Transmission characteristics of high-power 589-nm laser beam in photonic crystal fiber

Meguru Ito, Yutaka Hayano, Norihito Saito, Kazuyuki Akagawa, Mayumi Kato, Yoshihiko Saito, Akira Takazawa, Hideki Takami, Masanori Iye, Satoshi Wada, Stephen A. Colley, Mattew C. Dinkins, Michael Eldred, Taras I. Golota, Olivier Guyon, Masayuki Hattori, Shin Oya, Makoto Watanabe

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

We are developing Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGSAO) system for Subaru Telescope at Hawaii. Mauna Kea. We achieved an all-solid-state 589.159 nm laser in sum-frequency generation. Output power at 589.159 nm reached 4W in quasi-continuous-wave operation. To relay the laser beam from laser location to laser launching telescope, we used an optical fiber because the optical fiber relay is more flexible and easier than mirror train. However, nonlinear scattering effect, especially stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), will happen when the inputted laser power increases, i.e., intensity at the fiber core exceed each threshold. In order to raise the threshold levels of each nonlinear scattering, we adopt photonic crystal fiber (PCF). Because the PCF can be made larger core than usual step index fiber (SIF), one can reduce the intensity in the core. We inputted the high power laser into the PCF whose mode field diameter (MFD) is 14 μm and the SIF whose MFD is 5 μm, and measured the transmission characteristics of them. In the case of the SIF, the SRS was happen when we inputted 2 W. On the other hand, the SRS and the SBS were not induced in the PCF even for an input power of 4 W. We also investigated polarization of the laser beam transmitting through the PCF. Because of the fact that the backscattering efficiency of exciting the sodium layer with a narrowband laser is dependent on the polarization state of the incident beam, we tried to control the polarization of the laser beam transmitted the PCF. We constructed the system which can control the polarization of input laser and measure the output polarization. The PCF showed to be able to assume as a double refraction optical device, and we found that the output polarization is controllable by injecting beam with appropriate polarization through the PCF. However, the Laser Guide Star made by the beam passed through the PCF had same brightness as the state of the polarization.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdvances in Adaptive Optics II
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006
Externally publishedYes
EventAdvances in Adaptive Optics II - Orlando, FL, United States
Duration: May 24 2006May 31 2006

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume6272 III
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherAdvances in Adaptive Optics II
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityOrlando, FL
Period5/24/065/31/06

Keywords

  • Adaptive optics
  • Laser guide star
  • Optical fiber
  • Polarization
  • Stimulated Raman/Brillouin scattering
  • Sum-frequency generation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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