Diode-pumped Er3+:LiYF4 lasers for medical applications

Christian P. Wyss; Willy A.R. Luethy; Heinz P. Weber; Luigi R. Brovelli; Ch. Harder; Heinz P. Meier; Peter Rogin; Jurg Hulliger

doi:10.1117/12.301109

1 January 1998 Diode-pumped Er³+:LiYF₄ lasers for medical applications

Christian P. Wyss, Willy A.R. Luethy, Heinz P. Weber, Luigi R. Brovelli, Ch. Harder, Heinz P. Meier, Peter Rogin, Jurg Hulliger

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3199, Biomedical Systems and Technologies II; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.301109
Event: BiOS Europe '97, 1997, San Remo, Italy

Abstract

In a first part we report on a Ti:sapphire pumped Er³⁺:YLF laser. The dopant concentration and the polarization of the pump beam is optimized. The highest slope efficiency is obtained with the polarization of the pump beam parallel to the c-axis and a dopant concentration of 20 at. %Erbium. Slope efficiencies up to 50% are achieved. This value clearly exceeds the Stokes limit of 35%. Further, we report on an Er³⁺:BYF laser pumped with two polarization-coupled diode lasers. The dependence of slope efficiency on the reflectance of the resonator mirrors, on the focus of the pump light, and on the resonator length is investigated. The best slope efficiency of (tau) equals 24% is obtained for a nearly hemiconcentric resonator with a reflectance of R_in(DOT)R_out equals 97.6% and a pump beam focused with a lens of f equals 20 mm. To obtain a higher pump power, we investigate the coupling of sixteen diode lasers, each one operated to emit a maximum power of 800 mw. The diode laser emission is collimated and then focused using aspherical lenses. The point spread function of this system is investigated. Laser action in a longitudinally pumped Er³⁺:YLF is already achieved using only one single diode laser.

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Christian P. Wyss, Willy A.R. Luethy, Heinz P. Weber, Luigi R. Brovelli, Ch. Harder, Heinz P. Meier, Peter Rogin, and Jurg Hulliger "Diode-pumped Er³+:LiYF₄ lasers for medical applications", Proc. SPIE 3199, Biomedical Systems and Technologies II, (1 January 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.301109

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