Advances in High-Efficiency Lasers: From Laser Diode Pumping to Ultra-Short Pulse Generation

Dear Colleagues,

Improving the efficiency of lasers is one of the key technologies for expanding their applications. This Special Issue focuses on recent research that expands the practical utility of lasers, including improving their efficiency, which facilitates the expansion of laser technology into a wide variety of fields. Also included are methods that enable lasers to be made smaller, more stable, shorter-pulsed, and more powerful than previously possible, at a lower cost or with a simpler method.

Target lasers include compact lasers, ultrashort pulsed lasers, and high-power lasers, including solid-state lasers (space-cavity lasers) and fiber lasers (waveguide lasers). Excitation includes not only laser diode pumping but also solar pumping. Possible applications of lasers include, but are not limited to, industrial applications, including power transmission by light, as well as conventional laser processing, and biological and medical applications. Papers are encouraged to focus on new methods, innovations, experiments, and theoretical models to optimize laser systems for a wider range of applications.

Of particular interest will be, for example, research to improve efficiency or to produce practical lasers that operate in extreme regimes, such as ultrashort pulsed lasers with pulse widths in the femtosecond range or less, high peak intensity lasers in the petawatt range, high energy output lasers in excess of the joule range, and high average power ultrashort pulsed lasers in excess of the kilowatt range. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following experimental and theoretical studies:

1. High efficiency or simplification of ultrashort pulse lasers;
2. High efficiency or simplification of high average power, high energy, or high peak power lasers;
3. High efficiency, miniaturization, or simplification of high average power solar pumped lasers;
4. High efficiency miniature lasers;
5. High efficiency or simplification of ultraviolet to mid-infrared ultrashort pulse lasers.

Dr. Sakae Kawato
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• ultrashort pulse lasers
• high peak power lasers
• mid-infrared ultrashort pulse lasers