| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/L96455/01 |
| Title: |
DIODE-PUMPED SELF-ADAPTIVE GAIN-GRATING LASERS |
| Principal Investigator: |
Damzen, Professor MJ |
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| Department: |
Physics |
| Organisation: |
Imperial College London |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 April 1998 |
Ends: |
31 March 2000 |
Value (£): |
172,585
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Optical Devices & Subsystems |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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High-power semiconductor diode arrays (>20W) are severely limited in industrial applications by their poor spatial coherence and are therefore more often used for optical pumping of solid-state lasers in which the resonator is designed to maintain a high-quality spatial mode. We propose a novel approach, which combines expertise at Southampton in diode-pumped waveguide laser systems with the self-adaptive techniques spatial and spectral mode control in solid-state lasers pioneered at Imperial College by Dr Damzen. A solid-state planar waveguide amplifier will be developed with efficient diode-side-pumping into the waveguide due to the compatible high-aspect ratio of both waveguide and diode emitter dimensions. The confinement of the pump light leads to considerably higher amplifier gains compared to bulk pumping, with continuous-wave gains in excess of 28dB having been demonstrated at Southampton in planar garnet waveguides. These high gains open the prospect of using gain saturation gratings to establish a self-organised holographic gain-grating resonator for high quality spatial and spectral cavity mode capability by correction of thermal effects, multimodal waveguide unscrambling and mode control of large in-plane guide dimension. Our aim in this way will be to demonstrate a high power solid state source with a diffraction-limited, single-longitudinal-mode output beam.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.imperial.ac.uk |