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We report a 795-nm diode-pumpable Rb laser using a buffer gas of pure 3He. 3He gas enhances mixing of the Rb fine-structure levels. This enables efficient lasing at reduced He pressures and improved thermal management.

We report the first diode-pumped gas laser-rubidium vapor. A short cell charged with a Rb/ethane/He mixture pumped at 780 nm produced several mW in a near-confocal cavity. Issues involved in power-scaling will be discussed

The new class of diode-pumped alkali vapor lasers (DPALs) offers high efficiency cw laser radiation at near-infrared wavelengths: cesium 895 nm, rubidium 795 nm, and potassium 770 nm. The working physical principles of DPALs will be presented. Initial 795 nm Rb and 895 nm Cs laser experiments performed using a titanium sapphire laser as a surrogate pump source demonstrated DPAL slope power conversion efficiencies in the 50-70% range, in excellent agreement with device models utilizing only literature spectroscopic and kinetic data. Using these benchmarked models for Rb and Cs, optimized DPALs with optical-optical efficiencies >60%, and electrical efficiencies of 25-30% are projected. DPAL device architectures for near-diffraction-limited power scaling into the high kilowatt power regime from a single aperture will be described. DPAL wavelengths of operation offer ideal matches to silicon and gallium arsenide based photovoltaic power conversion cells for efficient power beaming.

DPAL, a new class of diode pumped alkali vapor lasers, offers the prospect for high efficiency cw laser radiation at near-infrared wavelengths: cesium 895 nm, rubidium 795 nm, and potassium 770 nm. The physics of DPAL lasers are outlined, and the results of laboratory demonstrations using a titanium sapphire surrogate pump are summarized, along with benchmarked device models. DPAL electrical efficiencies of 25-30% are projected and near-diffraction-limited DPAL device power scaling into the multi-kilowatt regime from a single aperture is also projected.

Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA Abstract: Operation of the Mercury laser with one of two amplifiers activated has yielded 31.6 Joules at 0.1 Hz and 20.6 Joules at 10 Hz. Correction of static distortions in the amplifier was accomplished using a conjugate phase optic.

We report the activation of four 80 kW diode arrays, fabrication of four full aperture (4 × 6 × 0.75 cm) S-FAP slabs, an average power Pockels cell, transmitted wavefront, and gain measurements on the Mercury laser system.