Accurate polarization detection of light can extract a lot of optical information from them for related field analysis. A four channel detection device based on Stokes parameters is developed for dynamic polarization measurement. Four independent Stokes parameters S0, S1, S2, and S3 can be measured by this device. An energy meter is used for different incidence statuses of incident light polarization measurement. Again through the device to measure the same incident light. The polarization of the incident light is obtained by measurements of parameter calculation. Using some measurements on the polarization ratio coefficient modification, with other measurements in the revised formula calculation of the degree of polarization. The accuracy of the device is verified by comparing it with the measurement results of the power meter. By calculating Stokes parameters, the ellipse and direction angle of the single pixel polarization ellipse is obtained. The angle that was calculated can be used to obtain the polarization state of each pixel point, and draw the polarization ellipse of the whole light spot. By placing optical elements such as wave plate and polarization splitting prism in front of the optical path, the polarization state of incident light can be changed. Stokes parameters can be measured and calculated again when the light has been changed. Also, the polarization graph can be drawn. Because the change of the incident light can be controlled by the optical element, the polarization state of the incident light can be modulated. By comparing the final overall image with the polarization state of the incident light which has been modulated by the optical elements, the accuracy of the overall polarization state calculation can be verified.
Laser cleaning of manmade contaminants from stone samples have been performed experimentally using picosecond (ps) and nanosecond (ns) laser pulses. Regarding the surface roughness after laser cleaning, optimal cleaning parameters using ps laser have been obtained. Discoloration effect induced by ns laser cleaning of stone sample is improved with the usage of ps laser. The comparison on the roughness and elemental analysis of the cleaned area in the experiment also demonstrates the advantages and effectiveness of ps laser cleaning of stone samples.
Yb3 + : KY ( WO4)2 (Yb:KYW) possesses various excellent properties, such as its highly polarized emission cross section, that makes it an excellent option for developing highly efficient diode-pumped solid-state lasers. A high-energy, high-beam-quality passively Q-switched Yb:KYW laser was demonstrated. The small-signal gain characteristics of the Yb:KYW crystal under quasi-continuous-wave laser diode (LD) pumping were obtained by theoretical analysis. Under LD end-pumping at a repetition rate of 500 Hz and a pumping width of 200 μs, the Q-switched Yb : KYW / Cr4 + : YAG laser operated at a wavelength of 1025 nm, and a single-pulse energy of 0.5 mJ was obtained with a pulse width of 5.8 ns. Near-diffraction-limited beam quality with an M2 value of ∼1.02 was achieved. The compact setup provided efficient second-harmonic generation at 512.5 nm via type-I phase matching using a LiB3O5 (LBO) crystal, and the output single-pulse energy was 0.13 mJ. We believe that these results further demonstrate the utility of Yb:KYW as a passively Q-switched laser crystal for solid-state lasers, particularly for applications that require nonlinear frequency conversion.
In order to achieve the uniform picosecond laser micro-machining effect, this study carries out the research of shaping the original incident Gaussian beam into a micron-level flat-top beam at the focal position. Based on the principle of diffractive optics, the phase distribution of the shaping element is calculated which meets the micron-level flat-top beam output requirements and the verification of the shaping effect after transforming through the phase distribution is simulated. When the simulated output beam distribution meets the design requirements, the shaping elements is manufactured. Finally, the shaping element is used in a picosecond laser micro-scribing experiment and the scribing effect is analyzed. The final experimental results show that the picosecond laser micro-scribing test is carried out with the shaped flat-top beam, and the uniform scribing effect is obtained which satisfies the design requirements.
The forced convective heat transfer with the advantages of reliability and durability is widely used in cooling the laser gain medium. However, a flow direction induced temperature gradient always appears. In this paper, a novel cooling configuration based on longitudinal forced convective heat transfer is presented. In comparison with two different types of configurations, it shows a more efficient heat transfer and more homogeneous temperature distribution. The investigation of the flow rate reveals that the higher flow rate the better cooling performance. Furthermore, the simulation results with 20 L/min flow rate shows an adequate temperature level and temperature homogeneity which keeps a lower hydrostatic pressure in the flow path.
Corneal biomechanics plays an important role in determining the eye’s structural integrity, optical power and the overall quality of vision. It also plays an increasingly recognized role in corneal transplant and refractive surgery, affecting the predictability, quality and stability of final visual outcome [1]. A critical limitation to increasing our understanding of how corneal biomechanics controls corneal stability and refraction is the lack of non-invasive technologies that microscopically measure local biomechanical properties, such as corneal elasticity within the 3D space. Bubble based acoustic radiation force elastic microscopy (ARFEM) introduce the opportunity to measure the inhomogeneous elastic properties of the cornea by the movement of a micron size cavitation bubble generated by a low energy femtosecond laser pulse [2, 3]. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) also known as laser induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS) or laser spark spectrometry (LSS) is an atomic emission spectroscopy [4]. The LIBS principle of operation is quite simple, although the physical processes involved in the laser matter interaction are complex and still not completely understood. In one sentence for description, the laser pulses are focused down to a target so as to generate plasma that vaporizes a small amount of material which the emitted spectrum is measured to analysis the elements of the target.
In this paper, a 15-direction ring laser diode array is chosen as pumping source in order to get uniform pump in laser medium. The diameter of laser rod is 15mm for obtaining high output laser energy. A numerical model of the side-pump pulsed Nd:YAG laser amplifier is set up. The finite element method using Ansys software is adopted to analyze the time-varying thermal effect. In order to find the temperature influence of the pump light’s distribution, the temperature distributions in laser rod loaded by 15-direction Gaussian beam and simplified uniform beam are calculated and the results are comparatively analyzed. Despite the highest temperature in laser rod is different, the whole variation trend is similar which indicates time-varying characteristic. The thermal lens effect is also calculated and the results indicate that the temperature gradient in the medium plays the most important role. This study could provide a simulation tool to evaluate the thermal effect of the laser amplifier.
A new pump-shaping scheme for a LD face-pumped Nd:YAG slab laser amplifier is proposed, aiming to achieve uniform pump distributions. Plano-concave cylindrical mirror arrays are used to homogenize the pump distributions in the LD slow axes, and meanwhile optical-waveguide structures are used for the LD fast axes. Simulations based on ray tracing method indicate that the scheme effectively realizes uniform pump intensity distributions. The fluorescence distributions and small signal gains at different locations both verify the pump uniformity reaches higher than 90%.
This paper describes a demonstration of a high power 888 nm end-pumped Nd:YVO4 picosecond regenerative amplifier operated at high repetition rate. By utilizing an all-fiber mode-locking picosecond laser as seed source and 888 nm continuous wave (CW) as pumping source, we obtained regenerative amplified output at 1064.07 nm with spectrum width 0.16 nm, pulse width of 38 ps, maximum power of 21 W, and the repetition rate is continuously adjustable from 300 to 500 kHz. The regenerative amplifier has high power stability and high compact structure.
Using Liquid Crystal Spatial Light Modulator (LC-SLM) as a beam shaping device to improve beam quality in high-gain amplification system is reported. 1.6 nJ injected small-size signal Gaussian beam can be amplified to 5 J by 4 stages amplification, and finally output beam is a 50mm×50mm square spot with flat-top intensity distribution. In the amplification system we designed, LC-SLM is placed after the second level of amplifier, where the signal laser energy is about 20mJ, and beam size is 10mm×10mm. The structure of Fourier image transfer is also implemented in this amplifications system to be capable of maintaining high-quality image transmission in the amplification process. The LC-SLM as an object, is imaged by beam expand lenses and spatial filters lenses in the amplifications system to get good quality of imaging. By catching output spot and making a feed-back, transmission efficiency of each pixel on LC-SLM is modulated, high energy density area can be decreased to realize flat-top intensity distribution. A spot modulation function is defined as, using the maximum grey value on spot area divided by the average grey value of the image after background correction. By this, amplified laser obtains the spot modulation of 1.24 on central 90% area of the spot. Furthermore, un-uniform distribution on the full spot, soften effects of spot edge, and output beam shape can also be optimized by the LC-SLM shaping scheme in the amplification system.
Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide and is often associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Partial-thickness drainage channels can be created with femtosecond laser in the translucent sclera for the potential treatment of glaucoma. We demonstrate the creation of partial-thickness subsurface drainage channels with the femtosecond laser in the cadaver human eyeballs and describe the application of two-photon microscopy and confocal microscopy for noninvasive imaging of the femtosecond laser created partial-thickness scleral channels in cadaver human eyes. A femtosecond laser operating at a wavelength of 1700 nm was scanned along a rectangular raster pattern to create the partial thickness subsurface drainage channels in the sclera of cadaver human eyes. Analysis of the dimensions and location of these channels is important in understanding their effects. We describe the application of two-photon microscopy and confocal microscopy for noninvasive imaging of the femtosecond laser created partial-thickness scleral channels in cadaver human eyes. High-resolution images, hundreds of microns deep in the sclera, were obtained to allow determination of the shape and dimension of such partial thickness subsurface scleral channels. Our studies suggest that the confocal and two-photon microscopy can be used to investigate femtosecond-laser created partial-thickness drainage channels in the sclera of cadaver human eyes.
The laser performance and thermal analysis of Nd:KGW laser continuously pumped by 808 nm and 877 nm are comparatively investigated. Output power of 670 mW and 1587 mW, with nearly TEM00 mode, are achieved respectively at 808 nm pump and 877 nm pump. Meanwhile, a high-power passively Q-switched Nd:KGW/Cr4+:YAG laser pumped at 877 nm is demonstrated. An average output power of 1495 mW is obtained at pump power of 5.22 W while the laser is operating at repetition of 53.17 kHz. We demonstrate that 877 nm diode laser is a more potential pump source for Nd:KGW lasers.
A side-pumped Nd:YAG amplifier that can realize amplification and beam shaping simultaneously is reported. As a typical application, a Gaussian intensity profile of signal laser was amplified and converted into a flat-top distribution. The main parameters satisfying this requirement involved structural designation and optical parameters adjustment of the pumping laser diode LD, to obtain a specific gain distribution on cross section of the working material. Among them the key considerations include central wavelength of LDs and pumping radius to the centre of Nd:YAG rod. Take an example of 15mm-dameter Nd:YAG side-pumped rod amplifier, where 13.5kW laser diode bars were used, we simulated an uniform flat top laser profile by ray-tracing method. The following experiment shows a good agreement with the simulation. Moreover, gradual absorption coefficient of the working material could also be well compensated while realizing flat-top beam to flat-top beam amplification.
Multiple femtosecond lasers have now been cleared for use for ophthalmic surgery,
including for creation of corneal flaps in LASIK surgery. Preliminary study indicated that during
typical surgical use, laser energy may pass beyond the cornea with potential effects on the iris.
As a model for laser exposure of the iris during femtosecond corneal surgery, we simulated the
temperature rise in porcine cadaver iris during direct illumination by the femtosecond laser.
Additionally, ex-vivo iris heating due to femtosecond laser irradiation was measured with an
infrared thermal camera (Fluke corp. Everett, WA) as a validation of the simulation.
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