The R&D center for high power laser components of shanghai institute of optics and fine mechanism, CAS, devotes to develop high quality dominant material and key components for the solid state laser devices. The main products include rare earth doped laser glass for superintense ultrafast laser facility, high power pulsed xenon lamp, active and passive specialty optical fibers. The center now has above one hundred employees, which includes 9 professors, 5 doctoral supervisors, 5 people of Hundred Talent Program, 2 people of CAS key Technology Talent Program. The center maintains around 30 postgraduate students.
Since 1964, the center has been developing the laser glass at the same pace with the development of the laser facilities of our country. The technology and character of the laser glass is in the international leading level. The center has produced neodymium doped silica laser and a series of neodymium doped phosphate laser glass, which is N21, N31, N41, N51, NAP2 and NAP4. The center is the only supplier can provide the laser glass for the national large-scale scientific facility SG and SULF. The laser glass has also been exported abroad, which has a high reputation. In the recent decade, the center in charge of a sum of CNY 300 million in the laser glass related projects. The center has achieved a number of awards both national and local. In 2016, the continuous smelting technology for large-scale neodymium doped laser glass was awarded the special prize of shanghai technological invention. In 2017, it was awarded the second prize of national technological invention. Please refer to www.laserglass.com.cn for more information.
The center engaged in the work of research, design, production and testing of all kinds of pulsed and continuously-working laser lighting source. Over the years, the center has undertaken a number of important research tasks of the National High-tech 863 Program and major national projects. Under the traction of the national engineering task, the center has creatively solved a series of key technical problems. A new type of high-intensity ultraviolet-cut composite quartz glass tube and a high-load high-power pulsed xenon lamp were first developed in the world. This technology broke the monopoly of foreign technology and blockade of embargo, and guaranteed reliable operation of SG facility in China. It was awarded the first prize of Shanghai Invention Patent in 2004, and the National Patent Gold Medal in 2006. In recent years, breakthroughs have been made in high temperature metal-sealing technology, and process finalization has been achieved. A Batch Manufacturing Verification line for pulsed xenon lamps based on mechanized manufacturing technology has been established. The developed batch sample flashlamps has passed through the reliability assessment of engineering operation organized by the general unit. The test results show that the technology of high power pulsed xenon lamp has reached the international advanced level. The center also pays attention to the application development of instrumentation, optical and electrical integration technology. Large area uniform strong light steady-state illumination system has been widely applied to ground test and detection of the performance of space satellite solar cell system.
The center is one of the earliest research institute engaged in the specialty optical fiber. In the 1980s, a study on fluoride fiber was conducted under the support of national key research and development plan. Since the fiber laser is booming from the 1990s, the center prioritized the development of the core components of fiber laser, which is rare earth doped active fiber, mid-infrared fluoride fiber, nonlinear fiber and energy transmitting fiber. The center invested tens of millions of yuan on the world-leading specialty fiber R & D platform which includes preform producing, fiber drawing, fiber testing and characterization and fiber device developing. The large mode area silica fiber and nonlinear silica photonic crystal fiber reached international advanced level. Above 20 pieces of national invention patents have been authorized. The research findings have been published in Optics Letters, Optics Express, and Applied Physics Letters etc. The center is now in charge of multiple important projects such as national key research and development plan and key deployment of CAS.