Handbook of Solid-State Lasers

<p>Contributor contact details</p> <p>Woodhead Publishing Series in Electronic and Optical Materials</p> <p>Foreword</p> <p>Preface</p> <p>Part I: Solid-state laser materials</p> <p>Chapter 1: Oxide laser crystals doped with rare earth and transition metal ions</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>1.1 Introduction</p> <p>1.2 Laser-active ions</p> <p>1.3 Host lattices</p> <p>1.4 Laser medium geometry</p> <p>1.5 Rare earth-doped sesquioxides</p> <p>1.6 Mode-locked sesquioxide lasers</p> <p>1.7 Future trends</p> <p>Chapter 2: Fluoride laser crystals</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>2.1 Introduction</p> <p>2.2 Crystal growth, structural, optical and thermo-mechanical properties of the most important fluoride crystals</p> <p>2.3 Pr3 + doped crystals for RGB video-projection and quantum information experiments</p> <p>2.4 Yb3+ doped fluorides for ultra-short and high-power laser chains</p> <p>2.5 Undoped crystals for nonlinear optics and ultra-short pulse lasers</p> <p>Chapter 3: Oxide laser ceramics</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>3.1 Introduction</p> <p>3.2 Ceramics preparation</p> <p>3.3 Physical properties of oxide laser ceramics</p> <p>3.4 Solid-state lasers using oxide ceramic elements</p> <p>3.5 Conclusion</p> <p>3.6 Acknowledgements</p> <p>Chapter 4: Fluoride laser ceramics</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>4.1 Introduction</p> <p>4.2 Fluoride powders: chemistry problems and relevant technology processes</p> <p>4.3 Fluoride ceramics as optical medium</p> <p>4.4 Development of the fluoride laser ceramics synthesis protocol</p> <p>4.5 Microstructure, spectral luminescence and lasing properties</p> <p>4.6 CaF2:Yb3 + system</p> <p>4.7 Prospective compositions for fluoride laser ceramics</p> <p>4.8 Conclusion</p> <p>4.9 Acknowledgments</p> <p>4.10 Note to the reader</p> <p>Chapter 5: Neodymium, erbium and ytterbium laser glasses</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>5.1 Introduction</p> <p>5.2 The history of laser glasses</p> <p>5.3 Commercial laser glasses</p> <p>5.4 Modern neodymium and erbium laser glasses</p> <p>5.5 Ytterbium glasses</p> <p>5.6 Future trends in glass-based laser materials</p> <p>Chapter 6: Nonlinear crystals for solid-state lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>6.1 Introduction</p> <p>6.2 Second-order frequency conversion</p> <p>6.3 Nonlinear crystal development</p> <p>6.4 Nonlinear crystals: current status and future trends</p> <p>6.5 Sources of further information and advice</p> <p>Part II: Solid-state laser systems and their applications</p> <p>Chapter 7: Principles of solid-state lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>7.1 Introduction</p> <p>7.2 Amplification of radiation</p> <p>7.3 Optical amplifiers</p> <p>7.4 Laser resonators</p> <p>7.5 Model of laser operation</p> <p>7.6 Conclusion</p> <p>Chapter 8: Powering solid-state lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>8.1 Introduction</p> <p>8.2 Safety</p> <p>8.3 Flashlamp pumping</p> <p>8.4 Laser diode pumping</p> <p>8.5 Control features</p> <p>8.6 Conclusion</p> <p>Chapter 9: Operation regimes for solid-state lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>9.1 Introduction</p> <p>9.2 Continuous-wave operation</p> <p>9.3 Pulsed pumping of solid-state lasers</p> <p>9.4 Q-switching</p> <p>9.5 Mode locking</p> <p>9.6 Chirped-pulse amplification</p> <p>9.7 Regenerative amplification</p> <p>Chapter 10: Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) and neodymium-doped yttrium orthovanadate (Nd:YVO4)</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>10.1 Introduction</p> <p>10.2 Oscillators for neodymium lasers</p> <p>10.3 Power/energy limitations and oscillator scaling concepts</p> <p>10.4 Power scaling with master oscillator/power amplifier (MOPA) architectures</p> <p>10.5 Future trends</p> <p>10.6 Sources of further information and advice</p> <p>Chapter 11: System sizing issues with diode-pumped quasi-three-level materials</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>11.1 Introduction</p> <p>11.2 Ytterbium-doped materials and bulk operating conditions</p> <p>11.3 Overview of Yb-based systems pump architectures and modes of operation</p> <p>11.4 YAG–KGW–KYW-based laser systems for nanosecond and sub-picosecond pulse generation</p> <p>11.5 Conclusion and future trends</p> <p>Chapter 12: Neodymium doped lithium yttrium fluoride (Nd:YLiF4) lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>12.1 Introduction</p> <p>12.2 Pumping methods of Nd:YLF lasers</p> <p>12.3 Alternative laser transitions</p> <p>12.4 Future trends</p> <p>Chapter 13: Erbium (Er) glass lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>13.1 Introduction</p> <p>13.2 Flashlamp pumped erbium (Er) glass lasers</p> <p>13.3 Laser diode (LD) pumped erbium (Er) glass lasers</p> <p>13.4 Means of Q-switching for erbium (Er) glass lasers</p> <p>13.5 Applications of erbium (Er) glass lasers</p> <p>13.6 Crystal lasers emitting at about 1.5 microns: advantages and drawbacks</p> <p>Chapter 14: Microchip lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>14.1 Introduction</p> <p>14.2 Microchip lasers: a broadly applicable concept</p> <p>14.3 Transverse mode definition</p> <p>14.4 Spectral properties</p> <p>14.5 Polarization control</p> <p>14.6 Pulsed operation</p> <p>14.7 Nonlinear frequency conversion</p> <p>14.8 Microchip amplifiers</p> <p>14.9 Future trends</p> <p>14.10 Sources of further information and advice</p> <p>Chapter 15: Fiber lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>15.1 Introduction and history</p> <p>15.2 Principle of fiber lasers</p> <p>15.3 High power continuous wave (CW) fiber lasers</p> <p>15.4 Pulsed fiber lasers</p> <p>15.5 Ultrafast fiber lasers</p> <p>15.6 Continuous wave (CW) and pulsed fiber lasers at alternative wavelengths</p> <p>15.7 Emerging fiber technologies for fiber lasers</p> <p>15.8 Conclusion and future trends</p> <p>Chapter 16: Mid-infrared optical parametric oscillators</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>16.1 Introduction</p> <p>16.2 Nonlinear optics and optical parametric devices</p> <p>16.3 Nonlinear optical materials for the infrared region</p> <p>16.4 Tuneable single frequency optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) for spectroscopy</p> <p>16.5 High power and high energy nanosecond pulselength systems</p> <p>16.6 Ultrashort pulse systems</p> <p>16.7 Sources of further information and advice</p> <p>16.8 Future trends</p> <p>Chapter 17: Raman lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>17.1 Introduction</p> <p>17.2 Raman lasers</p> <p>17.3 Solid-state Raman materials</p> <p>17.4 Raman generators, amplifiers and lasers</p> <p>17.5 Crystalline Raman lasers: performance review</p> <p>17.6 Wavelength-versatile Raman lasers</p> <p>17.7 Conclusion and future trends</p> <p>Chapter 18: Cryogenic lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>18.1 Introduction</p> <p>18.2 History of cryogenically cooled lasers</p> <p>18.3 Laser material properties at cryogenic temperatures</p> <p>18.4 Recent cryogenic laser achievements</p> <p>18.5 Conclusion and future trends</p> <p>18.6 Acknowledgment</p> <p>Chapter 19: Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>19.1 Introduction to laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)</p> <p>19.2 Types of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) systems and applications</p> <p>19.3 Solid-state lasers for laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)</p> <p>19.4 Future trends</p> <p>Chapter 20: Surgical solid-state lasers and their clinical applications</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>20.1 Introduction</p> <p>20.2 Laser–tissue interaction</p> <p>20.3 Clinical applications of solid-state lasers</p> <p>20.4 Current and future trends in laser surgery</p> <p>Chapter 21: Solid-state lasers (SSL) in defense programs</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>21.1 Introduction</p> <p>21.2 Background</p> <p>21.3 Properties of laser weapons</p> <p>21.4 Gas lasers</p> <p>21.5 Solid-state lasers</p> <p>21.6 Alternative lasers</p> <p>21.7 Conclusions and future trends</p> <p>Chapter 22: Environmental applications of solid-state lasers</p> <p>Abstract:</p> <p>22.1 Introduction</p> <p>22.2 Classification of atmospheric contaminants</p> <p>22.3 Light scattering as a powerful method for the measurement of atmospheric contamination by aerosols</p> <p>22.4 Instrumentation based on laser light scattering and absorption for the measurement of aerosols</p> <p>22.5 Gas monitors based on optical measurement methods using lasers</p> <p>22.6 Remote sensing using lasers and ground-based and airborne light detection and ranging (LIDAR)</p> <p>22.7 Conclusion</p> <p>Index</p>