High Power Laser and Parametric Amplifier/Oscillator

People involved: Prof. Barry Luther Davies; Dr Vesselin Kolev; Malte During;

Development of a compact solid-state laser source for Resonant Infrared Pulsed Laser Deposition (RIR-PLD) of polymer materials. This is a tunable mid infrared source, utilizing optical parametric amplification in multiple-grating periodically poled nonlinear crystals (PPLN). Collaboration with Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology (ILT), Aachen, Germany and Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. Development of a high-power laser source at 589 nm for "Guide Star" applications. The approach is based entirely on nonlinear frequency conversion (second harmonic generation, optical parametric amplification, and sum frequency generation) using non-critically phase-matched LBO and periodically poled (PPLN, PPSLT) crystals. Collaboration with Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology (ILT), Aachen, Germany and our industry partner Electro Optic Systems Pty Ltd , Canberra. Improvements and further enhancements of the existing "Long Laser / ILT Amplifier" system - a high-power master-oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) system, consisting of a long-cavity variable repetition rate passively mode-locked Nd:YVO4 laser developed earlier in-house and a high-gain Nd:YVO4 slab amplifier prototype designed and built at Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology (ILT), Aachen, Germany. The system is used for Pulsed Laser Deposition of optical films ( CUDOS ), carbon nanoclaster formation, art conservation experiments, and as a pump source for the two above mentioned projects. Continuous collaboration with Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen.