A Diode-Laser-Pumped, Nd:YAG Laser for Gravity Wave Astronomy

用于重力波天文学的二极管泵浦 Nd:YAG 激光器

• 批准号: 8913017
• 负责人: Robert Byer
• 金额: $ 70万
• 依托单位: Stanford University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1989
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1989-12-15 至 1992-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8913017&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Diode; Laser; Pumped; Nd; YAG

Gravity wave detection by optical interferometry requires an efficient, high power laser with low amplitude and frequency noise. Prof. Byer's group will design, build, and study a 13- watt, single-axial-mode, diode-laser-pumped Nd:YAG laser, with the power, frequency and amplitude stability and spatial mode properties necessary for the laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory (LIGO). This laser will be designed with the potential to operate at 20% electrical efficiency and to scale to greater than 100 watts of optical power. They will obtain stable, single-axial-mode, unidirectional oscillation by injection locking the 13-watt oscillator with a low power (50 mW) stabilized, nonplanar ring oscillator (NPRO). The output of the 13-watt laser will then be frequency doubled with greater than 80% conversion efficiency in a monolithic resonant harmonic generator to produce 10 watts of green light with the same temporal coherence as the injecting NPRO laser. The 13- watt laser will then be applied to interferometric studies in cooperation with the scientific teams associated with the LIGO project.

通过光学干涉测量进行重力波检测需要具有低振幅和频率噪声的高效、高功率激光器。 Byer 教授的团队将设计、建造和研究 13 瓦、单轴模式、二极管激光泵浦 Nd:YAG 激光器，该激光器具有激光干涉仪引力波天文台 (LIGO) 所需的功率、频率和振幅稳定性以及空间模式特性。 该激光器的设计潜力为 20% 的电效率，并可扩展至超过 100 瓦的光功率。 他们将通过使用低功率（50 mW）稳定的非平面环形振荡器（NPRO）注入锁定 13 瓦振荡器来获得稳定的单轴模式单向振荡。 然后，13 瓦激光器的输出将在单片谐振谐波发生器中倍频，转换效率超过 80%，以产生与注入 NPRO 激光器具有相同时间相干性的 10 瓦绿光。 随后，13 瓦激光器将与 LIGO 项目相关的科学团队合作应用于干涉测量研究。