Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:54:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:09:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP / FAPESP:05/57580-2

Submitted by Claudinei Pracidelli (cpracide@ipen.br) on 2014-11-10T11:16:04Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-10T11:16:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:28:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T13:57:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Dissertacao (Mestrado Profissionalizante em Lasers em Odontologia) / IPEN/D-MPLO / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP; Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:54:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:09:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / No presente trabalho o comportamento de fusão de soluções sólidas do tipo LiGd1-xLuxF4 foram estudadas utilizando a técnica de fusão zonal, tendo em vista o desenvolvimento de novas matrizes para lasers do estado sólido. Os cristais de composição LiGd0,5Lu0,5F4 foram sistematicamente investigados. A caracterização física e química dos lingotes obtidos mostrou que este composto apresenta fusão incongruente. Posteriormente foram estudadas algumas composições do LiGd1-xLuxF4 (x = 0,60; 0,65 e 0,75), para estabelecer a composição a partir da qual começa a formação de compostos congruentes no pseudosistema LiGdF4-LiLuF4. A caracterização dos lingotes, utilizando-se as técnicas de microscopia eletrônica de varredura, espectrometria de energia dispersiva e difração de raios X, permitiu determinar que o LiGd1-xLuxF4 torna-se congruente a partir de valores de x em torno de 75 mol%. Nesta etapa do trabalho, as sínteses e os processos de fusão zonal foram realizados sob atmosfera reativa de HF, para garantir a obtenção de compostos de alta pureza. Dois monocristais de composições nominais de LiGd0,25Lu0,75F4 e LiGd0,232Lu0,75Nd0,018F4 foram crescidos com sucesso utilizando-se o método de Czochralski, sob atmosfera de Ar + CF4. A partir dos dados de concentração dos constituintes, obtidos por ICP-OES, para o cristal do dopado com neodímio, verificou-se que o íon Lu e o Gd apresentam variação de composição ao longo do cristal, sendo que a incorporação do íon Nd na rede compete com a do Gd. O valor médio calculado para o coeficiente de segregação do Nd nesta matriz foi de 0,22(1), para o Lu foi de 1,10(1) e para o Gd foi de 0,61(1). A espectroscopia de absorção mostrou que houve um alargamento das bandas em relação às bandas do LiLuF4:Nd. As secções de choque de absorção e os tempos de vida do nível 4F3/2 foram obtidos para três amostras com composições diferentes de Nd. / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP / FAPESP:05/57580-2

Submitted by Claudinei Pracidelli (cpracide@ipen.br) on 2014-11-10T11:16:04Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-10T11:16:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O trabalho experimental aqui apresentado tem como foco o desenvolvimento de um laser de estado sólido cujo desempenho foi otimizado de tal forma que contemple alta potência, alta qualidade de feixe e estabilidade, levando-se em conta os efeitos térmicos sofridos pelo meio ativo em regime de alta potência de bombeamento. Foram testadas cavidades para operação contínua em multimodo com alta potência de saída e cavidades operando em modo único TEM00. Para cavidades operando no modo fundamental, os ressonadores testados serão divididos em grupos de acordo com o seu comportamento no diagrama de estabilidade. A otimização de tais ressonadores foi realizada apenas alterando-se o raio de curvatura dos espelhos de entrada e saída e suas respectivas distâncias ao plano principal do bastão de Nd:YAG. Como resultado foi alcançada a maior eficiência de extração reportada na literatura para um ou dois módulos de Nd:YAG intracavidade. Os resultados dão uma visão geral sobre possíveis projetos de ressonadores para operação dinamicamente estável, com alta potência de saída e qualidade de feixe. Os dados obtidos servem como base para o desenvolvimento de novos lasers de alta potência e eficiência baseados em módulos DPSSL (Diode-Pumped Solid-State Lasers- Lasers de Estado Sólido Bombeados por Diodo) de baixo custo. / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP / FAPESP: 12/19118-9

The ability to predict the failure rate of any military laser is very critical. In-field laser usage does not support the troubleshooting and repairing of a complex electro optical system. The only published laser failure rate model was last updated by the Department of Defense in 1975. Consequently, the failure rate predicted is inaccurate due to model deficiencies. This dissertation has developed a laser failure rate model for diode pumped lasers with improved failure rate prediction accuracy. The model has surpassed the capabilities of the Department of Defense model by the inclusion of key performance attributes that are currently not taken into account. The scope of work completed was based on a tailored Physics of Failure methodology. The research approach implemented was: 1. Integration of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis to evaluate deployed laser failure. 2. Beam simulation for alignment tolerance analysis. 3. Thermal and vibration effects analysis on laser performance. 4. Analysis and development of a methodology to represent a resonator failure rate model. A secondary contribution of this research effort is supporting the update of the current laser failure rate model. The success of revising the current model relies on leveraging the work of other organizations in the area of failure rate modeling and reliability predictions.

Submitted by Claudinei Pracidelli (cpracide@ipen.br) on 2015-07-23T10:59:51Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-23T10:59:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Submitted by Claudinei Pracidelli (cpracide@ipen.br) on 2015-07-23T10:59:51Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-23T10:59:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Lasers Raman são dispositivos que proporcionam uma maneira prática de transformar comprimentos de onda fundamentais em novas linhas espectrais via Espalhamento Raman Estimulado (Stimulated Raman Scattering - SRS). Quando combinados com outros processos de conversão não lineares, os lasers Raman fornecem acesso a comprimentos de onda na região do visível no espectro eletromagnético, que de outra maneira seriam de difícil acesso, como o laranja-amarelo, verde-limão e diversas linhas no azul. A grande vantagem dos lasers Raman é a possibilidade de geração de múltiplas frequências a partir de uma mesma combinação de cristais, tornando esse tipo de laser dispositivos baratos e compactos quando comparados a tecnologias como OPO. Neste trabalho um cristal de Nd:YVO4 foi bombeado por diodo, em configuração transversal, sendo o cristal o responsável pela emissão laser e pelo espalhamento Raman. Na primeira parte do trabalho, a cavidade utilizada apresentava alto fator de qualidade para o comprimento de onda fundamental (1064 nm) e foi estudada a operação laser do 1º Stokes (1176 nm) em regimes de operação quase contínua (q-cw) e contínua (cw). Foi explorada a configuração com uma dobra do feixe laser em ângulo rasante na superfície de bombeamento, bem como a configuração com duas dobras nesta mesma superfície (double beam mode controlling - DBMC). Na segunda parte do trabalho, um cristal LBO foi utilizado para a geração do segundo harmônico (SHG) em 588 nm, o que corresponde a um laser laranja-amarelo. Foi utilizada a configuração com uma dobra e operação cw,com a qual a cavidade apresentava alto fator de qualidade tanto para o 1064 nm quanto 1176 nm. Com a configuração de uma dobra, foi demonstrado que o laser Raman opera em multimodo, com uma variedade de modos de Hermite-Gauss que puderam ser selecionados através apenas do alinhamento da cavidade, incluindo o modo TEM00. Com configuração DBMC, o laser apresentou operação estável oscilando o modo TEM00. Em 1176 nm em regime q-cw, foi obtida a potência máxima de 8,2 W por pulso (multimodo) e 11,7% de eficiência óptica de conversão (diodo para o 1º Stokes), e operando em modo TEM00 a potência máxima de 3,7 W por pulso e eficiência de 5,4% foi obtida com a configuração de duas dobras, de maneira que a tecnologia DBMC se mostrou eficiente para geração de um laser robusto e estável operando com o modo TEM00. Em regime cw o melhor resultado em termos de potência e eficiência foi obtido com a configuração de uma dobra, correspondendo a 1,8 W e 7,3% de eficiência com o laser operando em multimodo. Com o laser laranja, foi demonstrada a operação do modo TEM00 para potências de bombeamento abaixo de 14,5 W. A potência máxima obtida em multimodo foi 820 mW correspondendo a 4% de eficiência óptica de conversão. / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Thesis (MSc (Physics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis consists of two parts; the first part is a discussion on the detailed history of the development of different types of modelocked lasers, especially the neodymium-doped lasers. The second part describes the design and development of a modelocked diode-end-pumped solid state Nd:YVO4 laser using Semiconductor Saturable Absorbers. The first part of this work will cover the history of modelocking where different types of lasers were used to generate ultrashort pulses. The discussion will mainly focus on neodymium-doped lasers such as Nd:YVO4, where we will look at the spectral properties such as energy levels, absorption and emission wavelengths of such a laser. The discussion will also look at different types of optical pump sources; such as diode lasers and flashlamps, where we will see the advantages of using diode lasers as pump sources due to their better operating conditions and efficiency. We will also look at two different types of diode pumping setup schemes, which are end-pumping and side pumping; where we will discover that diode-end-pumping is a better scheme for laser mode matching resulting in high efficiency and very good beam quality when compared to side pumping. The gain bandwidth of the laser material will also be discussed showing that a laser material with a very large gain bandwidth and broad emission bandwidth is suitable for generating ultrashort pulses, such as Ti:Sapphire crystal. The discussion will also cover ultrafast lasers that have a small amplification bandwidth suitable for diode-end-pumping and that produce high average output power. Ultrafast lasers with low amplification bandwidth such as Nd:YAG and Nd:YVO4 will be discussed showing that they can generate very short pulses with durations of down to 19 ps and 20 ps respectively and average output powers of 27 W and 20 W. The technique of creating ultrashort pulses which is called modelocking will be discussed, where passive modelocking will be shown to be more suitable for creating ultra short pulses in the femtosecond region and active modelocking in the picosecond region. The discussion will also cover saturable absorbers for passive modelocking where we will discuss the use of semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors to generate reliable self starting modelocked pulses. We will also cover the instabilities associated with using saturable absorbers where we will discuss different methods for reducing the instabilities by using gain media with the smallest saturation fluence. The second part of the work will deal with the design and development of SESAM modelocked diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO4 lasers. This part will include a discussion on the resonator design criteria’s for achieving a stable modelocked diode-end-pumped solid-state laser. The choice of using Nd:YVO4 as a gain medium will be shown to be influenced by its large cross sectional area, which is useful in increasing the gain bandwidth for possible ultrashort pulse generation. The resonator for high power continuous wave (cw) output has been designed using simulation software developed at St Andrews University. We will also discuss stability criteria such as the laser spot size inside the crystal and on the end mirror and how they can be incorporated into the resonator design software. The discussion will also include the pump setup design and the efficient cooling method of the crystal using a copper heat sink. The methodology of obtaining stable, thermal lens invariant, single transverse mode operation during power scaling of Nd:YVO4 lasers will be discussed. A lens relay approach is used to extend the cavity length so as to introduce spot size control in the designed diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser that will be shown to produce a maximum average output power of 10.5 W with an average beam quality factor M2 of 1.5. We will also discuss the incorporation of a single quantum well SESAM within the extended diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser resulting in cw-modelocked pulses at an average output power of 2.8 W with pulse repetition frequency of 179 MHz, equivalent to the cavity round trip time of 5.6 ns. The incorporation of the double quantum well SESAM will also be shown to produce stable Q-switched modelocked pulses at an average output power of 2.7 W with pulse repetition frequency of 208 KHz. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Hierdie tesis bestaan uit twee dele. Deel 1 is ‘n indiepte bespreking rondom die ontwikkelingsgeskiedenis van Modusgebonde lasers, veral van Neodemiumdoteerde lasers. Deel 2 beskryf die ontwerp en ontwikkeling van ‘n Modusgebonde diodeentgepompde vastetoestand Nd:YVO4 laser deur van ‘n Halfgeleier Versadigbare Absorbeerder (SESAM) gebruik te maak. Die eerste afdeling fokus op Modusbinding om ultrakort pulse te ontwikkel in verskillende tipes lasers. Die bespreking sentreer rondom Neodemiumdoteerde lasers soos Nd:YVO4. In hierdie geval beskou ons ook die spektraaleienskappe van die laser vir beide die absorpsie en emissie golflengtes. Verder word verkillende tipes pompbronne ondersoek (soos diodelasers en flitslampe). Die voordele van diodelasers kom sterk na vore a.g.v. beter werking en effektiwiteit. Verskillende pompopstellings word ook ondersoek naamlik ent-en kantpomping. Entpomping kom hier na vore as die beter opsie i.t.v. laser-moduspassing. Dit lei tot ‘n hoër effektiwiteit wat ‘n beter straalkwaliteit tot gevolg het, in vergelyking met kantgepompde opstellings. Die versterkingsbandwydte word ook bespreek: ‘n groot versterkingsbandwydte en breë emissiebandwydte is geskik om ultrakort pulse te ontwikkel. Ti:Saffier is ‘n goeie voorbeeld. Ultravinnige lasers met ‘n klein versterkingsbandwydte word ook bespreek aangesien dit geskik is vir diodeentpomping wat dan ‘n hoë gemiddelde uitsetdrywing lewer. Nd:YAG en Nd:YVO4 word ondersoek en daar word getoon dat hul pulse van so kort as 19 ps en 20 ps onderskeidelik teen ‘n gemiddelde uitsetdrywing van 27 W en 20 W kan lewer. Die tegniek waarmee ultrakort pulse geskep word is Modusbinding: passiewe modusbinding is meer geskik vir femtosekonde pulse en aktiewe modusbinding is meer geskik vir pikosekonde pulse. Verder word versadigbare absorbeerders bespreek, vir hul gebruik in die betroubare selfinisiërende modusgebonde pulse. Die onstabiliteite geassosieer met versadigbare absorbeerders word ook bespreek asook verskillende metodes om dit te minimaliseer. Die tweede afdeling behandel die ontwerp en ontwikkeling van ‘n SESAM modusgebonde diode-entgepompde Nd:YVO4 laser. Die resonator ontwerpspesifikasies vir stabiele werking word ook bespreek. Die keuse van Nd:YVO4 as versterkingsmedium is a.g.v. die groot deursnitarea wat die versterkingsbandwydte verhoog, om ultrakort pulse te genereer. Die resonator vir hoë drywing kontinuestraal werking is ontwerp deur van St Andrews sagteware gebruik te maak. ‘n Bespreking van stabiliteitsspesifikasies soos die laser kolgrootte, binne die kristal asook op die entspieël volg, asook die pompmetodiek en effektiewe verkoeling van die kristal. Die totale metodiek rondom die verkryging van ‘n stabiele, termieselens invariante, enkele transversale modus laser word bespreek met die oog op drywingsverhoging. Die geval onder bespreking is waar die laser se kolgrootte beheer kan word op die entspieël deur die resonatorlengte aan te pas. Dit word getoon dat dit ‘n kontinuestraal laser van 10.5 W drywing kan lewer teen die maksimum gemiddelde straalkwaliteit van M2 = 1.5. Die byvoeging van ‘n enkele kwantumput SESAM in die laser het modusgebonde pulse tot gevolg. Die gemete waardes was 2.8 W gemiddelde drywing met ‘n pulsherhalingstempo van 179 MHz wat in lyn is met die pulsbewegingstyd in die resonator van 5.6 ns. Deur van ‘n dubbele kwantumput SESAM gebruik te maak word Q-geskakelde modusgebonde pulse verkry, teen ‘n gemiddelde uitsetdrywing van 2.7 W en ‘n pulsherhalingstempo van 208 KHz.

Thesis (PhD (Physics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The output power of end-pumped lasers is mainly limited by thermal effects in the bulk crystal gain material. The thermal effects either fracture the crystal or cause degradation in the laser beam quality and output power. This is especially pronounced in Nd:YVO4 and Nd:GdVO4 which exhibit strong thermal lensing. These two Nd3+ vanadate materials are of great value because of their high emission cross sections which makes them excellent gain materials for mode-locked, high repetition rate Q-switched and intra-cavity frequency doubled lasers. The two Nd3+ vanadates have very similar spectral properties but many publications claim that the more expensive Nd:GdVO4 is thermo-optically superior to Nd:YVO4. However, a debate ensued after theoretical calculations as well as measurements of the thermal conductivity and thermo-optical coefficients indicated that the opposite is true. To our knowledge there has never been a direct comparison of the thermal lensing of these two materials under identical pumping and lasing conditions. In order to contribute to the debate we did such measurements for different crystals of these two materials with equal low doping using three different measurement methods. We subsequently determined that Nd:YVO4 has slightly lower thermal lensing for the stronger gain -polarisation. One of the measurement methods we used is a novel more reproducible one that we developed for this purpose. It is more reproducible because it selectively measures only the focal length of the central, relatively unaberrated part of the thermal lens. Another measurement, utilising a probe beam through the laser crystal, found that there was almost no increase in the temperature when lasing is interrupted. This indicated that there is almost no upconversion present in the crystals which is probably due to their optimally chosen low doping. A further consequence of the vanadate debate is that there is still confusion about the value of the important thermo-optical coefficient for the higher gain -polarisation (dne/dT ) of Nd:YVO4. This parameter is of great importance in thermal calculations since the strength of the thermal lens is largely dependent on it. We therefore numerically modelled the thermal lensing in our crystals using different dne/dT values and found that the value given by Sato & Taira (2007) matches our experimental results the best. Our measurements also indicated that the thermal lens dioptric power increased nonlinearly with pump power. This appeared to contradict theory of thermal lensing since we knew that there was no upconversion in the crystals (which is the standard explanation for the nonlinear increase). We proceeded to use our numerical modelling to identify the main source of the nonlinear increase as the varying spectral output of the diode pump laser. The findings in this thesis therefore extend knowledge of the thermo-optical properties of the vanadates and increase understanding of the strongly aberrated thermal lenses formed inside them. Furthermore, the findings now enable the power-scaling of end-pumped vanadates lasers to higher levels. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uitset drywing van longitudinale-gepompte vaste-toestand lasers word hoofsaaklik beperk deur termiese effekte in die laser kristal. Die kristal word of gekraak of die laser se bundel kwaliteit en uitset drywing verminder. Dit is veral ’n problem in Nd:YVO4 en Nd:GdVO4 kristalle waarin sterk termiese lense voorkom. Hierdie twee Nd3+ vanadaat kristalle is waardevol vanwee hulle ho¨e emissie deursnitte wat hulle uitstekend maak as versterkings materiale vir modus-gesinkroniseerde, ho¨e repitisie, Q-geskakelde en binne-resonator frekwensie-verdubbelde lasers. Die twee vanadate het baie soortgelyke spektrale eienskappe, maar verskeie publikasies beweer dat die duurder Nd:GdVO4 materiaal termo-opties beter is as Nd:YVO4. Onlangse teoretiese berekeninge asook metings van die termiese en termo-optiese kwaliteite van die twee kristalle toon egter die teenoorgestelde. Sover ons weet is daar nog geen direkte vergelyking van die termiese lens in hierdie twee materiale onder identiese kondisies gedoen nie. Ons het dus so ’n meting aangepak vir kristalle met identiese lae konsentrasie van die Nd3+ ioon deur drie verskillende meet metodes te gebruik. Een van die meet metodes is ’n nuwe, meer reproduseerbare metode wat ons ontwikkel het vir hierdie doel. Dit is meer reproduseerbaar omdat dit slegs die binneste deel van die termiese lens meet wat min sferiese aberrasie het. ’n Ander meeting, wat ’n toets-bundel deur die kristal stuur, het getoon dat daar byna geen verhoging in die die temperatuur van die kristal was toe ossilasie in die resonator onderbreek was nie. Dit is ’n aanduiding dat dat daar byna geen op-omskepping teenwoordig is in die kristalle nie wat te danke is aan hul optimale lae konsentrasie van die Nd3+ ioon. ’n Verdere gevolg van die debat is dat daar nog verwarring in die literatuur bestaan oor die waarde van Nd:YVO4 se termo-optiese dne/dT koeffisi¨ent. Hierdie parameter is van groot belang in berekinge van die termiese lens se fokale lengte vir die ho¨er wins -polarisasie. Deur numeriese modellering te gebruik het ons bevind dat die waarde wat verskaf word deur Sato & Taira (2007) ons eksperimentele data die beste pas. Ons metings het ook aangedui dat die dioptriese krag van die termiese lens nie linie¨er toeneem ten opsigte van die geabsorbeerde pomp krag nie. Dit was o¨enskynlik teenstryding met teorie oor termiese lense. Dit is omdat ons bevestig het dat daar geen op-omskepping in die kristalle teenwoordig was nie, wat die standaard verklaring vir die nie linie¨eriteit is. Ons het dus ons numeriese modellering gebruik om die hoofbron van die nie-lini¨ere toename te identifiseer as die veranderende spektrale uitset van die diode pomp laser. Die bevindings in hierdie tesis bou dus kennis op oor die termo-optiese eienskappe van die vanadate en versterk begrip van die sterk termiese lense binne hulle. Verder stel die bevindings ons nou in staat om die uitset drywing van longitudinale-gepompte vanadaat lasers na ho¨er vlakke te skaal.