掺镱氟化钙(Yb^3+:CaF2)激光器是最近国际上研究的热点之一,2008年报道的该类激光器,在64W激光二极管(LD)的抽运下,实现了平均输出功率10.2W的连续激光输出。利用国产镱钠共掺的氟化钙(Yb,Na:CaF2)激光晶体,采用三镜折叠腔型和激光二极管抽运,获得了该类激光器(Yb,Na:CaF2/Yb:CaF2)的高功率连续输出。实验参数为:输出耦合镜的透过率为4%,激光二极管的最大输出功率为40W,中心波长为976nm。当吸收抽运功率18.2W时,获得了14.5W的最高功率连续激光输出,相应的斜率效率为80%。结果表明,国产Yb,Na:CaF2晶体具有低激光阈值和高负载能力,是一种优良的高功率激光材料。
Yb^3+ :CaF2 laser has been intensively explored in recent years. In Yb^3+ :CaF2 continuous-wave (CW) laser, the highest output power of 10.2 W pumped by a laser diode(LD) of 64 W has been reported in 2008. The first demonstration of the highest output power of 14.5 W in a LD-pumped Yb, Na: CaF2 CW laser is presented, under the conditions of an absorbed pump power of 18.2 W and a output coupler of 4%, which corresponds to a laser slope efficiency of 80%. The result shows that the novel Yb, Na: CaF2 crystal is an excellent laser material for lowthreshold and high-power lasers.