Highly efficient blue-light generation from a compact, diode-pumped femtosecond laser by use of a periodically poled KTP waveguide crystal.
We present a simplified, potentially portable, and highly efficient blue-light source from a periodically poled KTP waveguide crystal with a compact femtosecond Cr:LiSAF laser. This light source generates 5.6 mW of blue average output power at 424 nm with 27 mW of incident fundamental in a single-pass extracavity arrangement at room temperature. The overall system efficiency of electrical power to blue light is 0.5%, and the internal second-harmonic generation conversion efficiency is as high as 37%. The slope efficiency of 5.5% pJ(-1) at low pulse energies is, to our knowledge, the highest slope efficiency yet reported for frequency conversion into the blue spectral region.
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9SS, Scotland. mba@st-andrews.ac.uk
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Agate
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Rafailov
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Sibbett
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Saltiel
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Battle
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Noonan