>10-W fiber laser source with 0.5-5 MHz repetition rate and 0.5-1.5 nsec pulse width

Thomas J. Kane; Laura A. Smoliar; Frank Adams; Mark Alan Arbore; David R. Balsley; Mark W. Byer; George E. Conway; William M. Grossman; Gregory Keaton; Jeffrey D. Kmetec; Manuel Leonardo; James J. Morehead; Werner Wiechmann

doi:10.1117/12.596377

8 October 2004 >10 Watt fiber laser source with 0.5-5 MHz repetition rate and 0.5-1.5 nsec pulse width

Thomas J. Kane, Laura A. Smoliar, Frank Adams, Mark Alan Arbore, David R. Balsley, Mark W. Byer, George E. Conway, William M. Grossman, Gregory Keaton, Jeffrey D. Kmetec, Manuel Leonardo, James J. Morehead, Werner Wiechmann

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5662, Fifth International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.596377
Event: Fifth International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication, 2004, Nara, Japan

Abstract

The trend in micro-machining lasers is toward greater average power and higher repetition rate, in order to increase throughput, with pulse energy and peak power held roughly constant, as determined by the small scale of the feature. At repetition rates beyond 500 kHz, conventional high-power Q-switched Nd lasers will reach fundamental limits. We demonstrated a fiber-based oscillator-amplifier architecture which produces pulse repetition rates in the 0.5 - 5 MHz range and pulse durations in the 0.5 - 1.5 nsec range. The oscillator is a compact (35 cm³ package) passively Q-switched Nd:YVO₄ laser oscillating at a single frequency. By amplifying this laser in fiber, we demonstrated 10-W average power at the two wavelengths of 914 nm and 1064 nm. At 1064-nm, Yb-doped large mode area fiber will allow scaling of average power to over 100 Watts, with peak power of tens of kW, in a diffraction-limited beam. Excellent conversion will be possible to visible and UV using the robust nonlinear material LBO. By opening up a new range of repetition rates and pulse lengths, at IR, visible and UV wavelengths, in a high power design that has the packaging and efficiency advantages of fiber, new micro-machining applications may be enabled.

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Thomas J. Kane, Laura A. Smoliar, Frank Adams, Mark Alan Arbore, David R. Balsley, Mark W. Byer, George E. Conway, William M. Grossman, Gregory Keaton, Jeffrey D. Kmetec, Manuel Leonardo, James J. Morehead, and Werner Wiechmann ">10 Watt fiber laser source with 0.5-5 MHz repetition rate and 0.5-1.5 nsec pulse width", Proc. SPIE 5662, Fifth International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication, (8 October 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.596377

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