Fabrication and characterization of waveguide lasers operating in the infrared spectral range

Aquest treball de tesi ha tractat la fabricació i la caracterització de làsers de guia d’ona compactes i eficients que funcionen en règims d’ona contínua i Q-commutat de forma passiva al voltant dels 2 micròmetres en l’espectre electromagnètic. Per aconseguir-los, es van utilitzar materials cristal•lins basats en tungstats dobles d’estructura monoclínica dopats amb erbi (Er3+), tuli (Tm3+) o holmi (Ho3+). Aquests materials làser es van escollir per les seves propietats òptiques d’emissió i absorció que els fan aptes per aconseguir dispositius compactes. Per a la fabricació i l'estructuració de les guies d'ona, es va utilitzar la combinació dels següents mètodes: creixement cristal•lí en solució a alta temperatura, creixement d’epitàxies en fase líquida, tall amb serra micromètrica de diamant i escriptura directa per làser de femtosegons. A més, es van implementar diferents tècniques de caracterització com la microscòpia confocal, μ-Raman i μ-luminescència per avaluar la qualitat i la idoneïtat de les guies d'ones. En el règim d’ona Q-commutat de forma passiva, es va estudiar la idoneïtat de diferents absorbidors saturables, com ara cristalls de ZnSe o ZnS dopats amb Cr2+, MoS2 i nanoestructures de carboni (grafè i els nanotubs de carboni) dipositats sobre un substrat transparent o directament a la superfície de la mostra que contenia les guies d'ones. La fabricació d’una guia d’ona acanalada superficial mitjançant creixement epitaxial va donar com a resultat una eficiència làser rècord gairebé aproximada al límit teòric. Es van fabricar i estudiar guies d'ones soterrades (canals) fabricades mitjançant un làser de femtosegon. Igualment, es van fabricar i estudiar guies d'ona acanalades en superfície (forma d'anell) i separadors en forma de Y. Finalment, es van demostrar làsers de guia d’ona capaços d’oferir una potència de sortida de nivell de watts, així com làsers de guia d’ona en règim Q-commutat de forma passiva molt estable.Este trabajo de tesis ha tratado la fabricación y caracterización de láseres de guía de onda compactos y eficientes que funcionan en los regímenes de onda continua y Q-conmutado de forma pasiva alrededor de los 2 micrómetros en el espectro electromagnético. Para lograrlos, se emplearon materiales cristalinos basados en tungstatos dobles de estructura monoclínica dopados con erbio (Er3+), tulio (Tm3+) u holmio (Ho3+). Los medios de ganancia fueron elegidos debido a sus propiedades ópticas de emisión y absorción que los hacen adecuados para lograr dispositivos compactos. Para la fabricación y estructuración de las guías de onda se utilizó una combinación de los métodos: crecimiento cristalino en solución a alta temperatura, crecimiento epitaxial en fase líquida, corte con sierra micrométrica de diamante y escritura directa por láser de femtosegundo. Además, se implementaron diferentes técnicas de caracterización, como la microscopía confocal, μ-Raman y μ-luminiscencia para evaluar la calidad y la idoneidad de las guías de onda. En el régimen de operación Q-conmutado pasivo, se estudió la idoneidad de diferentes absorbentes saturables, como los cristales de ZnSe o ZnS dopados con Cr:2+, el MoS2 y las nanoestructuras de carbono (grafeno y los nanotubos de carbono) depositados sobre un sustrato transparente o directamente sobre la superficie de la muestra que contiene las guías de onda. La fabricación de una guía de onda acanalada superficial mediante crecimiento epitaxial resultó en una eficiencia láser récord muy próximo al límite teórico. Se fabricaron y estudiaron guías de onda enterradas fabricadas mediante escritura con láser de femtosegundo. Se fabricaron y estudiaron guías de onda acanaladas en superficie (revestimiento en forma de anillo) y divisores en forma de Y. Finalmente, se demostraron láseres de guía de onda capaces de generar una potencia de salida de vatios, así como láseres de guía de onda en régimen Q-conmutado pasivamente muy estable.This thesis work has dealt with the fabrication and the characterization of compact and efficient waveguide lasers operating in the continuous wave and passively Q-switched operation regimes around 2 μm in the spectral range. To achieve those, erbium (Er3+), thulium (Tm3+) or holmium (Ho3+) doped monoclinic double tungstate crystalline materials were employed. The gain media were chosen due to their ability to generate polarized laser emission and their large gain cross-sections which make them suitable for achieving compact devices. The combination of the top-seeded solution growth, liquid phase epitaxy, diamond saw dicing and femtosecond direct laser writing methods were employed for fabricating and structuring the waveguides. Furthermore, different characterization techniques such as confocal microscopy, μ-Raman, and μ-luminescence mapping were implemented to assess the quality and suitability of the fabricated waveguides for lasing application. In the passively Q-switched operation regime, the suitability of different saturable absorbers such as transition-metal-doped chalcogenide crystals (Cr2+:ZnSe or ZnS), few-layer transition metal dichalcogenide (MoS2) and carbon nanostructures such as graphene and single-walled carbon nanotubes deposited on a transparent substrate or directly onto the surface of the sample containing the waveguides were tested. The fabrication of an epitaxially grown surface channel waveguide resulted in a record slope efficiency almost approaching the theoretical limit. Femtosecond laser written buried channel waveguides (with circular and hexagonal optical-lattice-like cladding), surface channel waveguides (with half-ring-shaped cladding) and Y-branch splitters were fabricated and studied. Waveguide lasers capable of delivering a watt-level output power as well as those with a stable passive Q-switching operation were demonstrated

Femtosecond-laser-written hexagonal cladding waveguide in Tm:KLu(WO_4)_2: µ-Raman study and laser operation

We report on the fabrication, µ-Raman characterization, and continuous-wave laser operation of a channel waveguide with a hexagonal optical-lattice-like cladding fabricated in monoclinic Tm:KLu(WO4)2 crystal by femtosecond direct laser writing. µ-Raman spectroscopy indicates preservation of the crystalline quality in the core region and an anisotropic residual stress field. When pumped by a Ti:Sapphire laser at 802 nm, the Tm:KLu(WO4)2 buried channel waveguide laser generated 136 mW at 1843.7 nm with a slope efficiency of 34.2% and a threshold as low as 21 mW, which are the record characteristics for femtosecond-laser-written Tm crystalline waveguide lasers. The variation of the output coupling resulted in discrete wavelength tuning of the laser emission from 1785 to 1862 nm. The propagation losses in the waveguide are ~1.2 ± 0.3 dB/cm.E. K. acknowledges financial support from the Generalitat de Catalunya under grants 2016FI_B00844 and 2017FI_B100158. F.D. acknowledges additional support through the ICREA academia award 2010ICREA-02 for excellence in research. X. M. acknowledges support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 657630. A. R. acknowledges funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship Grant Agreement No. 747055. P. L. acknowledges financial support from the Government of the Russian Federation (Grant 074-U01) through ITMO Post-Doctoral Fellowship scheme

Femtosecond-laser-written Tm:KLu(WO_4)_2 waveguide lasers

Depressed-index channel waveguides with a circular and photonic crystal cladding structures are prepared in a bulk monoclinic Tm:KLu(WO4)2 crystal by 3D direct femtosecond laser writing. The channel waveguide structures are characterized and laser operation is achieved using external mirrors. In the continuous-wave mode, the maximum output power of 46 mW is achieved at 1912 nm corresponding to a slope efficiency of 15.2% and a laser threshold of only 21 mW. Passive -switching of a waveguide with a circular cladding is realized using single-walled carbon nanotubes. Stable 7 nJ/50 ns pulses are achieved at a repetition rate of 1.48 MHz. This first demonstration of ∼2 μm fs-laser-written waveguide lasers based on monoclinic double tungstates is promising for further lasers of this type doped with Tm3+and Ho3+ ions .Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) (FIS2013-44174-P, FIS2015-71933-REDT, MAT2013-47395-C4-4-R, MAT2016-75716-C2-1-R, TEC 2014-55948-R); Departament d’Innovació, Universitats i Empresa, Generalitat de Catalunya (DIUE) (2014SGR1358); Junta de Castilla y León (UIC016, SA046U16); Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) Academia (2010ICREA-02); H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) (657630); Government of the Russian Federation (074-U01); National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Korea of MSIP (2016R1A2A1A05005381)

Femtosecond-laser-written Ho:KGd(WO4)2 waveguide laser at 21 μm

We report on efficient laser operation of the first holmium monoclinic double tungstate waveguide laser fabricated by femtosecond direct laser writing. A depressed-index buried channel waveguide with a 60 μm diameter circular cladding was inscribed in 5 at.% Ho3+:KGd(WO4)2. It was characterized by confocal microscopy and μ-Raman and μ-luminescence spectroscopy, indicating well-preserved crystallinity of its core. Pumped by a thulium bulk laser, the holmium waveguide laser generated 212 mW at 2055 nm with a slope efficiency of 67.2%. The waveguide propagation losses were 0.94±0.2  dB/cm.Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR) (2017SGR755); Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (H2020) (747055); Consejería de Educación, Junta de Castilla y León (SA046U16, UIC016); Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) [FIS2017-87970-R, MAT2016-75716-C2-1-R (AEI/FEDER, UE), TEC 2014-55948-R]; Generalitat de Catalunya (2016FI_B00844, 2017FI_B100158, 2018FI_B200123); ICREA academia (2010ICREA-02); Government of the Russian Federation (074-U01); European Community’s Horizon 2020 Research (654148); Laserlab- EUROPE (MBI MBI002365)

Passively Q-switched femtosecond-laser-written thulium waveguide laser based on evanescent field interaction with carbon nanotubes

Surface channel waveguides (WGs) were fabricated in a monoclinic Tm3+:KLu(WO4)2 crystal by femtosecond direct laser writing (fs-DLW). The WGs consisted of a half-ring cladding with diameters of 50 and 60 μm located just beneath the crystal surface. They were characterized by confocal laser microscopy and -Raman spectroscopy, indicating a reduced crystallinity and stress-induced birefringence of the WG cladding. In continuous-wave (CW) mode, under Ti:sapphire laser pumping at 802 nm, the maximum output power reached 171.1 mW at 1847.4 nm, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 37.8% for the 60 μm diameter WG. The WG propagation loss was 0.7±0.3 dB/cm. The top surface of the WGs was spin-coated by a polymethyl methacrylate film containing randomly oriented (spaghetti-like) arc-discharge single-walled carbon nanotubes serving as a saturable absorber based on evanescent field coupling. Stable passively -switched (PQS) operation was achieved. The PQS 60 μm diameter WG laser generated a record output power of 150 mW at 1846.8 nm with =34.6%. The conversion efficiency with respect to the CW mode was 87.6%. The best pulse characteristics (energy/duration) were 105.6 nJ/98 ns at a repetition rate of 1.42 MHz.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) (FIS2013-44174-P, FIS2015-71933-REDT, MAT2016-75716-C2-1-R (AEI/FEDER,UE), TEC2014-55948-R); Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR) (2017SGR755); Consejería de Educación, Junta de Castilla y León (SA046U16, UIC016); Generalitat de Catalunya (2016FI_B00844, 2017FI_B100158, 2018 FI_B2 00123)

Fs-laser-written thulium waveguide lasers Q-switched by graphene and MoS2

[EN]We report the generation of mid-infrared (~2 µm) high repetition rate (MHz) sub-100 ns pulses in buried thulium-doped monoclinic double tungstate crystalline waveguide lasers using two-dimensional saturable absorber materials, graphene and MoS2. The waveguide (propagation losses of ~1 dB/cm) was micro-fabricated by means of ultrafast femtosecond laser writing. In the continuous-wave regime, the waveguide laser generated 247 mW at 1849.6 nm with a slope efficiency of 48.7%. The laser operated at the fundamental transverse mode with a linearly polarized output. With graphene as a saturable absorber, the pulse characteristics were 88 ns / 18 nJ (duration / energy) at a repetition rate of 1.39 MHz. Even shorter pulses of 66 ns were achieved with MoS2. Graphene and MoS2 are therefore promising for high repetition rate nanosecond Q-switched infrared waveguide lasers

Fs-laser-written erbium-doped double tungstate waveguide laser

[EN]We report on the first erbium (Er3+) doped double tungstate waveguide laser. As a gain material, we studied a monoclinic Er3+:KLu(WO4)2 crystal. A depressed-index buried channel waveguide formed by a 60 μm-diameter circular cladding was fabricated by 3D femtosecond direct laser writing. The waveguide was characterized by confocal laser microscopy, μ-Raman and μ-luminescence mapping, confirming that the crystallinity of the core is preserved. The waveguide laser, diode pumped at 981 nm, generated 8.9 mW at 1533.6 nm with a slope efficiency of 20.9% in the continuous-wave regime. The laser polarization was linear (ENm). The laser threshold was at 93 mW of absorbed pump power

Growth, spectroscopy and first laser operation of monoclinic Ho3+ :MgWO4 crystal

A monoclinic 0.86 at.% Ho3+:MgWO4 crystal is grown by the Top-Seeded-Solution Growth method. Its spectroscopic properties are studied with polarized light for E || a, b, c. The Ho3+ ion transition probabilities are determined within the modified Judd-Ofelt theory (mJ-O) accounting for the configuration interaction. The intensity parameters are Ω2 = 21.09, Ω4 = 4.42, Ω6 = 2.28 [10–20 cm2] and α= 0.053 [10-4cm]. The calculated radiative lifetime of the 5I7 state is 6.18 ms. The Stark splitting of the 5I7 and 5I8 multiplets is determined with low-temperature spectroscopy. The absorption, stimulated-emission (SE) and gain cross-sections for the 5I8↔5I7 transition are derived. Ho3+ :MgWO4 features a large Stark splitting of the ground-state (380 cm-1), high maximumσSE of 1.82 × 10–20 cm2 at 2.083μm, broad gain spectra and high luminescence quantum yield making it suitable for efficient continuous-wave and mode-locked lasers at∼2.1μm. First laser operation of Ho3+:MgWO4 crystal is demonstrated at 2.104μm reaching a slope efficiency of 72%

Carbon nanotube Q-switched Yb:KLuW surface channel waveguide lasers

A channel waveguide (WG) buried immediately below the surface of a Yb:KLuW crystal is used as a laser gain medium for passive -switching by both evanescent- and direct-field interactions with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) near 1040 nm. The SWCNTs used as saturable absorbers (SAs) are deposited on top of the half-ring-type channel WG fabricated via femtosecond direct laser writing. The -switched WG laser delivers 88.5 ns pulses at a 1.16 MHz repetition rate with a maximum average output power of 680 mW. For the two different interaction schemes with SWCNT-SAs, the pulse characteristics, depending on the output coupling ratio and absorbed pump power, are experimentally investigated and compared to the results of theoretical analyses of the SA -switched operation.National Research Foundation of Korea (2017R1A4A1015426, 2018H1A2A1061480); Spanish Government (FIS2017-87970-R, MAT2016-75716-C2-1-R (AEI/FEDER, UE)); Junta de Castilla y León (SA287P18); Generalitat de Catalunya (2017SGR755)

Design and modeling of a passively Q-switched diode-pumped Thulium laser at 2.3 μ m

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