Open AccessHigh energy, high repetition rate, second harmonic generation in large aperture DKDP, YCOB, and LBO crystals
Author(s) -
Jonathan Phillips,
Saumyabrata Banerjee,
Joanna Smith,
M. D. Fitton,
T. Davenne,
Klaus Ertel,
Paul Mason,
Thomas Butcher,
Mariastefania De Vido,
J. Greenhalgh,
Chris Edwards,
Cristina Hernandez–Gomez,
John Collier
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.24.019682
Subject(s) - materials science , energy conversion efficiency , optics , laser , second harmonic generation , diode , optoelectronics , physics
We report on type-I phase-matched second harmonic generation (SHG) in three nonlinear crystals: DKDP (98% deuteration), YCOB (XZ plane), and LBO (XY plane), of 8 J, 10 Hz cryogenic gas cooled Yb:YAG laser operating at 1029.5 nm. DKDP exhibited an efficiency of 45% at a peak fundamental intensity of 0.24 GW/cm 2 for 10 Hz operation at 10 ns. At the same intensity and repetition rate, YCOB and LBO showed 50% and 65% conversion efficiencies, respectively. Significant improvement in conversion efficiency, to a maximum of 82%, was demonstrated in LBO at 0.7 GW/cm 2 and 10 Hz, generating output energy of 5.6 J at 514.75 nm, without damage or degradation. However, no improvement in conversion efficiency was recorded for YCOB at this increased intensity. Additionally, we present theoretically calculated temperature maps for both 10 J and 100 J operation at 10 Hz, and discuss the suitability of these three crystals for frequency conversion of a 100 J, 10 Hz diode pumped solid state laser (DPSSL).