Mode-locked and frequency-doubled laser efficiencies
Abstract
It has been shown impossible in principle to obtain 100% conversion of available 1.06 micron power to the second harmonic in Nd:YAG by mode-locking and intracavity frequency doubling. This frequency doubling broadens the pulses at a given depth of modulation and causes an enhancement in mode-locking losses. The additional mode-locker losses compared with a laser without frequency doubling causes a reduction in the usable power that can be extracted from the laser. For a Gaussian pulse, this ratio of peak to average loss is the square root of two. However, strongly coupled lasers have visibly non-Gaussian pulse shapes whose efficiencies are different. This paper examines the efficiencies of several specific pulse shapes, two idealized pulses and one experimental.
- Publication:
-
Applied Optics
- Pub Date:
- December 1976
- DOI:
- 10.1364/AO.15.002955
- Bibcode:
- 1976ApOpt..15.2955K
- Keywords:
-
- Energy Conversion Efficiency;
- Frequency Multipliers;
- Infrared Lasers;
- Laser Mode Locking;
- Pulsed Lasers;
- Yag Lasers;
- Energy Dissipation;
- Harmonic Generations;
- Light Modulation;
- Neodymium Lasers;
- Optical Coupling;
- Waveforms;
- Lasers and Masers;
- LASERS