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Laser Physics Letters

Modeling of a dual-wavelength pumped metastable argon laser

Jun Xiong Gao, Pengfei Sun, Xinbing Wang, Duluo Zuo

Published Feb 7, 2017• 18 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract Optically pumped metastable argon laser is an attractive research topic of innovative gas lasers, but the slow collisional relaxation rates of 1 s 4 –1 s 5 (in Paschen notation) may form a bottleneck on the cycling of active atoms and decrease the laser output at room temperature. Here, by employing a method of a dual-wavelength pump, we demonstrate the removal of accumulation on the 1 s 4 level and the improvement of output power in the simulation. The simulated results show that a large increase in laser output is possible with a relatively weak assistant pump intensity. This method offers a feasible way to scale the laser to higher gain.

DOI
10.1088/1612-202x/aa5b10

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Abstract Optically pumped metastable argon laser is an attractive research topic of innovative gas lasers, but the slow collisional relaxation rates of 1 s 4 –1 s 5 (in Paschen notation) may form a bottleneck on the cycling of active atoms and decrease the laser output at room temperature. Here, by employing a method of a dual-wavelength pump, we demonstrate the removal of accumulation on the 1 s 4 level and the improvement of output power in the simulation. The simulated results show that a large increase in laser output is possible with a relatively weak assistant pump intensity. This method offers a feasible way to scale the laser to higher gain.
Pulsed lasing from optically pumped rare gas metastable atoms (Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe) has been demonstrated previously. The laser relies on a three-level scheme, which involves the (n+1)p[5/2](3) and (n+1)p[1/2](1) states from the np(5)(n+1)p electronic configuration and the metastable (n+1)s[3/2](2) level of the np(5)(n+1)s configuration (Racah notation). Population inversions were achieved using relaxation from ((n+1)p[5/2](3) to (n+1)p[1/2](1) induced by collisions with helium or argon at pressures near 1 atm. Pulsed lasing was easily achieved using the high instantaneous pump intensities provided by a pulsed optical parametric oscillator excitation laser. In the present study we examine the potential for the development of a continuous wave (CW) optically pumped Ar laser. We report lasing of the 4p[1/2](1)→4s[3/2](2) (912.547 nm) transition following CW diode laser excitation of the 4p[5/2](3)←4s[3/2](2) line (811.754 nm). A pulsed discharge was used to generate Ar 4s[3/2](2), and the time-resolved lasing kinetics provide insights concerning the radiative and collisional relaxation processes.
Optically pumped alkali vapor lasers are currently being developed in several laboratories. The objective is to construct high-powered lasers that also exhibit excellent beam quality. Considerable progress has been made, but there are technical challenges associated with the reactivity of the metal atoms. Rare gas atoms (Rg) excited to the np(5)(n+1)s (3)P(2) configuration are metastable and have spectral properties that are closely similar to those of the alkali metals. In principle, optically pumped lasers could be constructed using excitation of the np(5)(n+1)p←np(5)(n+1)s transitions. We have demonstrated this potential by observing gain and lasing for optically pumped Ar(*), Kr(*) and Xe(*). Three-level lasing schemes were used, with He or Ar as the collisional energy transfer agent that established the population inversion. These laser systems have the advantage of using inert reagents that are gases at room temperature.
We experimentally realize the dual-wavelength bad cavity laser for the first time. As the Cs cell temperature is kept between 118°C and 144°C, both the 1359 nm and 1470 nm lasing outputs of dual-wavelength bad cavity laser are detected. The laser output power of dual-wavelength bad cavity laser is measured when changing the 455 nm pumping laser frequency and power at 127°C Cs cell temperature. Both the 1359 nm laser and the 1470 nm laser are working at the deep bad cavity regime, and the ratio between the linewidth of cavity mode and the laser gain bandwidth a ≈ 40 for 1359 nm and 1470 nm lasers. The 1470 nm laser linewidth is measured to be 407.3 Hz. The dual-wavelength bad cavity laser operating on atomic transitions demonstrated here has a potential in the application as a stable optical local oscillator, even an active optical frequency standard directly in the future.
Based on an analysis of kinetic processes in the continuous-wave (CW) single-wavelength two-photon pumped Rb-vapor laser (Rb-TPAL), a three-dimensional computational model is established using the rate equation. Based on the application of the model to cavity-enhanced Rb-TPAL [Yuanet al.,Optics Express29, 4858 (2021)], the calculated and measured dependences of the laser power on the pump power show good agreement. We simulate the Rb-TPAL pumped by a high-power CW laser diode and analyze the effects of temperature, vapor cell length, pump waist, vapor cell transmission, and output mirror reflectance on the characteristics of the blue laser. The results suggest that the output power and efficiency of blue laser can be improved by optimizing the above parameters; however, the particles in the52D5/25^{2}\text{D}_{5/2}52D5/2​level face difficulty to transition to the62P3/26^{2}\text{P}_{3/2}62P3/2​level, and this limits the further improvement of blue laser efficiency; therefore, an approach is proposed to improve the efficiency of Rb-TPAL. This study can be useful for designing a two-photon pumped alkali metal laser with high-power output.
A three level model for optically pumped alkali metal vapor lasers is developed by considering the steady state rate equations for the longitudinally averaged number densities of the ground 2 S1/2 and first excited 2 P3/2, and 2 P1/2 states. For efficient operation, the collisional relaxation between the two upper levels should be fast relative to stimulated emission. By assuming a statistical distribution between the upper two levels, the limiting analytic solution for the quasi-two level system is achieved. A second limiting solution is identified for strongly bleached conditions where the atom recycle rate, limited by spin-orbit relaxation, fully specifies the output power. Performance in the intermediate regime depends significantly on pump laser bandwidth and requires numerical simulation. The ratio of populations for the two excited, 2 P3/2,1/2 states completes an analytic solution and depends primarily on pump laser bandwidth, threshold and alkali concentration.
An analytic model for the cw diode pumped alkali laser is developed by considering the longitudinally averaged number densities of the ground 2S1/2 and first excited 2P3/2, and 2P1/2 states. The pump intensity to reach threshold requires fully bleaching the pump transition and exceeding optical losses, typically about 200 Watts/cm2. Slope efficiency depends critically on the fraction of incident photons absorbed and the overlap of pump and resonator modes, approaching the quantum efficiency of 0.95 - 0.98. For marginal cavity transmission losses, peak performance is achieved for low output coupling. For efficient operation, the collisional relaxation between the two upper levels should be fast to prevent bottlenecking. By assuming a statistical distribution between the upper two levels, the limiting analytic solution for the quasitwo level system is achieved. For properly designed gain conditions, the quasi two level solution is usually achievable and represents ideal performance.