Components for Ti:Sapphire Lasers

Components for Ti:Sapphire Lasers

Here we present optical components for Ti:Sapphire lasers which are operated with ns pulses. Please note that all of these components are optimized for smooth group delay (GD) spectra in order to achieve wide tuning ranges. However, these components are not optimized for group delay dispersion (GDD). Such optics which are necessary for fs pulses are introduced on our page “Components for Femtosecond Lasers”.

Mirrors

Broadband laser mirrorFigure 1: Reflectance (a) and GD (b) spectra of a broadband laser mirror
Broadband pump mirrorFigure 2: Reflectance (a) and GD (b) spectra of a broadband pump mirror
Broadband turning mirrorFigure 3: Reflectance (a) and GD (b) spectra of a broadband turning mirror

Special Features

  • Very high reflectance of the mirrors (R > 99.9 % … R > 99.98 % depending on the design)
  • Spectral tolerance: 1 % of centre wavelength
  • Centre wavelength, bandwidth and reflectivity of partial reflectors according to customer specification

Output Couplers and Beamsplitters

Standard and a broadband output couplerFigure 4: Reflectance spectra of a standard and a broadband output coupler (a) and of an output coupler with a special reflectance profile which enables the compensation of the amplification characteristics of the laser (b)

see also:
B. Jungbluth, J. Wueppen, J. Geiger, D. Hoffmann, R. Poprawe: “High Performance, Widely Tunable Ti:Sapphire Laser with Nanosecond Pulses” in: Solid State Lasers XV: Technology and Devices, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 6100, 6100 - 20, San Jose 2006
Broadband beam splitterFigure 5: Reflectance (a) and GD (b) spectra of a broadband beam splitter PRu(45°, 650 – 1050 nm) = 50 ± 3 %

Tolerances

Standard output couplers (bandwidth: 120 – 150 nm):
R = 10 … 70 %± 2.5 %
R = 70 … 90 %± 1.5 %
R = 90 … 95 %± 0.75 %
R = 95 … 98 %± 0.5 %
R > 98 %± 0.25 %
Broadband output couplers (bandwidth: 200 – 600 nm):
R = 10 … 70 %± 3 %
R = 70 … 90 %± 2 %
R = 90 … 95 %± 1 %
R = 95 … 98 %± 0.5 %

Special Components

Narrow band intracavity filterFigure 6: Transmittance spectrum of a narrow band intracavity filter for 860 nm which is used to select one wavelength from the Ti:Sapphire spectrum
Special turning mirrorFigure 7: Reflectance spectrum of a special turning mirror which separates the visible part of the Ti:Sapphire laser radiation from the NIR part