Laser operation of a Tm:Y₂O₃ planar waveguide

We demonstrate the first Tm-doped yttria planar waveguide laser to our knowledge, grown by pulsed laser deposition. A maximum output power of 35 mW at 1.95 µm with 9% slope efficiency was achieved from a 12 µm-thick film grown on a Y3Al5O12 substrate

An 11.5 W Yb:YAG planar waveguide laser fabricated via pulsed laser deposition

We present details of the homo-epitaxial growth of Yb:YAG onto a <100> oriented YAG substrate by pulsed laser deposition. Material characterization and initial laser experiments are also reported, including the demonstration of laser action from the 15 µm-thick planar waveguide generating 11.5 W of output power with a slope efficiency of 48%. This work indicates that under appropriate conditions, high-quality single-crystal Yb:YAG growth via pulsed laser deposition is achievable with characteristics comparable to those obtained via conventional crystal growth techniques

Reflecting photonics: reaching new audiences through new partnerships – IYL 2015 and the Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show

The ‘Reflecting Photonics’ show garden was exhibited at the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Flower Show in Tatton Park, UK, to celebrate the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies. Elks-Smith Garden Design alongside landscapers ‘Turf N’ Earth’ collaborated with researchers, marketing and outreach professionals from the University of Southampton to design, construct and exhibit a photonics-themed garden. The garden and supporting exhibition united science and art to reach new audiences – particularly family groups alongside other key influencers to the young – and showcased the world-leading research in optical fibers at the university in an accessible manner. Researchers and a publicity professional, funded by the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Photonics, developed an integrated approach to the event’s public engagement and marketing. The overarching aim was to influence a positive change in the attitude of the garden visitors towards physics and photonics, with additional focus on promoting careers for women in STEM. The show garden won an RHS Gold Medal award and the coveted ‘People’s Choice Award’ for the best large garden. The project subsequently won the South East England Physics Network Public Engagement Innovation Project Award. Approximately 80,000 visitors saw the garden, with a further three million television viewers on a popular British gardening show. There were also over 75,400 Tweet impressions on social media. This paper discusses the project aims, explores the design of the garden and its relationship with the research, describes the work of the public engagement team, and outlines the impact of the event

Pulsed laser deposited diode-pumped 7.4 W Yb:Lu₂O₃ planar waveguide laser

Fabrication, characterization, and laser performance of an Yb:Lu2O3 planar waveguide laser are reported. Pulsed laser deposition was employed to grow an 8 µm-thick Yb-doped lutetia waveguide on a YAG substrate. X-ray diffraction was used to determine the crystallinity, and spectroscopic characterization showed the absorption and emission cross-sections were indistinguishable from those reported for bulk material. When end-pumped by a diode-laser bar an output power of 7.4 W was achieved, limited by the available pump power, at a wavelength of 1033 nm and a slope efficiency of 38% with respect to the absorbed pump power

Diode-end-pumped 1.2W Yb:Y₂O₃ planar waveguide laser

Fabrication, characterization and laser performance of a Watt level ytterbium-doped yttria waveguide laser is presented. The waveguide was grown onto a YAG substrate by pulsed laser deposition and features a 6 µm thick ytterbium-doped yttria layer sandwiched between two 3 µm undoped yttria layers. The laser deposited film was characterized by X-ray diffraction, showing a high degree of crystallinity and analyzed spectroscopically, showing performance indistinguishable from previously reported bulk material. When pumped with 8.5 W from a broad area diode laser the waveguide laser produces 1.2 W of output at 1030 nm