Solid State Lasers
The solid state laser group within the CLA works on aspects of the fundamental physics, engineering design and applications of solid state lasers. The lasers range in wavelength from the visible (blue-green-yellow-red frequency doubled lasers) to the near infrared, and are based on rare earth ions such as ytterbium, neodymium, erbium, thulium and holmium and transition metal ions such as chromium. Nonlinear optical techniques of frequency conversion including stimulated Raman scattering and harmonic generation are also employed. Typically, in the low to moderate power regime, we use diode- pumped lasers, but flashlamp-pumped lasers are also available. Our research includes the growth of novel laser crystals, spectroscopic characterisation of laser materials, novel diode-pumped laser designs, optimisation of intracavity nonlinear optical processes, and studies of laser polarisation properties for modulation of laser output.
Our recent work has included the development of Yb:YAB lasers with over 1 W of continuous wave green light emitted with a conversion efficiency of more than 10 % from the pump diode light to the green output. The Yb:YAB laser has been developed at Macquarie, including growing and spectroscopically characterising crystals as well as the first reports of laser action. We have subsequently demonstrated low power single longitudinal mode operation, tunable green-yellow operation from 510 to 567 nm output wavelengths, efficient high power operation of the laser (in collaboration with ShanDong University in China), Q-switched operation of the laser to produce nanosecond pulses, and mode locked operation of the laser to produce 200 fs pulses (in collaboration with the Australian National University). Work on this and related crystals continues, as we develop and model higher power and pulsed lasers.
 Diode-pumped Er,Yb:YCOB lasers |
Another key development has been the optimisation of Er,Yb:YCOB lasers, with detailed theoretical modelling of energy transfer and population dynamics in the crystal, and subsequent laser demonstration of 270 mW of output power at 1.5 µm wavelength (also tunable), in collaboration with researchers at ShanDong University in China. Current projects include the dual polarisation operation of diode pumped Nd:YAG lasers to produce microwave sources at the difference frequency of the dual modes.
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| Diode-pumped Er,Yb:YCOB lasers
showing the small laser crystal in a metallic holder, and
with mirrors in separate mounts near the crystal |
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Contacts
| Phone | Name | Room | Position | |
| 8970 | Coutts, David | dcoutts @ ics.mq.edu.au | E7A 201 | Associate Professor |
| 8903 | Dawes, Judith | judith @ physics.mq.edu.au | E7A 205 | Associate Professor |
| 8927 | Dekker, Peter | dekker @ ics.mq.edu.au | E7B 235 | Research Fellow |
| 8938 | Liu, Hua | hliu @ physics.mq.edu.au | E7B 225 | PhD Student |
| 8964 | McKay, Aaron | aaron @ physics.mq.edu.au | E7B 225 | PhD Student |
| 6367 | Ogilvy, Hamish | hogilvy @ ics.mq.edu.au | E7A 225 | MSc Student |
| 8932 | Pask, Helen | hpask @ physics.mq.edu.au | E7A 316 | Research Fellow |
| 8645 | Piper, Jim | jim.piper @ vc.mq.edu.au | E11A 153 | Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor of Physics |