Compact, Solid-State Femtosecond Source.
Abstract
The goal of this program was to demonstrate that femtosecond laser sources (1 femtosecond = 10-15 sec) can be made to be extremely compact and robust. We demonstrated the generation of ultrashort pulses using compact diode-pumped lasers. Our latest pump source is 300 times smaller and weighs only a fraction of today's commercial equivalent. It runs on 110 VAC and requires no water cooling. The commercial availability of robust sources will have a broad commercial impact. A brief listing includes: industry (3D imaging, ranging, thin-film monitoring, optical memory), medical (confocal microscopy, real-time assessment of surgical procedure), and military (sensor fusion, high-power THz beam generation, phase-array radars). We are pursuing the development (of a general laboratory instrument, as well as several specific applications. This large market has not gone unnoticed: Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITT) has very recently recommended Femtosecond Technology as one of Japan's only six priority research areas. Laser, Femtosecond, Solid-state laser, Diode-laser, Kerr-lens modelocking.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA273932
Entities
People
- Philippe Bado