High-Peak-Power Nd: Glass Laser Systems

285 Pages·1981·4.908 MB·English

by  David C. Brown Ph. D. (auth.)

Springer Series in Optical Sciences Volume 25
Edited by David L. MacAdam
Springer Series in Optical Sciences
Edited by David L. MacAdam
Editorial Board: J. M. Enoch D. L. MacAdam A. L. Schawlow T. Tamir
Solid-State Laser Engineering 16 Holographic Interferometry
By. W. Koechner From the Scope of Deformation Analysis of
2 Table of Laser Lines in Gases and Vapors Opaque Bodies
3rd Edition By W. Schumann and M. Dubas
By R. Beck, W. Eaglisch, and K Giirs 17 Nonlinear Optics of Free Atoms and Molecules
3 Tunable Lasers and Applications By D. C. Hanna, M. A. Yuratich, D. Cotter
Editors: A. Mooradian, T. Jaeger, and 18 Holography in Medicine and Biology
P. Stokseth Editor: G. von Bally
4 Nonlinear Laser Spectroscopy 19 Color Theory and Its Application in Art and
By V. S. Letokhov and V. P. Chebotayev Design
5 Optics and Lasers By G. A. Agoston
An Engineering Physics Approach 20 Interferometry by Holography
ByM. Yomi.g By Yu. I. Ostrovsky, M. M. Butusov,
6 Photoelectron Statistics G. V. Ostrovskaya
With Applications to Spectroscopy and 21 Laser Spectroscopy IV
Optical Communication Editors: H. Walther, K W. Rothe
By B. Saleh 22 Lasers in Photomedicine and Photobiology
7 Laser Spectroscopy m Editors: R. Pratesi and C. A. Sacchi
Editors: J. L. Hall and J. L. Carlsten 23 Vertebrate Photoreceptor Optics
8 Frontiers in Visual Science Editors: J. M. Enoch and F. L. Tobey, Jr.
Editors: S. J. Cool and E. J. Smith m 24 Optical Fiber Systems and Their Components
9 High-Power Lasers and Applications An Introduction
2nd Printing By A. B. Sharma, S. J. Halme,
Editors: K-L. Kompa and H. Walther and M. M. Butusov
10 Detection of Optical and Infrared Radiation 25 High-Peak-Power Nd : Glass Laser Systems
2nd Printing By D. C. Brown
By R. H. Kingston 26 Lasers and Applications
11 Matrix Theory of Photoelasticity Editors: W. 0. N. Guimaraes, C. T. Lin,
By P. S. Theocaris and E. E. Gdoutos and A. Mooradian
12 The Monte CarloMethodinAtmosphericOptics 27 Color Measurement
ByG.I. Marchuk, G. A. Mikhailov, Theme and Variations
M.A.Nazaraliev,R.A.Darbinian,B.A.Kargin, By D. L. MacAdam
and B. S. Elepov 28 Modular Optical Design
13 Physiological Optics By 0. N. Stavroudis
By Y. LeGrand and S. G. ElHage 29 Inverse Problems in Laser Sounding of the
14 Laser Crystals Physics and Properties Atmosphere
By A. A. Kaminskii By V. E. Zuev and I. E. Naats
15 X-Ray Spectroscopy 30 Laser Spectroscopy V
By B. K Agarwal Editors: T. Oka and B. P. Stoicheff
David C. Brown
High-Peak-Power
Nd: Glass Laser Systems
With 135 Figures
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg GmbH 1981
DAVID c. BROWN, Ph. D.
University of Rochester, College of Engineering and Applied Science,
Laboratory for Laser Energetics, 250 East River Road,
Rochester, NY 14623, USA
Editorial Board
JAY M. ENOCH, Ph. D. ARTHUR L. SCHAWLOW, Ph. D.
School of Optometry, Department of Physics, Stanford University
University of California Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
DAVID L. MACADAM, Ph. D. THEODOR TAMIR, Ph. D.
68 Hammond Street, 981 East Lawn Drive,
Rochester, NY 14615, USA Teaneck, NJ 07666, USA
ISBN 978-3-662-13516-7 ISBN 978-3-540-38508-0 (eBook)
DOI l0.1007/978-3-540-38508-0
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data. Brown, D. C. (David C.), 1942-. High peak power
Nd. (Springer series in optical sciences ; v. 25). Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Neodymium glass
lasers. I. Title. II. Series. TA1705.B76 621.36'63 81-4286 AACR2
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© by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1981
Originally published by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York in 1981
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1981
The use of registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a
specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and
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2153/3130-543210
moo
Pre
During the 1970s we have witnessed the development of the Nd: glass laser from
a laboratory tool operating typically in the gigawatt-power regime to large
operating systems such as Argus, Shiva, GDL, and OMEGA with power outputs
typically in the terawatt beamline range. The major impetus for this develop
ment has been the growth of inertial confinement of laser fusion as well as
the weapons-effects simulation capabilities of such systems used in the na
tional laboratories. Recently, high-power systems have begun to be used for
other diverse applications, such as the development of the X-ray laser, time
resolved X-ray diffraction studies, studies of astrophysics and equations of
state, materials studies, and the reconversion of spent nuclear fuel rods
from fissile reactors.
Two years ago while reading Dr. Koechner's book "Solid State Laser Engi
neering" (Springer Series in Optical Sciences, Vol.l), it occurred to me
that there was a real need for a book devoted specifically to high-peak-power
Nd:glass lasers, primarily because most of the physics of such systems had
been worked out and was well understood, and because much of the literature
in this field is found in laboratory reports, government reports, or confer
ence proceedings. While high-peak power lasers are treated exclusively, since
the preparation of this book began the emphasis-has shifted from that regime
to rather-longer-pulse lasers (typically 1-3 ns) where the dominant effects
are saturation and damage phenomena. Nevertheless, the reader will find in
this book all of the relevant physics, regardless of the emphasis on short
pulse operation.
~~ initial plans concerning this volume were to have a number of authors
contribute. Dr. Latsch, however, encouraged me to write the entire book my
self, a difficult task, but one which has led to a consistency of notation,
well-planned-out contents, and lack of duplication or overlap. The subject
matter has been chosen to cover those major areas of interest to the design
and operation of Nd:glass laser systems. The author does not apologize for
VI
the lack of comprehensiveness in this book; such completeness would have re
sulted in a volume two to three times as large. Instead, what has been striven
for is to cover all of the major developments in the field and to present them
here in a coherent and, I hope, understandable fashion.
This book will be useful to the graduate student or engineer just beginning
in this field and could also be used as a text in a graduate course in solid
state laser engineering. I also hope that it will be useful to many colleagues
working in this or related fields to have all of the physics drawn together
in a single volume.
Acknowledgement
It is difficult, if not impossible, to acknowledge the large number of persons
who have contributed to this book in a variety of ways. I would like to thank
Dr. Moshe Lubin, director of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, who has pro
vided the encouragement, time, and support, even in the difficult periods,
Dr. David L. MacAdam for excellent editing of the text in a timely and efficie
fashion, Mrs. Edna Hughes for accurately typing the manuscript, and Dr. Helmut
Latsch for the encouragement and patience displayed during its completion. Als
I am indebted to my colleagues at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, particu
ly J. Kelly, S. Jacobs, J. Abate, K. Lee, J. Hoose, J. Eastman, L. Lund, J.
Soures, W. Seka, J. Rinefierd, J. Bunkenburg, R. Sampath, J. Wilson, R. Hop
kins, J. Boles and others who have all contributed to this volume, and to my
good friend Farres Mattar for encouragement and advice during its writing.
Finally, special thanks to my wife Joan and my two daughters Jennifer and
Vanessa who have always been there through the good times and the bad.
The author gratefully acknowledges the partial support by the following
sponsors: Exxon Research and Engineering Company, General Electric Company,
Northeast Utilities Service Company, New York State Energy Research and De
velopment Authority, The Standard Oil Company {Ohio), The University of
Rochester, and Empire State Electric Energy Research Corporation. Such sup
port does not imply endorsement of the content by any of the above parties.
Rochester, January, 1981 David C. Brown
Contents
1. GZ.ass Laser Physics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
3+
1.1 Spectroscopy of Nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1. 2 Nd3+ Environment in Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3 Amplification of Pulses in Nd:Glass ............................. 10
1.4 Judd-Ofelt Theory ............................................... 16
1.5 Multiphonon Relaxation in Nd:Glass ............................. 30
1.6 The Nonlinear Index in Nd:Glass ................................. 40
2. QpticaZ. and Physical. Properties of Laser GZ.asses ..................... 58
2.1 Fundamental Optical Constants ................................... 58
2.2 Fundamental Physical Constants .................................. 71
2.3 Figures of Merit for Laser Glasses .............................. 75
2.3.1 Parasitic and Pump-Limited Figures of Merit .............. 75
2.3.2 Figures of Merit for Optical Components .................. 77
2.3.3 General Figures of Merit for Rod, Disk, and
Active-Mirror Amplifiers ................................. 79
2.3.4 Evaluation of Figures of Merit-Selected Cases ........... 87
2.4 Optical-Physical Properties Correlations in Laser
Glasses ......................................................... 90
2.5 Properties Neglected in the FOM Formalism ....................... 94
2.5.1 Thermal-Shock Resistance of Laser Glasses ................ 94
2.5.2 Passive Birefringence in Laser Glasses ................... 95
2.5.3 Impurities in Laser Glasses .............................. 96
3. Optical.-Pump Sources for Nd:GZ.ass Lasers ........................... 99
3.1 General Pumping Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
3.2 Xe Flashlamp Spectra .......................................... 100
3.3 AXe Flashlamp Radiative Model ................................ 103
3.4 Xe Flash lamp Pulse-Forming Network Design ........... , ......... 108
VIII
3.5 Slope Efficiency in Nd:Glass Amplifiers ..•..•...•...•....••.•. 119
3.6 Lifetime Limits of Xe Flashlamps ........•..................... 121
3.7 Time-Resolved Xe Flashlamp Spectra ............................ 124
4. AmpZified Spontaneous Emission and Parasitia OsaiZZations
in Nd:GZass AmpZifiers •••••..•••...•.•••.•••...•••.....•••...•••... 128
4.1 Amplified Spontaneous Emission in Nd:Glass .................... 128
4.2 Parasitic Oscillation in Disk and Active-Mirror
Amplifiers ....•.....•.....•.....•........• , ................... 133
4.3 Parasitic Oscillations in Rod Amplifiers 141
5. AmpZifiers for High-Peak-Power Nd:GZass Laser Systems ••...•...•.••• 146
5.1 Disk Amplifiers ...........................•................... 146
5.2 Active-Mirror Amplifiers ...........•...........•.............. 156
5. 3 Rod Amplifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
6. Damage Effeats in High-Peak-Power Nd:GZass Laser Systems •••...•••.. 170
6.1 Bulk Damage to Optical Materials .............................. 171
6.2 Surface Damage to Optical Materials ........................... 179
6.3 Thin-Film Damage .............................................. 183
7. NonZinear E[[eats in High-Peak-Power Nd:GZass Laser Systems .•....•. 188
7.1 Se 1f -Focus i ng Theory .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. .. .. .. . .. .. 189
7.2 Small-Scale Self-Focusing ..................................... 192
7.3 Whole-Beam Self-Focusing ...................................... 209
7.4 System Consequences of Self-Focusing .......................... 212
7.5 Spatial Filters and Imaging ................................... 215
7.6 X-Factor Analysis ............................................. 225
7.7 Simulation and Modeling of Small-Scale Self-Focusing
Effects . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
8. The Design of High-Peak-Power Nd:GZass Laser Systems .••..•••.••...• 236
8.1 Design Issues in High-Peak-Power Nd:Glass Laser ............... 236
8.2 A Design Methodology for High-Peak-Power Nd:Glass
Laser Systems ....•....•.................................•..•.. 241
IX
8.2.1 First-Order Design ..................................... 242
8.2.2 Design Exploration ..................................... 250
8.2.3 Full-System Simulation ................................. 253
Acronyms 259
References 261
SUbject Index ......................................................... 271