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1Lasing on optically pumped metastable krypton atoms at 893 nm
V.A. Shaidulina, Yu.A. Adamenkov, M.A. Gorbunov, E.V. Kabak, A.A. Kalacheva, A.V. Juriev
FSUE "RFNC-VNIIEF", Mira str, 37, Sarov, Russia, 607190
The optically pumped rare gas laser (OPRGL) is a new type of optically pumped gas laser with high quantum efficiency, which can convert the high output power of a diode laser into the output power of a gas laser with high beam quality. In [1], the first generation at a wavelength of 893.1 nm was demonstrated. According to published open sources, there has been a serious step in the world in studying the properties of the active medium on the model of a laser source based on a mixture of rare gases with optical pumping. The discharge was optimized and became stable at atmospheric pressure [2,3].
A mixture of krypton (3%) and helium (97%) is used as the LONIG active medium. The main purpose of using helium is to increase the collisional relaxation from the pump level to the upper laser level in order to create the largest population inversion.
Fig.1. Pump laser at a wavelength of 811 nm and krypton generation at a wavelength of 893 nm.
The results of an experiment on laser generation using metastable krypton atoms with optical pumping 893 nm are presented. An electric discharge was used to obtain metastable krypton atoms at atmospheric pressure. Optical pumping was performed using diode laser radiation. Kinetic model of the Ar-He and Kr-He plasmas were created. Efficiency of metastable atom production in these plasmas was compared. The lasing power measured with an optical calorimeter was 30 mW.
[1] J. Han and M.C. Heaven, Gain and lasing of optically pumped metastable rare gas atoms, Optics Letters. - 2012. - Vol. 37, No. 11, pp. 2157-2159.
[2] D.J. Emmons and D.E. Weeks, Kinetics of high pressure argon-helium pulsed gas discharge, Journal of Applied Physics. - 2017. -Vol. 121, No. 20.
[3] J. Han, L. Glebov, G. Venus, M.C. Heaven, Demonstration of diode-pumped metastable Ar laser, Optics Letters. - 2013. - Vol. 38, No. 24, pp. 5458-5461.
