Dr. Darrell J. Armstrong Profile

Dr. Darrell J. Armstrong

Principal Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Labs

SPIE Involvement:

Author

Publications (17)

Proceedings Article | 6 December 2016 Open Access

Sandia's Z-Backlighter Laser Facility

P. Rambo, J. Schwarz, M. Schollmeier, M. Geissel, I. Smith, M. Kimmel, C. Speas, J. Shores, D. Armstrong, J. Bellum, E. Field, D. Kletecka, J. Porter

Proceedings Volume 10014, 100140Z (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2245271

KEYWORDS: Glasses, X-rays, Laser energy, Optical amplifiers, X-ray imaging, Optical coatings, Pulsed laser operation, Fusion energy, Diagnostics, Laser beam diagnostics

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Proceedings Article | 18 February 2010 Paper

Far-UV solid state lasers for semiconductor processing

James Jacob, Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 7582, 75820U (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.843849

KEYWORDS: Optical parametric oscillators, Crystals, Solid state lasers, Deep ultraviolet, Semiconductor manufacturing, Lithography, Nd:YAG lasers, Nonlinear optics, Semiconductors, Laser crystals

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Proceedings Article | 13 February 2008 Paper

High-power, high-energy ZGP OPA pumped by a 2.05-um Ho:YLF MOPA system

Alexey Dergachev, Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith, Thomas Drake, Marc Dubois

Proceedings Volume 6875, 687507 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.765275

KEYWORDS: Optical parametric oscillators, Crystals, Mirrors, Beam splitters, Laser crystals, Oscillators, Amplifiers, Image quality, 3D modeling, Optical amplifiers

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Proceedings Article | 19 May 2006 Paper

High energy single-mode all-solid-state, tunable UV laser transmitter

Narasimha Prasad, Upendra Singh, Floyd Hovis, Darrell Armstrong

Proceedings Volume 6214, 62140T (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.666879

KEYWORDS: Optical amplifiers, Ultraviolet radiation, Optical parametric oscillators, Diodes, Nd:YAG lasers, Amplifiers, Oscillators, Crystals, Wind energy, Ferroelectric materials

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Proceedings Article | 10 February 2006 Paper

High-efficiency high-energy wavelength-doubling optical parametric oscillator

Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 6103, 61030C (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.646503

KEYWORDS: Optical parametric oscillators, Mirrors, Crystals, Nd:YAG lasers, Polarization, Mode locking, Energy efficiency, Ferroelectric materials, Laser stabilization, Polarizers

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Proceedings Article | 31 August 2005 Paper

Efficient all-solid-state UV lidar sources: from 100s of millijoules to 100s of microjoules

Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 5887, 588703 (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.620577

KEYWORDS: Optical parametric oscillators, Ultraviolet radiation, Crystals, LIDAR, Nd:YAG lasers, Laser crystals, UV optics, Mirrors, Satellites, Ferroelectric materials

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Proceedings Article | 23 March 2005 Paper

High efficiency intra-cavity sum-frequency-generation in a self-seeded image-rotating nanosecond optical parametric oscillator

Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 5710, (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.589697

KEYWORDS: Optical parametric oscillators, Crystals, Ultraviolet radiation, Output couplers, Nd:YAG lasers, Ferroelectric materials, Energy efficiency, Pulsed laser operation, Image quality, Signal generators

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Proceedings Article | 12 January 2005 Paper

All solid-state high-efficiency source for satellite-based UV ozone DIAL

Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 5653, (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.579615

KEYWORDS: Optical parametric oscillators, Ultraviolet radiation, Crystals, Beam shaping, Nd:YAG lasers, Energy efficiency, Sum-frequency generation, Satellites, Optical amplifiers, Laser crystals

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Proceedings Article | 29 September 2004 Paper

Using a Newport refractive beam shaper to generate high-quality flat-top spatial profiles from a flashlamp-pumped commercial Nd:YAG laser

Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 5525, (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.557848

KEYWORDS: Beam shaping, Optical amplifiers, Nd:YAG lasers, Oscillators, Mirrors, Spatial filters, Nonlinear optics, Laser systems engineering, Optical parametric oscillators, Iris

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We've generated high-quality flat-top spatial profiles from a modified Continuum Powerlite 9010 Nd:YAG laser using the Gaussian-to-flat-top refractive beam shaper available from Newport Corporation. The Powerlite is a flashlamp-pumped, Q-switched, injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser manufactured in 1993 that delivers 1.6 J at 10 Hz using an oscillator and two 9 mm diameter amplifier rods. While its pulse energy is impressive, its beam quality is typically poor, an all too common characteristic of research-grade Nd:YAG lasers manufactured in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Structure in its near-field spatial fluence profile is reminiscent of round-aperture diffraction that is superposed with additional hot spots. These characteristics are largely due to poor beam quality from the oscillator coupled with over-filled amplifier rods, and reflect a design philosophy from the era of organic dye lasers. When these older laser systems are used for tasks like pumping optical parametric oscillators (OPO's), or for other applications demanding good beam quality, their designs are simply inadequate. To improve the 9010's beam quality we spatially filter the oscillator beam and remove the resulting Airy rings with an iris, then collimate and magnify the remaining central disk so its diameter is appropriate for input to the refractive shaper. The output of the beam shaper is then double-pass amplified through two amplifier rods with thermally induced focusing compensated by a negative lens before the first pass and by a convex mirror before the second pass. Using this approach we've obtained single-pass energy exceeding 250 mJ with little degradation of the flat-top profile and 950 mJ after double pass amplification. After double-passing the two amplifier rods the beam suffers some degradation in symmetry and uniformity, but is still much improved compared to the beam obtained using the 9010's original factory configuration. We find the modified 9010's flat-top profile improves conversion efficiency when used for our applications in crystal nonlinear optics.

Proceedings Article | 18 June 2004 Paper

Simulations of X(2) nonlinear optical devices with comparisons to laboratory performance

Arlee Smith, Darrell Armstrong, William Alford, Mark Bowers

Proceedings Volume 5349, (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.540318

KEYWORDS: Crystals, Nonlinear crystals, Instrument modeling, Optical parametric oscillators, Diffraction, Dispersion, Polarization, Wave propagation, Crystal optics, Harmonic generation

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Proceedings Article | 14 June 2004 Paper

150-mJ 1550-nm KTA OPO with good beam quality and high efficiency

Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 5337, (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.528436

KEYWORDS: Crystals, Optical parametric oscillators, Laser crystals, Energy efficiency, Nonlinear crystals, Optical amplifiers, Performance modeling, Sensors, Wavefronts, Nd:YAG lasers

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Proceedings Article | 23 December 2003 Paper

Efficient all-solid-state UV source for satellite-based lidar applications

Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 5154, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.504808

KEYWORDS: Optical parametric oscillators, Crystals, Ultraviolet radiation, Nd:YAG lasers, Mirrors, Satellites, Image quality, Spatial filters, Laser systems engineering, Oscillators

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A satellite-based UV-DIAL measurement system would allow continuous global monitoring of ozone concentration in the upper atmosphere. However such systems remain difficult to implement because aerosol-scattering return signals for satellite-based lidars are very weak. A suitable system must produce high-energy UV pulses at multiple wavelengths with very high efficiency. For example, a nanosecond system operating at 10 Hz must generate approximately 1 J per pulse at 308-320 nm. An efficient space-qualified wavelength-agile system based on a single UV source that can meet this requirement is probably not available using current laser technology. As an alternative, we're pursuing a multi-source approach employing all-solid-state modules that individually generate 300-320 nm light with pulse energies in the range of 50-200 mJ, with transform-limited bandwidths and good beam quality. Pulses from the individual sources can be incoherently summed to obtain the required single-pulse energy. These sources use sum-frequency mixing of the 532 nm second harmonic of an Nd:YAG pump laser with 731-803 nm light derived from a recently-developed, state-of-the-art, nanosecond optical parametric oscillator. Two source configurations are under development, one using extra-cavity sum-frequency mixing, and the other intra-cavity sum-frequency mixing. In either configuration, we hope to obtain sum-frequency mixing efficiency approaching 60% by carefully matching the spatial and temporal properties of the laser and OPO pulses. This ideal balance of green and near-IR photons requires an injection-seeded Nd:YAG pump-laser with very high beam quality, and an OPO exhibiting unusually high conversion efficiency and exceptional signal beam quality. The OPO employs a singly-resonant high-Fresnel-number image-rotating self-injection-seeded nonplanar-ring cavity that achieves pump depletion > 65% and produces signal beams with M² ≈ 3 at pulse energies exceeding 50 mJ. Pump beam requirements can be met in the laboratory using a commercial Nd:YAG laser system, but only after extensive modifications.

Proceedings Article | 21 March 2003 Paper

Design and laboratory characterization of a highly efficient all-solid-state 200-mJ UV light source for ozone DIAL measurements

Darrell Armstrong, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 4893, (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.466238

KEYWORDS: Optical parametric oscillators, Ultraviolet radiation, Crystals, Mirrors, Nd:YAG lasers, Prisms, Image quality, Oscillators, Pulsed laser operation, Nonlinear crystals

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Proceedings Article | 18 November 1998 Paper

Characterization of infrared laser systems

Daniel Neal, Darrell Armstrong, W. Tim Turner

Proceedings Volume 3437, (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.331333

KEYWORDS: Wavefront sensors, Sensors, Cameras, Wavefronts, Infrared sensors, Infrared cameras, Lenses, Telescopes, Etching, Laser optics

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Proceedings Article | 21 November 1997 Paper

Wavefront sensor testing in hypersonic flows using a laser-spark guide star

Daniel Neal, Darrell Armstrong, Eric Hedlund, Melissa Lederer, Arnold Collier, Charles Spring, James Gruetzner, Gregory Hebner, Justin Mansell

Proceedings Volume 3172, (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.293400

KEYWORDS: Wavefront sensors, Sensors, Wavefronts, Wind energy, Stars, Laser optics, Laser guide stars, Missiles, Laser damage threshold, Pulsed laser operation

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Proceedings Article | 27 March 1997 Paper

Wavefront sensors for control and processing monitoring in optics manufacture

Daniel Neal, Darrell Armstrong, W. Tim Turner

Proceedings Volume 2993, (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.270030

KEYWORDS: Wavefronts, Wavefront sensors, Optical testing, Sensors, Optics manufacturing, Beam expanders, Calibration, Optical components, Mirrors, Interferometers

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Proceedings Article | 10 April 1995 Paper

Phase correction in two-crystal optical parametric oscillators

Darrell Armstrong, William Alford, Thomas Raymond, Arlee Smith

Proceedings Volume 2379, (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.206456

KEYWORDS: Crystals, Nonlinear crystals, Ferroelectric materials, Optical parametric oscillators, Phase shifts, Laser crystals, Signal detection, Optical calibration, Polarization, Antireflective coatings

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Showing 5 of 17 publications

Conference Committee Involvement (14)

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials and Devices XIX

3 February 2020 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials and Devices XVIII

5 February 2019 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials and Devices XVII

29 January 2018 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials and Devices XVI

30 January 2017 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications XV

15 February 2016 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications XIV

9 February 2015 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications XIII

4 February 2014 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications XII

5 February 2013 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications XI

24 January 2012 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications X

24 January 2011 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications IX

25 January 2010 | San Francisco, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications VIII

27 January 2009 | San Jose, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications VII

22 January 2008 | San Jose, California, United States

Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications VI

23 January 2007 | San Jose, California, United States

Showing 5 of 14 Conference Committees

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