Look Who it Was Random video

Back to what I did last summer

206 views · Published 23 February 2011 · 2:17 · Indexed 5 October 2026

Channel: Faissal aka Md. Faisal Halim · 2011 · People & Blogs

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Okay, I have optimized the back mirror (in the foreground, with the dye cell) of the Continuum PY61C Nd:YAG Laser, and then optimized the aperture, as instructed, but now that I am trying to put the AOM/AML back in, I seem to be back to the problem that I faced last summer: I can only get lasing if the AOM/AML is raised. This is strange, nothing in the laser cavity has been changed, and we have used it for years and years.

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Steps taken:
1) set up the alignment laser (semiconductor laser) -- step not shown
2) have it go through a pin hole and have it reflect back onto itself, off of the back mirror  -- step not shown
3) optimize the back mirror for peak height and shortest laser build-up time (BUT)  -- step not shown
4) put in aperture and use alignment laser for rough positioning  -- step not shown
5) 'raster-scan' aperture position until lasing is obtained, and then optimize aperture position for peak height and the shortest cavity BUT -- STEP SHOWN, but mechanically constrained
6) put in AOM/AML and try to get lasing through the device's windows -- FAILED, as shown
7) raise AOM/AML to find 'appropriate' position for the device's transparent windows -- WORKED (but ill-advised), as shown

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Video footage credit: Francis Smith
Video editing: me

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