受激布里渊散射相位共轭镜在高功率纳秒激光器中的应用进展

Application progress of the stimulated Brillouin scattering phase conjugate mirror in high power nanosecond lasers

  • 摘要: 受激布里渊散射(Stimulated Brillouin Scattering, SBS)是一种光学三阶非线性效应,其反射光具有相位共轭特性,在振幅、相位、偏振方面与入射光呈现时间反演关系,并保持与入射光相同的波前。在主振荡功率放大(Master Oscillator Power-Amplifier, MOPA)结构的纳秒激光器中,激光放大器中的热效应及光路中大量的光学元件使传输光束存在严重的波前畸变,在恶化光束质量的同时也限制了功率进一步提升的可能性。在此类激光器中使用基于受激布里渊散射的相位共轭镜(Stimulated Brillouin Scattering Phase Conjugate Mirror, SBS-PCM),使光束往返通过引入严重波前畸变的激光放大器能够实时补偿畸变,从而优化激光器的输出光束质量,并有利于功率的进一步提升,进而促进纳秒激光器向着兼顾高功率和高光束质量的方向发展,因此在高功率纳秒激光器中得到广泛应用。文中首先从理论方面简要介绍了SBS-PCM的基本原理及其相位共轭特性,其次对比了不同SBS-PCM介质的特点及适用范围,概述了国内外机构对SBS-PCM的研究进展及高功率纳秒激光器中SBS-PCM的典型应用情况及发展历程,并最终对SBS-PCM发展趋势进行了展望。

     

    Abstract: Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) is a third-order nonlinear optical effect, the reflected beam of which has the property of phase conjugation. The reflected beam is time inversed on amplitude, phase and polarization with the incident beam and maintains the same wavefront as the incident light. In the Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) nanosecond laser system, the thermal effect in the laser amplifiers and a large number of optical elements in the optical path cause serious wavefront distortion of the transmitted beam, which not only deteriorates the beam quality, but also limits the possibility of further power improvement. Stimulated Brillouin Scattering Phase Conjugate Mirror (SBS-PCM) is utilized widely in this kind of laser system for the fact that using SBS-PCM by making the beam transmit along a round trip in amplifiers which bring in serious wavefront distortion compensates the distortion in real time, therefore is capable of optimizing the beam quality and improving the output power, so as to promote the development of nanosecond laser system in the direction of both high power and high beam quality. In this paper, the basic principle and phase conjugation characteristics of SBS-PCM were briefly introduced theoretically. Then the characteristics and application scope of different SBS-PCM media were compared. The research progress by domestic and foreign institutions on SBS-PCM and the typical application and development process of SBS-PCM in high power nanosecond lasers were summarized. Finally, the development trend of SBS-PCM was prospected.

     

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