Widely tunable KTP optical parametric oscillator amplifier and its applications to fluorescence-lifetime measurement in Yb-doped laser materials

The design and construction of an efficient near-infrared holosteric optical parametric oscillator amplifier based on KTiOPO4 (KTP) crystal are reported. The system is tunable from 840 to 1451 nm and generates up to 0.45 mJ at 920 nm with 27% efficiency in 4 - 6 ns pulses. The 532 nm pump source is a frequency doubled laser-diode pumped Nd:YAG laser producing up to 2 mJ in 8 ns, 50 Hz pulses. We have used the system to study the fluorescence lifetimes of Yb:YAG and Yb:glass as a function of wavelength. The data reveal interesting variations in the reabsorption enhanced Yb-ion lifetime. Some Yb:YAG samples exhibiting a sharp increase in their lifetime near the peak absorption wavelengths. The longest lifetime measured in a few mm thick sample of Yb:YAG was 3.3 ms, which would be highly beneficial for energy storage applications using laser diodes.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.