Novel external cavity CW frequency doubling of semiconductor lasers to generate 300-600nm light

摘要

A novel control system for a simple and compact all-solid-state laser generating 300 nm to 600 nm nm light with continuously variable output power in the range from 1 mW to at least 120 mW. Single frequency radiation from an external cavity semiconductor laser is frequency doubled in a periodically poled MgO:LiNbO₃ waveguide. The laser maintains a high quality TEM₀₀ circular beam with M²<1.1 and very low noise of less than 0.06% over the entire range of output power. Less than 0.1% peak-to-peak output power variation is measured during prolonged operation. In one example, no degradation of the conversion efficiency is observed for operation at an output power of 70 mW and the laser has a small footprint of only 5x8 cm.