• Laser & Optoelectronics Progress
  • Vol. 58, Issue 7, 0700003 (2021)
Yu Qi*, Hengyu Yi, Jijin Huang, and Yan Kuang
Author Affiliations
  • Institute of Applied Electronics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang , Sichuan 621900, China
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    DOI: 10.3788/LOP202158.0700003 Cite this Article Set citation alerts
    Yu Qi, Hengyu Yi, Jijin Huang, Yan Kuang. Research Development and Technological Challenge of Alkali Lasers with High Power[J]. Laser & Optoelectronics Progress, 2021, 58(7): 0700003 Copy Citation Text show less
    Diagram of energy level and transition for atomic Rb DPAL
    Fig. 1. Diagram of energy level and transition for atomic Rb DPAL
    Pumped diode laser used in DPAL by LLNL
    Fig. 2. Pumped diode laser used in DPAL by LLNL
    Model of pumped laser for DPAL[29]
    Fig. 3. Model of pumped laser for DPAL[29]
    Architecture for DPAL power scaling[35]
    Fig. 4. Architecture for DPAL power scaling[35]
    Window damage in alkali cells in different flowing field and buffer gases[31]. (a) Window damage in Cs alkali cells filled with static methane buffer gas; (b) window damage in Cs alkali cells filled with flowing methane buffer gas; (c) window damage in K alkali cells filled with flowing He buffer gas
    Fig. 5. Window damage in alkali cells in different flowing field and buffer gases[31]. (a) Window damage in Cs alkali cells filled with static methane buffer gas; (b) window damage in Cs alkali cells filled with flowing methane buffer gas; (c) window damage in K alkali cells filled with flowing He buffer gas
    Design of transversely pumped Cs laser with stable resonator and unstable resonator[26]. (a) Stable resonator; (b) unstable resonator
    Fig. 6. Design of transversely pumped Cs laser with stable resonator and unstable resonator[26]. (a) Stable resonator; (b) unstable resonator
    Alkali atomPump wavelength for D2 line /nmLasing wavelength for D1 line /nmQuantum efficiency /%
    Na589.16589.7599.8
    K770.11766.7099.6
    Rb780.25794.9898.1
    Cs852.35894.5995.3
    Table 1. Comparison of characteristic of D line for different alkali atoms
    YearTeamGain mediumMain contribution
    1958TownesKMaster amplified design for visible light
    1961Jacobs[5]CsExperiment of coherent light
    1962RabinowitzCsCs DPAL CW output with extremely low power
    Table 2. Main achievement on concept research of DPAL in the beginning
    YearTeamGain mediumPump power /WOutput power /WKey technology
    2003Krupke[4]Rb0.50.028
    2005EhrenreichCs0.40.13
    2006Zhdanov[9]Cs0.570.35
    2007ZhdanovK0.860.014
    2007Zhdanov[10]Cs1610
    2008Zhdanov[11]Rb3717Dual side pumped
    2008Zhdanov[12]Cs10048Dual side pumped
    2008ZhdanovCs20028End pumped
    2008ZhdanovCs1.45Amplifier
    2008HostutlerRb0.050.33Amplifier
    2009Zhdanov[13]Cs15749End pumped/unstable cavity
    2010ZhdanovCs525End pumped/amplifier
    2012BogachevCs20001000Dual side pumped/flow gas
    2016PitzRb168571Amplifier/flow gas
    2016PitzK27501500Flow gas
    Table 3. Achievement on power of DPAL during fast improving period
    ParameterValueUnitTRLTechnological challenge
    Gain cell length30cm2Optimization of configuration and fabrication
    Gain cell diameter11cm2
    Laser mode diameter10.8cm2
    Rubidium density4.31013 cm-32New type of control for density
    Rubidium cold temperature1602Uniformity control of temperature
    Pump power3.7MW1Integrated technology of new LD with high efficiency and high matching rate
    Output power2.07MW1
    Output power irradiance22.5kW∙cm-21
    Optical conversion efficiency55.8%1‒2
    Waste heat density17W∙cm-32Management of waste heat
    Gain medium flow velocity30m∙s-12High stability control technology for medium flow velocity
    Gain medium temperature rise92‒3Very difficult for 3D temperature gradient
    Table 4. MW DPAL main design parametersand evaluation of TRL
    Yu Qi, Hengyu Yi, Jijin Huang, Yan Kuang. Research Development and Technological Challenge of Alkali Lasers with High Power[J]. Laser & Optoelectronics Progress, 2021, 58(7): 0700003
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