The output power of a cw Nd:YAG laser was stabilized in a dc-coupled feedback loop with a low-noise multiphotodiode detector and an electro-optic amplitude modulator in the frequency band from 1 Hz to 1 kHz. For the first time, to our knowledge, an independently measured relative power noise of 2.4 x 10(-9) Hz(-1/2) at 10 Hz was achieved, fulfilling the power stability requirements of the Advan...

Four different schemes for the generation of femtosecond input pulses for ArF amplifiers are described. Pulse energies of 100 nJ were obtained with phase-matched frequency mixing of a Raman-shifted frequency-doubled pulse derived from a 537-nm femtosecond dye-laser pulse. Excellent spatial, spectral, and amplitude stability was obtained when a broadband, nanosecond dye laser at 690 nm was used ...

Recent developments of two mid-infrared tunable laser spectrometers dedicated to carbon isotope ratio determination are presented. First, a field deployable quantum cascade laser-based sensor is described, along with line selection strategy for (13/12)CO(2) ratio measurements. Secondly, an instrument architecture based on difference frequency generation is presented. The analyses of fundamental...

A laser ion source that provides a fully ionized carbon ion beam is under joint development at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Long-pulse (6 ns) and short-pulse (500 ps) laser systems were tested by using them to irradiate a graphite target. Notable differences between the systems were observed in these experiments. Preliminary experimental ...

We present a conceptual design of a laser fusion experimental reactor (LIFT) and analyze the issues related to the fueling and chamber systems. The LIFT is designed on a scheme of three phases where each phase has specific goals and dedicated chambers driven by the same laser. Based on our understanding, the critical issues include the control of fuel loading in the fueling system and the stabi...

We demonstrate a carrier-envelope phase (CEP) stabilized, chirped pulse laser amplifier that exhibits greatly improved intrinsic long-term CEP stability compared with that of other amplifiers. This system employs a grating-based stretcher and compressor and a cryogenically cooled laser amplifier. Single-shot carrier envelope phase noise measurements are also presented that avoid underestimation...

Continuing developments in homodyne laser interferometer systems [1] are improving both their measurement performance capability and their ease of installation. This paper gives an overview of such a system and explains several of the key design features. Firstly, an overview of the optical detection scheme is given. Secondly, a novel method for improving the Sub Divisional Error (SDE) in a Col...

We demonstrate a tunable fiber ring laser employing a two-dimensional dispersion arrangement filter, with the lasing determined by a liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) spatial light modulator. Lasing wavelengths can be tuned discontinuously across the communication C-band at an addressable resolution of less than 200 MHz. We introduce full characterization of the laser output including phase and ...

Operation of a far-infrared (1.5–4.2 THz) p-Ge laser in an open quasi-optical resonator is demonstrated. This contrasts with previous designs where mirrors were fixed to surfaces of the active crystal. Enhanced stability and tuning of the laser cavity length are demonstrated, which are steps toward continuous tunability without mode-hops. 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 42...

Fast saturable absorbers (FSAs) play a critical role in stabilizing many passively modelocked lasers. The most commonly used averaged model to study these lasers is the Haus modelocking equation (HME) that includes a third-order nonlinear FSA. However, it predicts a narrow region of stability that is inconsistent with experiments. To better replicate the laser physics, averaged laser models tha...