ignored. Our findings not only fill in the gaps in the study of lattice thermal transport of fluorite materials, but also deepen the comprehensive understanding of the high κL value of fluorite materials.

Broadly tunable (993-1110 nm) Yb:YLF laser

We have investigated room-temperature continuous-wave (cw) lasing performance of Yb:YLF oscillators in detail using rod-type crystals with low Yb-doping (2%). The laser is pumped by a low-cost, high brightness, 10 W, 960 nm single-emitter multimode diode. Laser performance is acquired in both E//a and E//c configurations, using 12 different output couplers with transmission ranging from 0.015% to 70%. We have estimated the passive loss of the Yb:YLF crystal as 0.06% per cm, corresponding to an impressive crystal figure of merit above 4000. The low-doping level not only reduces the system losses but also minimizes the thermal load as the low doped crystals enable distribution of heat load in a greater volume. Using the advantages of lower loss and improved thermal behavior, we have achieved cw output power above 4 W, cw slope efficiencies up to 78%, and a record cw tuning range covering the 993-1110 nm region (117 nm). The output power performance achieved in this initial work is limited by the available pump power, and future room-temperature Yb:YLF systems have the potential to produce higher output power levels.

Stable single-layers of calcium halides (CaX2, X = F, Cl, Br, I)

By means of density functional theory based first-principles calculations, the structural, vibrational, and electronic properties of 1H- and 1T-phases of single-layer CaX₂ (X = F, Cl, Br, or I) structures are investigated. Our results reveal that both the 1H- and 1T-phases are dynamically stable in terms of their phonon band dispersions with the latter being the energetically favorable phase for all single-layers. In both phases of single-layer CaX₂ structures, significant phonon softening occurs as the atomic radius increases. In addition, each structural phase exhibits distinctive Raman active modes that enable one to characterize either the phase or the structure via Raman spectroscopy. The electronic band dispersions of single-layer CaX₂ structures reveal that all structures are indirect bandgap insulators with a decrease in bandgaps from fluorite to iodide crystals. Furthermore, the calculated linear elastic constants, in-plane stiffness, and Poisson ratio indicate the ultra-soft nature of CaX₂ single-layers, which is quite important for their nanoelastic applications. Overall, our study reveals that with their dynamically stable 1T- and 1H-phases, single-layers of CaX₂ crystals can be alternative ultra-thin insulators.

Octahedrally coordinated single layered CaF2: robust insulating behaviour

Using first-principles calculations, the structural, vibrational, and electronic properties of single-layered calcium fluoride (CaF₂) are investigated. The dynamical stability of 1T-CaF₂ is confirmed by the phonon dispersions. Raman active vibrational modes of 1T-CaF₂ enable its characterization via Raman spectroscopy. In addition, the calculated electronic properties of 1T-CaF₂ confirmed insulating behavior with an indirect wide band gap which is larger than that of a well-known single-layered insulator, h-BN. Moreover, one-dimensional nanoribbons of CaF₂ are investigated for two main edge orientations, namely zigzag and armchair, and it is revealed that both structures maintain the 1T nature of CaF₂ without any structural edge reconstructions. Electronically, both types of CaF₂ nanoribbons display robust insulating behavior with respect to the nanoribbon width. The results show that both the 2D and 1D forms of 1T-CaF₂ show potential in nanoelectronics as an alternative to the widely-used insulator h-BN with its similar properties and wider electronic band gap.

Ytterbium calcium fluoride waveguide laser

Calcium fluoride is a well-known material for optical components. It is also suited for doping with rare-earth ions, e.g., ytterbium ones. Yb:CaF₂ is an efficient gain medium for high-power and ultrashort-pulse bulk lasers around 1 μm. We report on the first Yb:CaF₂ planar waveguide laser. High-optical-quality single-crystalline waveguiding Yb:CaF₂ thin films are grown on bulk CaF₂ substrates by Liquid Phase Epitaxy. The spectroscopic study indicates the predominant coordination of isolated Yb³⁺ ions in trigonal oxygen-assisted sites, C_3v(T₂). The optical gain in Yb:CaF₂ waveguide is demonstrated. A 1.4 at.% Yb:CaF₂ planar waveguide laser generated 114 mW at 1037 nm with a slope efficiency of 12.9%. Yb:CaF₂ films are promising for power-scalable waveguide mode-locked lasers and amplifiers.

Effect of Tb-doped Concentration Variation on the Electrical and Dielectric Properties of CaF₂ Nanoparticles

Calcium fluoride (CaF₂) nanoparticles with various terbium (Tb) doping concentrations were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and alternating current (AC) impedance measurement. The original shape and structure of CaF₂ nanoparticles were retained after doping. In all the samples, the dominant charge carriers were electrons, and the F- ion transference number increased with increasing Tb concentration. The defects in the grain region considerably contributed to the electron transportation process. When the Tb concentration was less than 3%, the effect of the ionic radius variation dominated and led to the diffusion of the F- ions and facilitated electron transportation. When the Tb concentration was greater than 3%, the increasing deformation potential scattering dominated, impeding F- ion diffusion and electron transportation. The substitution of Ca2+ by Tb3+ enables the electron and ion hopping in CaF₂ nanocrystals, resulting in increased permittivity.

Growth and lasing performance of a Tm,Y:CaF2 crystal

A Tm³⁺ ion and Y³⁺ ion co-doped CaF₂ crystal was grown and characterized, in which spectral and lasing performance was presented for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Under diode end-pumping, in a continuous-wave regime, maximum output power of 453 mW was delivered under an absorption pump power of 2.5 W, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 17.9% and a slope efficiency of 21%. With a birefringent quartz plate, wavelength-tunable operation with a tunable range of more than 190 nm was realized. The results show that Tm,Y:CaF₂ is a promising laser crystal operating in a spectral region ranging from 1850 nm to 2050 nm.

Yb3+-doped CaF2-LaF3 ceramics laser

Highly transparent ceramic is an attractive gain medium for high-power lasers due to its high fracture toughness, homogeneity, and size scalability. Here we report the first Yb³⁺-doped CaF₂-LaF₃ ceramics laser. Codoping of La³⁺ ion can reduce the formation of Yb²⁺ ions and enhance the laser efficiency. In the laser experiment, the maximum output power of 4.36 W and the maximum slope efficiency of 69.5% were obtained with a 3% La, 2% Yb sample and a 2% La, 1% Yb sample, respectively. Due to the combined properties of Yb:CaF₂ and a ceramic laser gain medium, Yb:CaF₂-LaF₃ ceramic is a promising gain medium for a high-power ultrashort pulse laser and amplifier.

Room-temperature diode-pumped Yb, Na: PbF2 laser

Growth, spectroscopic properties, and laser performance of Yb, Na:PbF(2) crystals have been investigated. With a 2 mol.% Yb(3+)-doped sample we obtained 2.65 W output power at 1045 nm for 7.5 W of incident power at 976 nm. The laser wavelength could be tuned from 1017 to 1078 nm, showing the great potential of Yb, Na:PbF(2) as an amplifier medium for femtosecond pulses.

High-power diode-pumped cryogenically cooled Yb:CaF₂ laser with extremely low quantum defect

High-power diode-pumped laser operation at 992-993 nm under a pumping wavelength of 981 of 986 nm is demonstrated with Yb:CaF₂ operating at cryogenic temperature (77 K), leading to extremely low quantum defects of 1.2% and 0.7%, respectively. An average output power of 33 W has been produced with an optical efficiency of 35%. This represents, to the best of our knowledge, the best laser performance ever obtained at such low quantum defects on intense laser lines.

Yb,Na:PbF(2): a potential new high-power laser material

Yb:PbF(2) and Yb,Na:PbF(2) laser crystals are grown by the Bridgman method. Room-temperature absorption, photoluminescence spectra, and fluorescence lifetimes of Yb(3+) ions in the crystals have been investigated. Experimental results show that Na(+) ions codoping with Yb(3+) as charge compensators can suppress the deoxidization of Yb(3+) to Yb(2+). The result of diode-pumped laser operation of a Yb,Na:PbF(2) single crystal is reported for the first time to the best of our knowledge . With a 1mol.%Yb(3+)-doped sample, we obtained 2.37W output power at 1056nm for 17.9W of incident power at 978nm.

CW and femtosecond operation of a diode-pumped Yb:BaY(2)F(8) laser

We report for the first time on laser action of a diode-pumped Yb:BaY(2)F(8) crystal. Both CW and femtosecond operations have been demonstrated at room-temperature conditions. A maximum output power of 0.56 W, a slope efficiency of 34%, and a tunability range from 1013 to 1067 nm have been obtained in CW regime. Transform-limited pulse trains with a minimum duration of 275 fs, an average power of 40 mW, and a repetition rate of 83 MHz have been achieved in a passive mode-locked regime using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror.

Direct comparison of Yb3+:CaF2 and heavily doped Yb3+:YLF as laser media at room temperature

We report an extensive comparison of the laser performances of diode-pumped Yb(3+):YLF (30% at.) and Yb(3+):CaF(2) (5% at.) crystals, lasing at room-temperature and operating in two different operation mode, i.e. Continuous Wave (CW) and quasi-CW. An in-depth investigation of the crystals behavior by changing the pump power, clearly shows the crystal absorption depends on the lasing conditions. Therefore, we report an unambiguous definition of the slope efficiency calculated taken into account the real measured crystal absorption under laser action. Finally, we present a study of problems related to thermally induced losses which are expected influencing the laser performance.

Mode-locked operation of a diode-pumped femtosecond Yb:SrF2 laser

Femtosecond mode-locked operation is demonstrated for the first time, to our knowledge, with a Yb:SrF(2) crystal. The shortest pulse duration is 143 fs for an average power of 450 mW. The highest average power is 620 mW for a pulse duration of 173 fs. Since Yb:SrF(2) corresponds to the longest-lifetime Yb-doped crystal with which the mode-locking operation has been achieved, a detailed analysis is carried out to characterize the quality of the solitonlike regime.

Multi-mJ, 200-fs, cw-pumped, cryogenically cooled, Yb,Na:CaF2 amplifier

Using a novel (to our knowledge) broadband Yb-doped Yb3+,Na+:CaF2 crystal cooled in a closed loop to 130 K we demonstrate a chirped pulse regenerative laser amplifier delivering the energy of up to 3 mJ at a repetition rate of 1 kHz and an average output power of 6 W at 20 kHz. The gain narrowing in the laser crystal is compensated by shaping the amplitude of the seed pulse spectrum. As the result, at the highest amplified pulse energy we obtain a 12 nm FWHM bandwidth supporting a 130 fs pulse duration, assuming ideal compression. Amplified pulses were recompressed from 250 ps to 195 fs with a 1700 lines/mm transmission grating compressor.

High-peak-power tunable laser operation of Yb:SrF2

Growth, spectroscopic properties, and laser performance of Yb:SrF(2) crystals have been investigated. In spatial multimode operation of a diode-pumped Yb:SrF(2) laser a slope efficiency of 46% was measured. 180W output power with high beam quality at a pulse duration of 1.5ms was achieved by installing a mode cleaning aperture. A maximum average output power of 270mW and a tuning range of 73nm was observed.

Passively Q-switched Yb3+:YCa4O(BO3)3 laser with InGaAs quantum wells as saturable absorbers

A diode-pumped Yb:YCOB laser at 1086 nm is passively Q switched by using InGaAs quantum wells as saturable absorbers and utilizing the Bragg mirror structure as an output coupler. With an absorbed pump power of 9.2 W the laser produces pulses of 100 ms duration with average pulse energy of as much as 165 microJ at a pulse repetition rate of 7 kHz.

Room-temperature diode-pumped Yb:KYF(4) laser

Continuous-wave laser action has been demonstrated in a diode-pumped Yb:KYF(4) crystal. Crystal growth, spectroscopic measurements, and laser results are presented. A maximum output power of 505 mW, a slope efficiency of 43%, and a continuous wavelength tunability range of 65nm, from 1013 to 1078 nm, have been obtained at room temperature.

Codoping Na+ to modulate the spectroscopy and photoluminescence properties of Yb3+ in CaF2 laser crystal

Three kinds of Yb3+ - and Na+-codoped CaF2 laser crystal with different Na:Yb ratios of 0, 1.5, and 10 are grown by the temperature gradient technique. Room-temperature absorption, photoluminescence spectra, and fluorescence lifetimes belonging to the transitions between ground state 2F7/2 and excited state 2F5/2 of Yb3+ ions in the three crystals are measured to study the effect of Na+. Experimental results show that codoping Na+ ions in different Na:Yb ratios can modulate the spectroscopy and photoluminescence properties of Yb3+ ions in a CaF2 lattice in a large scope.

High-power diode-pumped Yb3+:CaF2 femtosecond laser

We report what is believed to be the first demonstration of a high-power passively mode-locked diode-pumped femtosecond laser based on an Yb3+:CaF2 single crystal, directly pumped by a 15-W fiber-coupled laser diode. With a 5-at. % Yb3+ -doped sample and prisms for dispersion compensation we obtained pulses as short as 150 fs, with 880 mW of average power and up to 1.4-W average output power, with a pulse duration of 220 fs, centered at 1049 nm. The laser wavelength could be tuned from 1040 to 1053 nm in the femtosecond regime. Using chirped mirrors for dispersion compensation, the oscillator provided up to 1.74 W of average power, with a pulse duration of 230 fs, corresponding to a pulse energy of 20 nJ and a peak power of 85 kW.