Operator S Manual The Coherent Mira Optima 900-P Laser

Operator’s Manual
The Coherent
Mira Optima 900-P Laser
5100 Patrick Henry Drive

Santa Clara, CA 95054
Mira Optima 900-P Laser Operator’s Manual
This document is copyrighted with all rights reserved. Under the copyright
laws, this document may not be copied in whole or in part or reproduced in
any other media without the express written permission of Coherent, Inc.
Permitted copies must carry the same proprietary and copyright notices as
were affixed to the original. This exception does not allow copies to be
made for others, whether or not sold, but all the material purchased may
be sold, given or loaned to another person. Under the law, copying
includes translation into another language.
Coherent, the Coherent Logo, Mira, Verdi, and Innova are registered
trademarks of Coherent, Inc. Sabre and PowerTrack are trademarks of
Coherent, Inc.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the data given in this document
is accurate. The information, figures, tables, specifications and schematics
contained herein are subject to change without notice. Coherent makes no
warranty or representation, either expressed or implied with respect to this
document. In no event will Coherent be liable for any direct, indirect,
special, incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defects in
its documentation.
Technical Support
In the US:
Should you experience any difficulties with your laser or need any
technical information, please visit our web site www.Coherent.com.
Additional support can be obtained by contacting our Technical Support
Hotline at 800-367-7890 (408-764-4557 outside the U.S.) or E-mail
(clg.tech.services@Coherent.com). Telephone coverage is available
Monday through Friday (except U.S. holidays and company shutdowns).
If you call outside our office hours, your call will be taken by our answering
system and will be returned when the office reopens.
If there are technical difficulties with your laser that cannot be resolved by
support mechanisms outlined above, please E-mail or telephone Coherent
Technical Support with a description of the problem and the corrective
steps attempted. When communicating with our Technical Support
Department, via the web or telephone, the model and Laser Head serial
number of your laser system will be required by the Support Engineer
responding to your request.
Outside the U.S.:
If you are located outside the U.S. visit our web site for technical
assistance or contact, by phone, our local Service Representative.
Representative phone numbers and addresses can be found on the
Coherent web site, www.Coherent.com.
Coherent provides telephone and web technical assistance as a service to

its customers and assumes no liability thereby for any injury or damage
that may occur contemporaneous with such services. These support
services do not affect, under any circumstances, the terms of any warranty
agreement between Coherent and the buyer. Operation of any Coherent
laser with any of its interlocks defeated is always at the operator's own risk.
ii
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface ............................................................................................................................ ix
U.S. Export Control Laws Compliance .......................................................................... ix
Symbols Used in This Manual and on the Laser System .................................................x
Chapter One: Laser Safety .................................................................................. 1-1

Optical Safety ............................................................................................................... 1-3
Electrical Safety ............................................................................................................ 1-4
Pump Source ................................................................................................................. 1-4
Safety Features and Compliance to Government Requirements .................................. 1-4
Laser Classification.............................................................................................. 1-5
Protective Housing............................................................................................... 1-5
Location of Safety Labels .................................................................................... 1-5
Electromagnetic Compatibility ..................................................................................... 1-6
Chapter Two: Description and Specifications ......................................... 2-1

System Description ....................................................................................................... 2-3
Chapter Three: Controls and Indicators .................................................... 3-1

Chapter Four: Daily Operation ........................................................................ 4-1
Introduction................................................................................................................... 4-3
Daily Turn-on ...................................................................................................... 4-3
Long-Term Shutdown................................................................................................. 4-11
Short-Term Shutdown................................................................................................. 4-11
Short-Term Startup ..................................................................................................... 4-11
Using Power Display to Align Laser .......................................................................... 4-12
Other Features of the Display ............................................................................ 4-13
Peak Marker .............................................................................................. 4-13
Vernier ...................................................................................................... 4-13
Digital Power Indicator............................................................................. 4-13
RH ............................................................................................................. 4-13
Bias ........................................................................................................... 4-13
PZT ........................................................................................................... 4-13
Error Messages ........................................................................................................... 4-13
Chapter Five: Installation and Alignment ................................................. 5-1

Introduction................................................................................................................... 5-3
Voltage Selection .......................................................................................................... 5-3
Cooling Water............................................................................................................... 5-4
Dry Nitrogen Purge....................................................................................................... 5-5
Equipment Used During Installation and Alignment ................................................... 5-5
Installation and Alignment Summary ........................................................................... 5-5
Abbreviated Alignment Procedure ............................................................................... 5-7
iii
Installation Notes ................................................................................................. 5-7

Configuring Mira Optima for Left-Side, Right-Side, or Straight-In Pumping .... 5-8
Coarse Pump Alignment procedure ..................................................................... 5-8
Straight-In Pumping.................................................................................... 5-8
Right Side Pumping .................................................................................. 5-10
Left Side Pumping .................................................................................... 5-10
Pump Laser Setup ..................................................................................... 5-11
Mira Optima Installation............................................................................................. 5-12
Mode-Locking ................................................................................................... 5-16
Full-Alignment Procedure .......................................................................................... 5-16
Mira Optima Installation............................................................................................. 5-17
Cavity Alignment........................................................................................................ 5-19
Walking the Beam ............................................................................................. 5-22
Advanced Alignment Techniques............................................................................... 5-23
Fine Pump Beam Alignment.............................................................................. 5-23
Pump Lens Position ........................................................................................... 5-24
Adjusting the In-Plane Alignment ..................................................................... 5-25
Additional Factory Adjustments ........................................................................ 5-26
Chapter Six: Maintenance ................................................................................... 6-1

Introduction................................................................................................................... 6-3
Covers, Brewster windows ........................................................................................... 6-3
Cleaning Optics............................................................................................................. 6-3
Cleaning Installed Optics..................................................................................... 6-4
Cleaning Removed Optics ................................................................................... 6-5
Cleaning the Ti:Sapphire Crystal......................................................................... 6-5
Mira Optima Optics Changes ....................................................................................... 6-6
Changing Wavelengths from Non-overlapping Wavelength Sets ....................... 6-7
Changing Wavelengths between Adjacent Optic Sets......................................... 6-7
Optics Replacement ...................................................................................................... 6-8
Equipment Used During Optic Replacement....................................................... 6-8
M1 Removal and Installation............................................................................... 6-8
M2 Removal and Installation............................................................................. 6-10
M10 Removal and Installation........................................................................... 6-17
GTI Assembly Removal and Installation........................................................... 6-18
P0 Removal and Installation .............................................................................. 6-19
L1 Removal and Installation.............................................................................. 6-28
Starter Butterfly Removal and Installation ........................................................ 6-29
iv
Table of Contents
Chapter Seven: Theory of Operation............................................................ 7-1

Introduction................................................................................................................... 7-3
The Gain Medium ......................................................................................................... 7-3
Preparing the Atoms for Amplification — Pumping........................................... 7-4
Longitudinal Modes ...................................................................................................... 7-4
Transverse Mode........................................................................................................... 7-4
Theory of Mode-locking ............................................................................................... 7-5
Formation of the Pulse .................................................................................................. 7-5
Active Mode-locking ........................................................................................... 7-5
Passive Mode-locking.......................................................................................... 7-6
Mira Optima’s Saturable Absorber System ......................................................... 7-6
Changing the Beam Diameter..................................................................... 7-7
Origin of the Term “Mode-locked” ..................................................................... 7-9
The Starting Mechanism ............................................................................................... 7-9
Transmission of Ultrashort Pulses of Light Through Glass ....................................... 7-12
Group Velocity Dispersion ................................................................................ 7-12
Self Phase Modulation ................................................................................................ 7-14
Dispersion Compensation ........................................................................................... 7-15
The Formation of Final Pulse Width .......................................................................... 7-16
The Effect of GVD on Stability and Pulse Width ...................................................... 7-16
Description of CW Detector .............................................................................. 7-17
Factors Influencing Mode-locked Operation ..................................................... 7-18
Alignment ................................................................................................. 7-18
Mode Quality of Pump Laser.................................................................... 7-18
Differential Overlap .................................................................................. 7-18
Pump Power .............................................................................................. 7-19
Contaminated Optics................................................................................. 7-19
Slit Width .................................................................................................. 7-19
Beam Clipping .......................................................................................... 7-19
Titanium:sapphire Temperature................................................................ 7-20
Purge Gases........................................................................................................ 7-20
Propagation of Ultrashort Pulses Through Optical Materials............................ 7-20
Autocorrelation ........................................................................................................... 7-20
Optical Schematic Overview ............................................................................. 7-20
The Concept Of Autocorrelation ....................................................................... 7-22
Background-Free Autocorrelation by Non-Collinear Phase Matching ............. 7-23
Calibration and Real-time Display .................................................................... 7-24
Time Resolution................................................................................................. 7-25
Interpretation of Autocorrelation Traces ........................................................... 7-25
Time-Bandwidth Product............................................................................................ 7-25
Chapter Eight: Picosecond to Femtosecond Conversion .................. 8-1

Introduction................................................................................................................... 8-3
Picosecond to Femtosecond Conversion ..................................................................... 8-3
Conversion Summary .......................................................................................... 8-3
Birefringent Filter Removal and Replacement .................................................... 8-3
M1 Removal and Installation............................................................................... 8-4
v
BP1 Installation.................................................................................................... 8-6

Mode-locking....................................................................................................... 8-6
Walking the Beam ............................................................................................... 8-7
Appendix A: Installation with an Ion Pump Source .......................... A-1

Introduction.................................................................................................................. A-3
Ion Pump Laser Setup.................................................................................................. A-3
Ion Pump Beam Height and Leveling Adjustments .................................................... A-3
Tuning Curves.............................................................................................................. A-5
Appendix B: Mira Optima Options, Accessories, and Systems ....B-1

Introduction...................................................................................................................B-3
Options..........................................................................................................................B-3
Accessories ...................................................................................................................B-3
Systems .........................................................................................................................B-4
Parts List .........................................................................................................................C-1

Warranty ........................................................................................................................ D-1
Optical Products........................................................................................................... D-1
Conditions of Warranty ............................................................................................... D-1
Other Products ............................................................................................................. D-2
Responsibilities of the Buyer ....................................................................................... D-2
Limitations of Warranty............................................................................................... D-2
Glossary ............................................................................................................... Glossary-1

Index ........................................................................................................................... Index-1
vi
Table of Contents
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
1-1 Safety Features and Labels ........................................................................................ 1-7
2-1 Mira Optima 900-P Laser .......................................................................................... 2-3

2-2 Optical Schematic ...................................................................................................... 2-5
2-3 Major Laser Head Components for the Mira Optima 900-P ..................................... 2-6
3-1 Mira Optima Controls and Indicator Locations ......................................................... 3-2

3-2 M8 Controls ............................................................................................................... 3-4
3-3 Titanium:Sapphire Crystal Assembly/M4/M5 Controls............................................ 3-6
3-4 Slit Assembly/M3 Controls ....................................................................................... 3-8
3-5 M5 Controls ............................................................................................................. 3-10
3-6 M10 Controls ........................................................................................................... 3-12
3-7 Birefringent Filter Control ....................................................................................... 3-14
3-8 M2 Controls ............................................................................................................. 3-16
3-9 Pump Optic Controls ............................................................................................... 3-18
3-10 Output Coupler/Beamsplitter/Head Board/Cavity Length Controls........................ 3-20
3-11 Controller Controls and Indicators .......................................................................... 3-22
3-12 Controller Displays .................................................................................................. 3-24
3-13 Laser Head Rear Interface Connectors .................................................................... 3-26
3-14 Focusing Lens L1 Controls...................................................................................... 3-28
3-15 Starter Assembly/M3 Controls ................................................................................ 3-30
3-16 Beamsplitters ........................................................................................................... 3-32
3-17 M4 Controls ............................................................................................................. 3-34
3-18 Gires-Tournois Interferometer (GTI) Controls........................................................ 3-36
4-1 Mira Optima Daily Operation.................................................................................... 4-4

4-2 CW Signal Slit Open.................................................................................................. 4-9
4-3 Mode-locked Signal Slit Optimized .......................................................................... 4-9
4-4 Modulation of Pulse Envelope — Slit Too Narrow ................................................ 4-10
5-1 Voltage Selector Card Orientation............................................................................. 5-4

5-2 Directions for Straight-In, Left-Side and Right-Side Pumping ................................. 5-8
5-3 Mira Optima Pump Configurations ........................................................................... 5-9
5-4 Pump Beam Spot on GTI Optic ............................................................................... 5-14
5-5 Mira Optima Interconnection Diagram.................................................................... 5-15
5-6 Pump Beam Spot on M8 .......................................................................................... 5-19
5-7 Pump Beam Spot on M10 ........................................................................................ 5-19
6-1 M4 Removal and Installation................................................................................... 6-14

6-2 Starter Butterfly Installation .................................................................................... 6-31
7-1 Mira Optima Saturable Absorber System .................................................................. 7-8

7-2 Intensity of Light with Varying Number of Modes ................................................ 7-10
vii
7-3 Group Velocity Dispersion Derivative .................................................................... 7-13

7-4 Group Velocity Dispersion ...................................................................................... 7-14
7-5 Comparison of Pulse Broadening in Fused Silica, BK7,
and SF10 for 100 fs Pulse .................................................................................. 7-21
7-6 Autocorrelator Optical Schematic Diagram ............................................................ 7-21
7-7 Non-collinear Phase Matching................................................................................. 7-24
A-1 Pump Laser Alignment ............................................................................................. A-4
LIST OF TABLES
2-1 Mira Optima 900-P Laser Specifications (XW Optics)............................................. 2-7
2-2 Mira Optima 900-P Typical Tuning Curves (XW Optics) ........................................ 2-8
3-1 Mira Optima Controls and Indicators Location ......................................................... 3-3

3-2 M8 Controls ............................................................................................................... 3-5
3-3 Slit Assembly/M3 Controls ....................................................................................... 3-9
3-4 M5 Controls ............................................................................................................. 3-11
3-5 M10 Controls ........................................................................................................... 3-13
3-6 Birefringent Filter Controls ..................................................................................... 3-15
3-7 M2 Controls ............................................................................................................. 3-17
3-8 Pump Optic Controls ............................................................................................... 3-19
3-9 Output Coupler/Beamsplitter/Head Board/Cavity Length Controls........................ 3-21
3-10 Controller Controls and Indicators .......................................................................... 3-23
3-11 Controller Displays .................................................................................................. 3-25
3-12 Laser Head Rear Interface Connectors .................................................................... 3-27
3-13 Focusing Lens L1 Controls...................................................................................... 3-29
3-14 Starter Assembly/M3 Controls ................................................................................ 3-31
3-15 Beamsplitters ........................................................................................................... 3-33
3-16 M4 Controls ............................................................................................................. 3-35
3-17 Gires-Tournois Interferometer (GTI) Controls........................................................ 3-37
4-1 Power Display Error Messages................................................................................ 4-14
7-1 Time-Bandwidth Products For Typical Model Pulse Shapes .................................. 7-26
viii
Preface
Preface This manual contains user information for the Mira Optima 900-P
series mode-locked titanium:sapphire laser when pumped with the
Coherent Verdi Series DPSS lasers (V5, V6, V8, and V10) or
Coherent Ion Lasers. Refer to Appendix A, Ion Laser Pumping for
Coherent pump laser information. This manual does not support
other pump lasers.
Read this manual carefully before operating the laser for the
first time. Special attention should be given to the material in
Chapter One, Laser Safety, that describes the safety features
built into the Laser.
Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures

other than those specified in this manual may result in
hazardous radiation exposure.
U.S. Export It is the policy of Coherent to comply strictly with U.S. export
control laws.
Control Laws
Compliance Export and re-export of lasers manufactured by Coherent are subject
to U.S. Export Administration Regulations, that are administered by
the Commerce Department. In addition, shipments of certain
components are regulated by the State Department under the Inter-
national Traffic in Arms Regulations.
The applicable restrictions vary depending on the specific product
involved and its destination. In some cases, U.S. law requires that
U.S. Government approval be obtained prior to resale, export or
re-export of certain articles. When there is uncertainty about the
obligations imposed by U.S. law, clarification should be obtained
from Coherent or an appropriate U.S. Government agency.
ix
Symbols Used in
This Manual and
on the Laser
System
This symbol is intended to alert the operator to the presence of

important operating and maintenance instructions.
This symbol is intended to alert the operator to the danger of

exposure to hazardous visible and invisible laser radiation.
This symbol is intended to alert the operator to the presence of

dangerous voltages within the product enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock.
~ ALTERNATING CURRENT.
DIRECT CURRENT.
OFF OR STOP.
x
Preface
ON OR START.
PROTECTIVE CONDUCTOR TERMINAL.
STANDBY.
xi
xii
OPERATOR ’S MANUAL
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER ONE
LASER SAFETY
1-2
Laser Safety
Optical Safety Laser light, because of its special properties, poses safety hazards
not associated with light from conventional sources. The safe use of
lasers requires that all laser users, and everyone near the laser
system, are aware of the dangers involved. The safe use of the laser
depends upon the user being familiar with the instrument and the
properties of intense beams of coherent light.
Direct eye contact with the output beam from the laser will cause
serious damage and possible blindness.
The greatest concern when using a laser is eye safety. In addition to

the main beam, there are often many smaller beams present at
various angles near the laser system. These beams are formed by
specular reflections of the main beam at polished surfaces such as
lenses or beamsplitters. While weaker than the main beam, such
beams may still be sufficiently intense to cause eye damage.
Laser beams are powerful enough to burn skin, clothing or paint.
They can ignite volatile substances such as alcohol, gasoline, ether
and other solvents, and can damage light-sensitive elements in video
cameras, photomultipliers and photodiodes. The laser beam can
ignite substances in its path, even at some distance. The beam may
also cause damage if contacted indirectly from reflective surfaces.
For these reasons, and others, the user is advised to follow the
precautions below.
1. Observe all safety precautions in the pre-installation and oper-

ator’s manual.
2. Extreme caution should be exercised when using solvents in
the area of the laser.
3. Limit access to the laser to qualified users who are familiar
with laser safety practices and who are aware of the dangers
involved.
4. Never look directly into the laser light source or at scattered
laser light from any reflective surface. Never sight down the
beam into the source.
5. Maintain experimental setups at low heights to prevent inad-
vertent beam-eye encounter at eye level.
1-3
Laser safety glasses can present a hazard as well as a benefit;

while they protect the eye from potentially damaging exposure,
they block light at the laser wavelengths, that prevents the oper-
ator from seeing the beam. Therefore, use extreme caution even
when using safety glasses.
6. As a precaution against accidental exposure to the output beam

or its reflection, those using the system should wear laser
safety glasses as required by the wavelength being generated.
7. Avoid direct exposure to the laser light. The intensity of the
beam can easily cause flesh burns or ignite clothing.
8. Use the laser in an enclosed room. Laser light will remain
collimated over long distances and therefore presents a poten-
tial hazard if not confined.
9. Post warning signs in the area of the laser beam to alert those
present.
10. Advise all those using the laser of these precautions. It is good
practice to operate the laser in a room with controlled and
restricted access.
Electrical Safety The Mira Optima uses AC and DC voltages in the laser head and
controller. All units are designed to be operated with protective
covers in place. Certain procedures in this manual require removal
of the protective covers. These procedures are normally used by a
qualified trained service personnel. Safety information contained in
the procedures must be strictly observed by anyone using the proce-
dures.
Pump Source Observe all safety precautions associated with the pump laser. Refer
to the pump laser operator’s manual for additional safety precau-
tions.
Safety Features The following features are incorporated into the instrument to
and Compliance conform to several government requirements. The applicable United
States Government requirements are contained in 21 CFR,
to Government subchapter J, part II administered by the Center for Devices and
Requirements Radiological Health (CDRH). The European Community require-
ments for product safety are specified in the Low Voltage Directive
1-4
Laser Safety
(LVD) (published in 73/23/EEC and amended in 93/68/EEC). The

Low Voltage Directive requires that lasers comply with the standard
EN 61010-1 “Safety Requirements For Electrical Equipment For
Measurement, Control and Laboratory Use” and EN60825-1 “Radi-
ation Safety of Laser Products”. Compliance of this laser with the
(LVD) requirements is certified by the CE mark.
The Mira Optima laser does not include an integral power source; it
utilizes the output beam of a pump laser to produce coherent light.
Laser The governmental standards and requirements specify that the laser
Classification must be classified according to the output power or energy and the
laser wavelength. The Mira Optima is classified as Class IV based
on 21 CFR, subchapter J, part II, section 1040-10 (d). According to
the European Community standards, the Mira Optima is classified as
Class 4 based on EN 60825-1, clause 9. In this operator’s manual
and other documentation of the Mira Optima, the classification will
be referred to as Class 4.
Protective Housing The laser head is enclosed in a protective housing that prevents
human access to radiation in excess of the limits of Class I radiation
as specified in the Federal Register, July 31, 1975, Part II, Section
1040.10 (f) (1) and Table 1-A/EN 60825-1, clause 4.2 except for the
output beam, which is Class IV.
Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures

other than those specified in the manual may result in hazardous
radiation exposure.
Use of the system in a manner other than that described herein

may impair the protection provided by the system.
Location of Refer to Figure 1-1 for a description and location of all safety labels.
Safety Labels These include warning labels indicating removable or displaceable
protective housings, apertures through which laser radiation is
emitted and labels of certification and identification [CFR
1040.10(g), CFR 1040.2, and CFR 1010.3/EN60825-1, Clause 5].
1-5
• When the pumping beam is allowed to impinge on the tita-

nium:sapphire crystal, both laser and collateral radiation are
produced. The laser beam is emitted from the laser aperture
that is clearly labeled:
AVOID EXPOSURE
VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION IS
EMITTED FROM THIS APERTURE.
• The laser is designed to be used with the covers in position and

this cover shields the operator from all collateral radiation.
During initial alignment and maintenance operations, such as
mirror alignment, it will be necessary to remove the covers.
The covers are not interlocked with the circuitry of the
pumping laser but a label provides a warning about exposure
to the radiation.
Operation of laser with covers removed will allow access to

hazardous visible and invisible radiation. The laser housings
should only be opened for the purposes of maintenance and
service by trained personnel cognizant of the hazards involved.
Extreme caution must be observed in operating the laser with
the cover removed. There are high-power reflections that may
exit at unpredictable angles from the laser head. These beams
have sufficient energy density to cause permanent eye damage
or blindness.
Electromagnetic The European requirements for Electromagnetic Compliance

Compatibility (EMC) are specified in the EMC Directive (published in
89/336/EEC).
Conformance (EMC) is achieved through compliance with the
harmonized standards EN55011 (1991) for emission and
ENC50082-1 (1992) for immunity.
The laser meets the emission requirements for Class A, group 1 as
specified in EN55011 (1991).
Compliance of this laser with the (EMC) requirements is certified by
the CE mark.
1-6
Laser Safety
FRONT BEZEL
REAR BEZEL
Note: Key is located on sheet 3 of 3
Figure 1-1. Safety Features and Labels (Sheet 1 of 3)
1-7
OUTPUT BEAM
4 LABEL ON BOTH SIDES
Note: Key is located on sheet 3 of 3
1-8
Laser Safety
1.
2.
3.
4.
1-9
1 - 10
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER TWO
DESCRIPTION AND
SPECIFICATIONS
2-2
Description and Specifications
System The Mira Optima 900-P is a mode-locked ultrafast laser that uses
titanium:sapphire (sapphire doped with titanium) as the gain
Description medium and is tunable from 700 nm to 980 nm. It consists of the
laser head and Optima controller. The recommended pump lasers for
the Mira Optima 900-P are the Coherent Verdi Series DPSS lasers
(V5, V6, V8, and V10) and the Coherent Innova Series Ion lasers
(200, 300, 400, and Sabre). The Mira Optima laser head is shown in
Figure 2-1.
2
3
4
1. Pump optics controls 5. Output beam aperture

2. Tuning (BRF) controls 6. Controller
3. End mirror (GTI) controls 7. Cover latches
4. Aperture (slit) controls
Figure 2-1. Mira Optima 900-P Laser
The technique used to mode-lock the Mira Optima laser is referred

to as Kerr Lens Mode-locking (KLM). The optical cavity is specifi-
cally designed to utilize changes in the spatial profile of the beam,
i.e. self-focusing due to the optical Kerr effect, produced in the tita-
nium:sapphire crystal. Occurring in the gain medium itself, this
mechanism results in higher round trip gain in the mode-locked
(high peak power) versus continuous wave (CW) (low peak power)
operation due to an increased overlap between the pumped gain
profile and the circulating cavity mode. In addition, an aperture is
placed at a position within the cavity at a location where the
2-3
mode-locked beam diameter is smaller to produce lower round trip

loss in mode-locked versus CW operation. The required intracavity
group velocity dispersion (GVD) compensation for picosecond
pulses is generated via a Gires-Tournois Interferometer (GTI) end
mirror in the cavity. The group velocity dispersion provided by the
GTI is monitored and adjusted to the correct value by a proprietary
servo loop referred to as β-lock. A detailed description of β-lock can
be found in Chapter Seven, Theory of Operation.
Features included in the system to aid alignment and optimization
include:
• Built-in alignment apertures
• An internal power meter
• An internal fast photodiode
• A CW-component detector (external scanning etalon)
• A mode-locking starter (galvo mounted Brewster plates)
• β-lock (GVD) measurement and control system
An optical schematic of the Mira 900-P is shown in Figure 2-2. The
laser head contains several photodiodes that provide:
• Fluorescence or power level signals
• An output to monitor the pulse-train
• The signal for a sensitive CW detection scheme
• The signal to drive the piezo-electric transducer (PZT) in the
GTI
The Optima control box performs the following functions:
• Displays the relative fluorescence or power level signals
• Provides drive voltages to operate the intracavity starter and
the CW detection scheme etalon galvos. If any CW component
is detected, the control box can turn the starter on automati-
cally to establish mode-locked operation.
• Provides drive voltages to operate the PZT in the GTI. A rela-
tive measure of this drive voltage is displayed on the control
box.
The access hatches use a latching mechanism in place of screws.
This allows easy access to the laser cavity and creates an air-tight
seal. The controls that are frequently used during daily operation are
accessible through the covers. The function of all Mira Optima
controls are described in Chapter Three, Controls and Indicators.
Major laser head components are illustrated in Figure 2-3.
2-4
M10 M9
M8
GTI
PUMP BEAM M4 BS4
M5 BS3
L1 BS2
M2 TI:AL 2 O 3
M1 BS1
SLIT OUTPUT
BRF COUPLER
M3
STARTER
BRF: Birefringent filter L: Pump focusing lens

BS: Beamsplitter M: Mirror
GTI: Gires-Tournois Interferometer TiAl2O3 :Titanium:sapphire crystal
Figure 2-2. Optical Schematic
Specifications and typical power tuning curves for Verdi-pumped

Mira 900-P systems with XW optics are listed in Table 2-1 and
Table 2-2 respectively. Refer to Appendix A for information on ar-
gon ion-pumped systems.
2-5
1 7 3 4 9
2
5
8 6 9
1. Output beam window 6. Titanium:sapphire crystal assembly

2. Slit (width and horizontal position) controls 7. Mode-locking starter mechanism
3. BRF control micrometer 8. Optima system detectors
4. Pump mirror controls 9. Pump beam input windows
5. GTI alignment controls
Figure 2-3. Major Laser Head Components for the Mira Optima 900-P
2-6
Table 2-1. Mira Optima 900-P Laser Specifications (XW Optics)
Pump laser (1) Verdi V5 Verdi V8 Verdi V10
Pump power 5 Watts 8 Watts 10Watts
Tuning Range(2) 700 to 980 nm 700 to 980 nm 700 to 980 nm
Average Power(3) 650 mW 1000 mW 1300 mW
Autocorrelation (4) < 3 ps < 3 ps < 3 ps
Repetition rate 76 MHz 76 MHz 76 MHz
Noise (5) < 2% < 2% <2%
Beam diameter(6) 0.8 ± 0.1 mm 0.8 ± 0.1 mm 0.8 ± 0.1 mm
Divergence (7) 1.5 ± 0.2 mrad 1.5 ± 0.2 mrad 1.5 ± 0.2 mrad
Spatial mode (8) TEM00 TEM00 TEM00
Polarization Horizontal Horizontal Horizontal
All specifications are subject to change without notice.

1. Specifications only apply with the recommended pump lasers at the power levels indicated
2. System is shipped and installed with only one optics set specified at the time of purchase
3. At the peak of the optics set
4. Multiply by 0.65 sech2 deconvolution factor for pulse duration.
5. RMS measured in a 10 Hz to 2 MHz bandwidth.
6. Measured at the output coupler.
7. Full angle divergence
8. Typical measured M2 value of 1.1.
2-7
Table 2-2. Mira Optima 900-P Typical1Tuning Curves2 (XW Optics)
VERDI PUMPED MIRA OPTIMA 900-P (XW OPTICS)
1800
1600
10 W Verdi
Pump
1400
1200
8 W Verdi
Pump
1000
Power (mW)
800
600
5 W Verdi
Pump
400
200
0
700 750 800 850 900 950 1000
Wavelength (nm)
1. Typical tuning data is supplied as a reference and is not specified. Refer to Table 2-1 for tuning range and power
level specifications.
2. When operating the laser above 900 nm the cavity must be purged with N2 for optimal mode-locked perfor-
mance.
2-8
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER THREE
CONTROLS AND INDICATORS
3
2 4
1 5 7
8
9b 9a
6
10
20
19 17 15
12 11
18 16 13
14
Figure 3-1. Mira Optima Controls and Indicator Locations
3-2
Controls And Indicators
Table 3-1. Mira Optima Controls and Indicators Location
REFERENCE
DESIGNATION CALLOUT DESCRIPTION
FIGURE
BRF 5 Birefringent Filter 3-7
BS1 - BS4 19 Beamsplitters 1 through 4 3-10, 3-16
Crystal 6 Titanium:sapphire crystal 3-3
GTI 14 Gires-Tournois Interferometer 3-18
L1 8 Lens 1 3-14
M1 1 Output coupler 3-4, 3-10
M2 7 Flat cavity mirror 3-8
M3 3 Flat cavity mirror 3-4, 3-15
M4 13 Curved mirror 3-3, 3-17
M5 16 Curved mirror 3-3, 3-5
M8 12 Flat mirror 3-2
M10 17 Flat mirror 3-6
P0 11 Pump fold mirror 3-10
P1, P2 9a Pump mirror 1 and 2 3-9
P3, P4 9b Pump mirror 3 and 4 3-9
Slit 2 —— 3-4
Starter 4 —— 3-15
—— Controller 3-11, 3-12
—— 10 Laser head interface panel 3-13
—— 15 Cooling water lines 3-3
—— 18 Cavity length control 3-10, 3-16
—— 20 Head board 3-10
3-3
1. M8 optic setscrew 4. M8 optic

2. M8 horizontal tilt angle control 5. Tensioning screw for M8 horizontal
3. M8 vertical tilt angle control and vertical tilt angle controls
Figure 3-2. M8 Controls
3-4
Table 3-2. M8 Controls
CONTROL FUNCTION
M8 optic setscrew Secures M8 optic in the optic mount assembly.
M8 horizontal and vertical Used to adjust the horizontal and vertical tilt angle of M8 during alignment.
tilt angle controls
M8 optic Flat folding mirror located in the auxiliary cavity.
Tensioning screw for M8 Determines the amount of pressure required to adjust M8 vertical and horizontal tilt
horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls. This adjustment is performed at the factory and no further adjust-
angle controls ments are necessary.
3-5
5
6
1 3 4
8 7
10 9
1. M5 optic mount assembly 6. M4 optic mount assembly

2. Knurled thumbscrew 7. Beam tube M4/crystal
3. Titanium:sapphire crystal assembly 8. Titanium:sapphire crystal translation set screw
4. Titanium:sapphire crystal assembly face 9. Cooling water lines
normal adjustment 10. Beam tube M5/crystal
5. Knurled thumbscrew
Note: Refer to Figure 3-5 for additional M5 controls. Refer to Figure 3-17 for additional M4 controls.
Figure 3-3. Titanium:Sapphire Crystal Assembly/M4/M5 Controls
3-6
CONTROL FUNCTION
M5 optic mount assembly Mechanical assembly for the M5 pump-through optic. The translational position of
this mount, as indicated by the micrometer reading, is set for optimal performance
over the entire wavelength tuning range. This adjustment is performed at the factory
and no further adjustments are necessary.
Knurled thumbscrew Secures the M5/crystal beam tube to the M5 mount.
Titanium:sapphire crystal The titanium:sapphire crystal is the gain medium for the Mira Optima laser. The
assembly crystal assembly includes the crystal mount.
Titanium:sapphire crystal Allows face normal C-axis adjustment of the titanium:sapphire crystal. This is a
assembly face normal factory adjustment.
adjustment
M4 optic mount assembly Mechanical assembly for the M4 pump-through optic. The translational position of
this mount, as indicated by the micrometer reading, is set for optimal performance
over the entire wavelength tuning range. This adjustment is performed at the factory
and no further adjustments are necessary.
Beam tube M4/crystal Provides protection of crystal from dust. Confines stray reflections between crystal
and M4. Note the position of the telescoping beam tube. Removal is unnecessary
unless directed by a procedure in this operator’s manual.
Titanium:sapphire crystal Two Allen head screws allow the crystal to be centered with the pump beam.
translation set screw Normally, these screws are not adjusted during operation or maintenance. Incorrect
adjustment could result in damage to the crystal. Perform this adjustment only when
specifically directed by a procedure in this operator’s manual.
Cooling water lines Provides cooling water flow to the crystal. Cooling water requirements and recom-
mendations are discussed in Chapter Five, Installation and Alignment. The upper
line is the water inlet.
Beam tube M5/crystal Provides protection of crystal from dust. Confines stray reflections between crystal
and M5. Note the position of the telescoping beam tube. Removal is unnecessary
unless directed by a procedure in this operator’s manual.
3-7
1
8
7 2
3
6
1. Slit width control 5. M1 optic (output coupler)

2. Slit 6. M3 vertical tilt angle control
3. M1 optic setscrew 7. M3 horizontal tilt angle control
4. Slit assembly mounting screws 8. Slit horizontal translation adjustment
Figure 3-4. Slit Assembly/M3 Controls
3-8
Table 3-3. Slit Assembly/M3 Controls
CONTROL FUNCTION
Slit width control Controls the width (horizontal opening) of the slit. Clockwise rotation opens the
slit. Counterclockwise rotation closes the slit. The width of the slit is larger
(opened) during initial alignment in continuous wave (CW) operation and is smaller
during mode locked operation.
Slit The slit produces a higher loss in the cavity for CW vs. mode-locked operation.
Slit assembly mounting Secures the slit assembly to the baseplate.

screws
M1 optic (output coupler) Partially transmitting cavity end mirror that allows a portion of the output beam to
exit the cavity.
M3 vertical tilt angle Adjust the vertical tilt angle of M3 during alignment.
controls
M3 horizontal tilt angle Adjust the horizontal tilt angle of M3 during alignment.
controls
Slit horizontal translation Adjusts the horizontal translation of the slit to center the slit with respect to the
adjustment beam.
3-9
4
3
1 2
5
6
1. M5 optic mount assembly 5. M5 horizontal tilt angle adjustment

2. Knurled thumbscrew 6. M5 micrometer adjustment
3. M5 assembly thumbscrews 7. M5 optic (not visible in figure)
4. M5 vertical tilt angle adjustment 8. Beam block
Note: Refer to Figure 3-5 for additional M5 controls.
3 - 10
CONTROL FUNCTION
M5 optic mount assembly Mechanical assembly for the M5 pump-through optic.
M5 assembly thumbscrews Secures the M5 optic assembly in the mount. Normally, M5 should only be removed
(2) for optic replacement. M5 can be cleaned in place.
M5 vertical tilt angle adjust- Changes the vertical tilt angle of the fluorescent spot (or beam) during alignment.
ment The results can be seen on M8 after BP1 has been translated out of the beam path.
M5 horizontal and vertical Changes the horizontal tilt angle of the fluorescent spot (or beam) during alignment.
tilt angle adjustment The results can be seen on M8 after BP1 has been translated out of the beam path.
M5 micrometer adjustment Adjusts the distance (D2) between M5 and the titanium:sapphire crystal. This
adjustment is normally verified during initial installation. The translational position
is set for optimal performance over the entire wavelength tuning range. This adjust-
ment is performed at the factory and no further adjustments are necessary.
M5 optic Front surface mounted 10 cm radius optic in the main cavity.
Beam Block Blocks the residual pump beam.
3 - 11
3 2
1. M10 optic setscrew 4. M10 tensioning screw (not visible)

2. M10 horizontal tilt angle adjustment 5. M10 vertical tilt angle adjustment
3. M10 optic (coated surface shown)
3 - 12
CONTROL FUNCTION
M10 horizontal tilt angle Used to adjust the horizontal tilt angle of M10 during alignment.
controls
M10 optic Flat mirror in the cavity.
M10 tensioning screw Determines the amount of pressure required to adjust M10 vertical and horizontal
tilt angle controls. This adjustment is performed at the factory and no further adjust-
ments are necessary.
M10 vertical tilt angle Used to adjust the vertical tilt angle of M10 during alignment.
controls
3 - 13
1. BRF micrometer adjust (wavelength tuning) 4. Birefringent filter (BRF)

2. BRF setscrew 5. BRF Brewster’s angle adjustment screws
3. Button head screw 6. BRF notch
Figure 3-7. Birefringent Filter Control
3 - 14
Table 3-6. Birefringent Filter Controls
CONTROL FUNCTION
BRF micrometer adjust Allows for tuning the birefringent filter during initial alignment and during daily
operation. A tuning chart that indicates the wavelength vs. micrometer setting is
provided with each laser.
BRF setscrew Secures the BRF optic holder in place. Normally not adjusted.
Button head screw Secures the BRF plate and mount to the outer ring. Used to remove BRF.
Birefringent filter The BRF provides smooth laser cavity tuning within each tuning order. Refer to the
tuning chart (supplied with the laser) that indicates wavelength vs. micrometer
setting.
BRF Brewster’s angle Loosening the two Allen head screws allows adjusting the BRF for Brewster’s
adjustment screws (2) angle with respect to the optical path. Used when switching from 1-plate BRF
(femtosecond operation) to 3-plate BRF (picosecond operation). This is a factory
adjustment and readjustment is not normally required.
BRF notch The notch when in the “2 O’clock” position (Figure 5-3) generally indicates the
primary tuning order. The laser tuning chart (supplied with the system) is the more
accurate indication of operating wavelength.
3 - 15
1. M2 tensioning screw 4. M2 vertical tilt angle control

2. M2 optic 5. M2 optic setscrew
3. M2 alignment aperture 6. M2 horizontal tilt angle control
3 - 16
CONTROL FUNCTION
M2 tensioning screw Determines the amount of pressure required to adjust M2 vertical and horizontal tilt
angle controls. This adjustment is performed at the factory and no further adjust-
M2 optic Flat optic in the main cavity.
M2 alignment aperture The alignment aperture is shown in Figure 3-8 in the open position (out of the beam
path) which is the normal operating position. During full alignment, the aperture is
positioned over the optic to allow steering the fluorescent spot (or beam) from the
crystal into the aperture and to allow steering the retro-reflection from the output
coupler into the aperture.
M2 vertical tilt angle control Changes the vertical tilt angle of the fluorescent spot (or beam). Adjustment results
can be seen on the output coupler.
M2 horizontal tilt angle Changes the horizontal tilt angle of the fluorescent spot (or beam). Adjustment
control results can be seen on the output coupler.
3 - 17
1
18
2
17
3
16
4
15
5
14
6
13
8
12
10
11
1. P1/P2 horizontal tilt angle control 10. P1 optic setscrew

2. P3/P4 horizontal tilt angle control 11. P1 pump optic
3. P0 horizontal tilt angle control 12. Laser head height and leveling adjustment screws (2)
4. P3 optic setscrew 13. P0 tensioning screw
5. P0 vertical tilt angle control 14. P4 pump optic
6. P4 optic setscrew 15. P3 pump optic
7. P2 pump optic 16. P2 optic setscrew
8. P0 optic setscrew (not visible in photo) 17. P3/P4 vertical tilt angle control
9. P0 pump optic 18. P1/P2 vertical tilt angle control
Figure 3-9. Pump Optic Controls
3 - 18
Table 3-8. Pump Optic Controls
CONTROL FUNCTION
P2 horizontal tilt angle Changes the horizontal and vertical tilt angle of pump optic P2. Controls the angle
control of the pump beam with respect to cavity axis. Controls are used during initial align-
ment.
P3/P4 horizontal tilt angle Changes the horizontal and vertical tilt angle of the P3 and P4 pump optics.
control Controls lateral position of the pump beam with respect to cavity axis. Controls are
used during alignment and power optimization.
P0 horizontal tilt angle Changes the horizontal tilt angle of pump optic P0. Controls are used only during
control initial alignment.
P0 through P4 setscrews Secures P0 through P4 pump optics to their respective mounts.
P0 vertical tilt angle control Changes the vertical tilt angle of pump optic P0. Controls are used only during
initial alignment.
P1 through P4 pump optics Pump beam steering optics.
P0 optic P0 is a pump beam fold mirror that allows straight-in pumping. P0 is not used for
left-side and right-side pumping.
Laser head height and Allows leveling and adjusting the laser head. Height adjustment and height leveling
leveling adjustment screws is accomplished by loosening the knurled retainer, then using a screwdriver to
(2) adjust the screw.
The height and leveling adjustments are performed at the factory. No further adjust-
ments are required.
P0 tensioning screw Determines the amount of pressure required to adjust P0 vertical and horizontal tilt
P3/P4 vertical tilt angle Changes the vertical tilt angle of the P3 and P4 pump optics. Controls lateral posi-
control tion of pump beam with respect to cavity axis. Controls are used during alignment
and power optimization.
P2 vertical tilt angle control Changes the vertical tilt angle of the P2 pump optic. Controls the angle of pump
beam with respect to cavity axis. Controls are used during initial alignment.
3 - 19
10
9
2
6 3
5
4
1. Output coupler (M1) horizontal tilt angle control 6. Output Coupler M1 (refer to Figure 3-4)
2. Screws (4) 7. Beamsplitter (BS1) vertical tilt angle control
3. Head board 8. M1 setscrew (refer to Figure 3-4)
4. Beamsplitter (BS1) horizontal tilt angle control 9. Output coupler (M1) vertical tilt angle control
5. Beamsplitter BS1 10. Cavity length adjustment
Figure 3-10. Output Coupler/Beamsplitter/Head Board/Cavity Length Controls
3 - 20
Table 3-9. Output Coupler/Beamsplitter/Head Board/Cavity Length Controls
CONTROL FUNCTION
Output coupler (M1) hori- Changes the horizontal tilt angle adjustment of the output coupler to align the
zontal tilt angle controls cavity.
Screws (4) Secures the head board to the laser head.
Head board Three photodiodes and circuitry to process information from the photodiodes are
located on this board. The photodiodes provide the following:
• A sync output to allow synchronizing the output pulse to an experiment. Input
from beamsplitter BS2 (refer to Figure 3-16).
• CW content information for display on the controller. Input from beamsplitter
BS4 (refer to Figure 3-16).
• Average output power for display on the controller. Input from beamsplitter
BS3 (refer to Figure 3-16).
Beamsplitter (BS1) hori- Changes the horizontal tilt of the beamsplitter that steers a portion of the output
zontal tilt angle controls beam onto the three beamsplitters (Figure 3-16; items 1, 3, and 4) that provide input
to the photodetectors located on the head board.
Beamsplitter BS1 Provides a small portion of the output beam to the photodetectors on the head board
via beamsplitters BS2 through BS4.
Output coupler M1 Partially transmitting cavity end mirror that allows a portion of the output beam to
exit the cavity.
Beamsplitter (BS1) vertical Changes the vertical tilt of the beamsplitter that steer a portion of the output beam
tilt angle controls onto the three beamsplitters (Figure 3-16; items 1, 3, and 4) that provide input to the
photodetectors located on the head board.
M1 setscrew Secures M1 optic in the optic mount assembly.
Output coupler (M1) vertical Changes the vertical tilt angle adjustment of the output coupler to align the cavity.
tilt angle controls
Cavity length adjustment Changes the pulse repetition rate of the laser approximately ± 0.5 MHz.
3 - 21
1 2 4
3 5 6
14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7
1. View angle adjust 8. ON/OFF Switch

2. LCD display 9. Fan
3. CW/ML/β-Lock select switch 10. BUZZER DEFEAT switch
4. AUTO RANGE / PEAK RESET select switch 11. GALVO BIAS IN BNC connector
5. PZT (–) / PZT (+) select 12. CW ETALON OUT BNC connector
6. ON indicator LED 13. Head board connector
7. AC In 14. POWER OUT BNC connector
Figure 3-11. Controller Controls and Indicators
3 - 22
Table 3-10. Controller Controls and Indicators
CONTROL FUNCTION
CONTROLLER FRONT PANEL
View angle adjust This adjustment allows the LCD display to be adjusted for the best viewing angle.
LCD display This two-line, 80-character LCD display provides cavity and diagnostic informa-
tion relating to the Mira Optima. Refer to Figure 3-12 for an explanation of the
displays.
CW/ML/β-Lock select Allows selection between ML, β-Lock and CW modes. β-Lock is only used for
switch picosecond operation.
AUTO RANGE Allows the power display to automatically switch (auto range) to the next higher
power scale. The controller produces an audible buzz when the display auto-ranges
to a higher scale. If desired, the buzzer can be turned off using the BUZZER
DEFEAT on the controller rear panel.
The power display will not auto-range to a lower scale. The switch must be toggled
to the AUTO RANGE position to change to a lower scale.
PEAK RESET The toggle position (switch does not remain in the PEAK RESET position when
released) allows the peak marker on the display to be reset to current power level.
PZT (–) / PZT (+) select Changes the voltage on the GTI if the laser is configured for picosecond operation.
switch In the ML mode this switch adjusts the Piezo-electric transducer (PZT) voltage
directly. In the β-Lock mode it adjusts the servo lock-point (which varies the PZT
voltage).
ON indicator Indicates that the Mira Optima controller has been turned on.
CONTROLLER REAR PANEL

AC In AC power cord connector.
ON/OFF Switch Applies 115 (or 230) volts to the Mira Optima controller.
Fan Provides air cooling for the controller.
BUZZER DEFEAT Allows the buzzer to be turned off or on. The buzzer indicates that the power display
has changed automatically to a higher scale as dictated by the auto-ranging feature.
GALVO BIAS IN BNC Provides external control of the starter galvo to make small changes to the cavity
connector length.
CW ETALON OUT BNC Provides an analog voltage output related to the CW component.
connector
Head board connector Provides an interface connection to the head board located in the Mira Optima laser
head.
POWER OUT BNC Analog output proportional to average power.

connector
3 - 23
DISPLAY WHEN CONTROLLER IS

TURNED ON. MIRA 900, v 2.00
.........Auto Ranging........
3
DISPLAY WHEN CONTROLLER

CW/ML/ß-LOCK SWITCH IS SET TO ML. 530 RH=31%
CW-> PZT->
4 7
1 2
3

CW/ML/ß-LOCK SWITCH IS SET TO CW. 460 RH=31%
5 6

CW/ML/ß-LOCK SWITCH IS SET TO ß- 530 RH=31%
LOCK
CW-> PZT-> BIAS = 0
4 7 8
DISPLAY WHEN CONTROLLER IS DC

SUPPRESSING. X.XX RH=31%
...........DC Suppressing...........
10 3
DISPLAY WHEN CONTROLLER IS SET

TO CW AND MIRA IS NOT LASING.
Fluor RH=31%
DC SUP
11
Note: The controller beeps once when auto-ranging.

The controller beeps three times upon startup if a RAM error occurred.
Figure 3-12. Controller Displays
3 - 24
Table 3-11. Controller Displays
KEY DESCRIPTION
1 The count is proportional to the output power at normal output levels.
2 Peak power marker reflecting the maximum power achieved since last peak reset. The marker can be
reset by toggling the AUTO RANGE/PEAK RESET switch to PEAK RESET.
3 RH indicates the relative humidity in the laser cavity.
4 Displays CW component in output beam, usually indicating that the slit width must be decreased.
5 Bar graph displays average power output.
6 Expanded average power display, showing change in power since the last AUTO RANGE or PEAK
RESET.
When the AUTO RANGE/PEAK RESET switch is toggled to AUTO RANGE, the expanded average
power display resets without resetting the peak indicator.
Power decreases and increases are indicated by an outlined bar.
7 PZT indicates the voltage applied to the GTI PZTs. ML range is 2 to 14 Volts and β-Lock is 0 to
28 Volts.
8 Bias indicates the lock point on the GTI fringe. The range for the bias is –127 to +127.
9 DC Suppression increases the display sensitivity. Maximum sensitivity is desired when using the
display to observe fluorescence. The controller DC Suppression feature can only be activated when
DC SUP is displayed in the lower left corner of the display. See Key 2. In this mode it may be neces-
sary to reduce room lighting.
10 Fluor indicates the laser is not lasing and that the fluorescence is being seen by the detectors.
11 DC SUP indicates that DC Suppression can be initiated by holding down the AUTO RANGE/PEAK
RESET switch in the AUTO RANGE position for at least 2 seconds. DC SUP will appear when the
Mira Optima is not lasing, the controller CW/ML switch is set to CW, and the AUTO RANGE/PEAK
RESET switch is toggled to AUTO RANGE.
3 - 25
6 3 2
5 4
1. Cover latch 5. Water IN/OUT connector

2. Fast diode output (sync out) 6. Water IN/OUT connector
3. Laser head connector 7. Pump beam input aperture
4. Nitrogen purge connector
Figure 3-13. Laser Head Rear Interface Connectors
3 - 26
Table 3-12. Laser Head Rear Interface Connectors
CONTROL FUNCTION
Cover latch Allows the laser head rear cover to be opened.
Fast diode output (sync out) Output for synchronizing external equipment with the Mira Optima output pulse.
This output can also be used to monitor the output pulse with an oscilloscope. Refer
to Figure 5-3.
Laser head connector Provides and interface connection to the head board 37-pin connector located on the
rear of the controller.
Nitrogen purge connector Tubing connector for a nitrogen purge for the Mira Optima laser head. Do not
connect water to this line.
Water IN/OUT connectors Hose connectors for the crystal cooling water needed. Either connector can be used
as the IN or OUT.
Pump Beam input aperture The input aperture is a Brewster window that allows the pump beam to enter the
(3) laser head while allowing the covers to provide a tight seal. There are two additional
apertures for left side and right side pumping. The input aperture illustrated on the
end cover is used when the Mira Optima is configured for straight-in pumping.
3 - 27
1 2 3
1. L1 optic setscrew 4. M2 mount assembly (refer to Figure 3-8)

2. GTI mount assembly (refer to Figure 3-18) 5. L1 mount index marker
3. M4 mount assembly (refer to Figure 3-17) 6. Focusing lens L1
Figure 3-14. Focusing Lens L1 Controls
3 - 28
Table 3-13. Focusing Lens L1 Controls
CONTROL FUNCTION
L1 optic setscrew Secures the L1 optic in the L1 mount.
L1 mount index marker Indicates the position of the L1 mount during factory alignment. This is not a user
adjustment.
Focusing lens L1 Focuses the pump beam onto the crystal.
3 - 29
10
9 2
8 3
7
4
5
6
1. M3 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls 6. Starter assembly Allen head screw
(not visible in photo) 7. Starter assembly butterfly
2. M3 optic setscrew 8. M3 optic
3. Setscrews (2) 9. M3 tension adjust
4. Allen head screws (4) 10. M3 alignment aperture
5. Starter connector
Note: Refer to Figure 3-4 for additional M3 controls.
Figure 3-15. Starter Assembly/M3 Controls
3 - 30
Table 3-14. Starter Assembly/M3 Controls
CONTROL FUNCTION
M3 vertical and horizontal Changes the vertical and horizontal tilt angle of optic M3 during alignment.
tilt angle controls
Setscrews Secures the butterfly and butterfly mount to the galvo shaft.
Allen head screw (4) Secures the starter galvo to the mount assembly.
Starter connector Supplies the drive signal to the butterfly galvo.
Starter assembly Allen head Allows adjustment of the starter assembly so, when not activated, the butterfly is
screw positioned at Brewster’s angle with respect to the beam path.
Starter assembly butterfly The butterfly mounted on the starter assembly initiates mode-locked operation.
The butterfly oscillates when a drive signal is applied to the starter assembly galvo.
The oscillation causes rapid small changes to the cavity length.
The position of the butterfly can also be changed slightly by applying an external
voltage to the GALVO BIAS BNC connector on the rear of the controller.
M3 optic Flat optic in the main cavity.
M3 alignment aperture The alignment aperture is shown in Figure 3-15 in the open position (out of the
beam path) which is the normal operating position. During full alignment, the aper-
ture is positioned over the optic to allow steering the fluorescent spot (or beam) into
the aperture.
3 - 31
6 8
5 7
3 9
10
11
1. CW beamsplitter BS4 7. BS1 horizontal tension adjust

2. Etalon 8. Output coupler lever arm
3. Average power beamsplitter BS3 9. Cavity length adjustment control
4. Fast photodiode beamsplitter BS2 10. Screws (4)
5. Beamsplitter BS1 11 Etalon galvo
6. BS1 vertical tension adjust
Figure 3-16. Beamsplitters
3 - 32
Table 3-15. Beamsplitters
CONTROL FUNCTION
CW beamsplitter BS4 Provides a portion of the output beam to the CW detector located on the head board.
The detector provides CW information for display on the controller.
Etalon Provides the CW component of the output beam to the controller via the CW beam-
splitter and photodiode on the laser head board. The presence of CW during normal
mode-locked operation typically indicates the slit is not properly adjusted.
Average power beamsplitter Provides a portion of the output beam to the average power detector located on the
BS3 head board. The detector provides average output power information for the
controller display.
Fast photodiode beam- Provides a portion of the output beam to the fast photo diode located on the head
splitter BS2 board. The fast photodiode provides a sync output to allow synchronizing the output
pulse to an experiment.
Beamsplitter BS1 Provides a small portion of the output beam to the photodetectors on the head board
via beamsplitters BS2 through BS4.
BS1 vertical and horizontal Determines the amount of pressure required to adjust BS1 vertical and horizontal
tension adjust screws tilt angle controls. This adjustment is performed at the factory and no further adjust-
Cavity length adjustment Changes the pulse repetition rate of the laser approximately ± 0.5 MHz.
control
Screws (4) Secures the galvo to the mount.
Etalon galvo Used to oscillate the etalon.
3 - 33
1
2 3
5
1. Titanium:sapphire assembly 5. M4 tensioning screw

2. Beam tube assembly M4/crystal 6. M4 horizontal tilt angle control
3. Knurled thumbscrew (beam tube assembly) 7. M4 optical retaining thumbscrews (2)
4. M4 vertical tilt angle control 8. M4 beam tube thumbnuts (2)
Note: Refer to Figure 3-3 for additional crystal controls.
3 - 34
CONTROL FUNCTION
Titanium: sapphire assembly Houses the titanium:sapphire crystal and provides for the cooling of the crystal.
Beam tube assembly Provides protection from dust for the crystal. Confines stray reflections between
M4/crystal crystal and M4.
Note the position of the telescoping beam tube. The entire assembly can be removed
by loosening the thumbnuts. Removal is unnecessary unless directed by a procedure
in this operator’s manual.
Knurled thumbscrews Secures the beam tube assembly to their mounts.

(beam tube assembly)
M4 vertical tilt angle control Changes the vertical tilt of the M4 optic during alignment.
angle controls.
This adjustment is performed at the factory and no further adjustments are neces-
sary.
M4 horizontal tilt angle Changes the horizontal tilt of the M4 optic during alignment.
controls
M4 optic retaining thumb- Secures the M4 optic assembly in the mount. Normally, M4 should only be removed
screws (2) for optic replacement. M4 can be cleaned in place.
M4 pump beam block Secures the pump beam block to the M4 mount.
thumbnuts (2)
3 - 35
1 2
3
7
6 5
1. GTI vertical tilt angle control 5. Photocell connector

2. GTI horizontal tilt angle control 6. PZT drive connector
3. GTI assembly setscrew 7. GTI assembly
4. GTI tensioning screws (not visible, refer to Figure 3-3)
Figure 3-18. Gires-Tournois Interferometer (GTI) Controls
3 - 36
Table 3-17. Gires-Tournois Interferometer (GTI) Controls
CONTROL FUNCTION
GTI vertical and horizontal Changes the vertical and horizontal tilt angle of the GTI during alignment.
tilt angle controls
GTI assembly setscrew Secures the GTI assembly in the mount assembly. Used when changing GTIs (e.g.,
when changing optics sets or pulsewidths).
GTI tensioning screws Determines the amount of pressure required to adjust the GTI vertical and hori-
zontal tilt angle controls. The adjustment is performed at the factory and no further
adjustments are necessary.
Photocell connector Feedback signal from the GTI photocell that is used by β-Lock-Lock during a wave-
length scan.
PZT drive connector Signal to drive the GTI PZT in order to adjust the group velocity dispersion.
GTI assembly The GTI automatically adjusts the group velocity dispersion to the correct level as
the laser is tuned using a detection and feedback loop.
3 - 37
3 - 38
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER FOUR
DAILY OPERATION
4-2
Daily Operation
Introduction This chapter contains procedures for daily turn-on after temporary or
long term shutdown.
The procedures contained in this chapter assume the user is familiar
with the pump laser. Refer to the pump laser operator’s manual as
necessary to perform steps in the following procedures such as loca-
tion of controls, pump laser startup, setting of output power, etc.
Daily Turn-on
Wear laser safety glasses to protect against the radiation gener-

ated from the Mira Optima and the pump laser. Refer to the fact
sheets for the specific wavelengths being generated, and to the
pump laser operator’s manual for safety precautions and wave-
lengths generated from the pump laser. It is assumed that the
operator has read Chapter One, Laser Safety, and is familiar
with laser safety practices and the dangers involved.
Both the Mira Optima laser and the pump laser are designed to
be operated with the covers in place. Operation of the laser with
the protective housing removed will allow access to hazardous
visible and invisible radiation. The laser housings should only be
opened for the purposes of maintenance and service by trained
personnel aware of the hazards involved.
Extreme caution must be observed in operating the laser with

the cover removed. There are high-power reflections that may
exit at unpredictable angles from the laser head. These beams
have sufficient energy density to cause permanent eye damage
or blindness.
Perform daily turn-on in accordance with Figure 4-1.
4-3
Mira
Daily
Operation
Perform preliminary Peak pump Open covers. Perform Perform the Schedule
Open slit. controls and peak Clean optics. system checks. abbreviated alignment service
turn-on procedures.
NO NO fluorescence. NO Peak fluorescence. NO NO procedure located in NO call.
(1) (6) Chapter Five.
(2) (5)
Does system Does system
Does system lase? lase? Does system lase? Does system lase? lase? Does system lase?
YES YES YES YES

YES YES
Verify output power Optimize Open covers. Perform system Schedule

using a suitable Align cavity.
output power. Clean optics. checks. service call.
NO Procedure located in
4-4
power meter. NO Peak power. NO NO NO
(2) Chapter Five.
(5) (6)
Is output power OK? Is output power
Is output power OK?
OK? Is output power OK? Is output power OK?
YES
YES YES YES
YES
Set controller to Optimize slit. Perform system Repeat optimization Schedule

checks. procedure. service call.
Figure 4-1. Mira Optima Daily Operation

Modelock (ML) NO NO
(3) NO (7) NO
System modelocked? System modelocked? System modelocked? System modelocked?
YES YES YES YES
Optimize output (4)

Daily Operation
The numbered paragraphs below are keyed to, and supplement the flow chart on
Figure 4-1.
[1] The following procedures are intended for use when the system has been completely shutdown, such as
overnight. Use the short term turn-on procedures if the system has been temporarily shut down.
Avoid cooling water flow to the titanium:sapphire crystal for long periods when the
pump beam is not striking the crystal. Failure to observe this could result in the
formation of condensation that could contaminate the crystal.
Avoid operating the Mira Optima laser with the pump beam traveling through the
crystal without cooling water turned on. Failure to observe this could result in
damage to the crystal.
In summary, in order to avoid crystal damage, turn on the cooling water when the
pump beam is striking the crystal and turn off the cooling water when the pump
beam is not striking the crystal.
1. Turn on the cooling water for the titanium:sapphire crystal and pump laser.
2. Turn on the nitrogen (N2) to purge the Mira Optima cavity. Coherent recommends that the cavity be
purged with dry N2 when operating above 870 nm. Between 920 nm and 980 nm, a high-velocity
purge for several hours may be required to reduce the cavity humidity to near zero. A dry N2 purge
may also be required when operating at 761 ± 5 nm and at 820 ± 5 nm.
3. Turn the pump laser on, in accordance with the pump laser operator’s manual. Allow the pump beam
to strike the titanium:sapphire crystal so condensation will not form.
4. Set the pump laser’s output power level in accordance with the pump laser operator’s manual.
5. If the Mira Optima controller is turned off, turn the controller on and set the CW/ML/β-Lock select
switch to CW. Toggle the AUTO RANGE/PEAK RESET switch to the PEAK RESET position.
If the Mira Optima controller is turned on, ensure that the CW/ML/β-Lock select switch is set to CW.
Toggle the AUTO RANGE/PEAK RESET switch to the PEAK RESET position.
[2] If the system is not lasing at all, wait at least 15 minutes before adjusting any knobs (with the exception of
opening the slit). Optimize the output power by adjusting the following controls in the order listed.
• The horizontal control and the vertical control for fine adjustment of the P1/P2 assembly. These
two knobs are located at the very end of the Mira Optima laser head.
• GTI vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls.
Coherent recommends that the cavity be purged with dry N2 when operating above 870 nm. Between
920 nm and 970 nm, a high-velocity purge for several hours may be required to reduce the cavity humidity
to near zero. A dry N2 purge may also be required when operating at 761 ± 5 nm and at 820 ± 5 nm.
4-5
Figure 4-1.
[3] Optimize the slit width as follows:

1. Set the CW/ML/β-Lock switch to CW.
2. Open the slit by turning the slit width control clockwise several turns after the output power is maxi-
mized.
3. Optional check: Connect the fast diode output from the input bezel of the Mira Optima to an oscillo-
scope. The fast diode output must go through a 50-ohm load before going into the oscilloscope. Set the
oscilloscope to 10 mV per division and a time base of 20 ns. Trigger off the fast diode input. The signal
on the oscilloscope should look similar to Figure 4-2.
4. Maximize output power by adjusting the following controls in the order listed.
• Verify the BRF micrometer is set to the desired wavelength in accordance with the tuning chart
(wavelength vs. micrometer setting) furnished with the system. If the system stops lasing as the
wavelength is changed, make the necessary adjustment to the horizontal tilt of the GTI.
5. Reduce the slit width by turning the slit width control counterclockwise until the output power is
reduced approximately 50%.
6. Center the slit on the beam by adjusting the slit translation control for maximum output power.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 several times to ensure the slit is centered on the beam.
8. Set the controller CW/ML/β-Lock select switch to β-LOCK.
9. Optimize the slit to obtain a maximum stable power level with zero CW content as viewed on the
controller display.
10. Optional check: Connect the fast diode output from the input bezel of the Mira Optima to an oscillo-
scope. The fast diode output must go through a 50-ohm load before going into the oscilloscope.
• Slowly adjust the slit width until the display on the oscilloscope looks similar to Figure 4-3. Pulse
spacing must be approximately 13 ns, as shown. Refer to Slit Width in Chapter Seven, “Theory of
Operation”, for more information.
• Reduce sweep speed to 0.1 microseconds. If the display on the oscilloscope looks similar to
Figure 4-4, the slit is too narrow. Open the slit until the pulse envelope shows no modulation.
4-6
Daily Operation
Figure 4-1.
[4] If necessary, optimize the output for your application. The optimization can be performed by adjusting the
Piezo-electric transducer (PZT) and slit width while observing the pulse on an autocorrelator or spectrom-
eter, or as follows:
1. Connect the fast diode output from the input bezel of the Mira Optima to an oscilloscope. The fast diode
output must go through a 50-ohm load before going into the oscilloscope.
2. Set the oscilloscope to 10 mv per division and a time base of 20 ns. Trigger off the fast diode input.
The signal on the oscilloscope should look similar to Figure 4-2 or Figure 4-3.
3. Verify that the display on the oscilloscope looks similar to Figure 4-3.
4. If necessary, slowly adjust the slit width until the display on the oscilloscope looks similar to
Figure 4-3.
5. Set sweep speed to 0.1 microseconds. If the display on the oscilloscope looks similar to Figure 4-4, the
slit is too narrow. Open the slit until the pulse envelope shows no modulation.
6. Once the system is mode-locked, make small adjustments to the bias to optimize the pulse width.
[5] Clean optics and optimize power as follows:

1. Clean all optics and input and output windows in accordance with the procedures in Chapter Six, Main-
tenance.
2. Optimize power (or fluorescence) using the following controls:
• Verify the BRF micrometer is set to the desired wavelength (or the peak of the gain curve) in accor-
dance with the tuning chart (wavelength vs. micrometer setting) furnished with the system. If the
system stops lasing as the wavelength is changed, make the necessary adjustment to BP2 before
continuing.
[6] Perform the following system checks:

1. Ensure cooling water to the crystal is turned on and the flow rate pressure and temperature are correct.
2. Verify the output power from the pump laser is correct.
3. Verify the output mode structure of the pump laser is correct.
4-7
Figure 4-1.
[7] Perform the following system checks:

1. Verify that the cables going to the GTI are connected.
2. Verify the BRF micrometer is set to the desired wavelength (or the peak of the gain curve) in accor-
dance with the tuning chart (wavelength vs. micrometer setting) furnished with the system.
3. If operating at 761 ± 5 nm, 820 ± 5 nm, or above 870 nm, verify that the cavity has been purged. In
particular, if operating between 920 nm and 970 nm, the system must be purged for several hours with
high-volume dry nitrogen, and remain sealed.
4. Verify that the starter galvo is operational. The starter butterfly must oscillate when the controller
CW/ML/β-Lock select switch is set to ML and the slit is opened.
5. Ensure the cooling water to the crystal is turned on and the flow rate pressure and temperature are
correct.
6. Verify that the output power from the pump laser is correct.
7. Verify that the output mode structure of the pump laser is correct.
8. Set the CW/ML/β-Lock switch to ML or β-Lock and check the system for mode-locking by observing
the CW indicator on the controller or by the following procedure:
• Connect the fast diode output from the input bezel of the Mira Optima to an oscilloscope. The
fast diode output must go through a 50-ohm load before going into the oscilloscope.
• Set the oscilloscope to 10 mV per division and a time base of 20 ns. Trigger off the fast diode
input. The signal on the oscilloscope may look similar to Figure 4-2.
• If necessary, slowly adjust the slit width until the display on the oscilloscope looks similar to
Figure 4-3. Pulse spacing must be approximately 13 ns as shown. Also refer to “Slit Width” in
Chapter Seven, Theory of Operation.
• Set sweep speed to 0.1 microseconds. If the display on the oscilloscope looks similar to
Figure 4-4, the slit is too narrow. Open the slit until the pulse envelope shows no modulation.
4-8
Daily Operation
Figure 4-2. CW Signal Slit Open
Figure 4-3. Mode-locked Signal Slit Optimized
4-9
A. OSCILLOSCOPE DISPLAY
AUTOCORRELATOR DISPLAY
Figure 4-4. Modulation of Pulse Envelope — Slit Too Narrow
4 - 10
Daily Operation
Long-Term Long-term shutdown involves turning all equipment off. This proce-
dure is intended for an extended period (i.e. longer than eight hours)
Shutdown of inactivity. Follow the short-term shutdown procedures for shorter
periods of inactivity when a complete shutdown is unnecessary.
1. Close the pump shutter or block the pump laser beam.

2. Turn the pump laser off in accordance with the pump laser
operator’s manual.
3. Turn the cooling water flow to the titanium:sapphire crystal
off.
4. Turn the nitrogen to the Mira Optima off or reduce the flow to
a low rate.
5. Set the CW/ML/β-Lock select switch on the Mira Optima
controller to CW (or turn the Mira Optima controller off).
Short-Term The following procedure is intended for short-term use (fewer than
eight hours of inactivity). Follow the long-term shutdown proce-
Shutdown dures for longer periods of inactivity.
1. Close the pump shutter or block the pump laser beam.

2. Turn the cooling water flow to the titanium:sapphire crystal
off. This eliminates condensation.
controller to CW.
Short-Term The following procedure is intended for use only after a short-term
shutdown; i.e., the laser has been inactive for fewer than eight
Startup consecutive hours.
1. Turn the water to titanium:sapphire crystal on.

2. Open the pump laser shutter or unblock the pump beam.
controller to β-Lock. If any problems are encountered during
startup, perform a turn-on in accordance with Figure 4-1.
4 - 11
Using Power The internal power meter and display are designed to facilitate and
expedite the alignment of the laser cavity. If any mirror is suffi-
Display to ciently misaligned, the system will not lase. However, the fluores-
Align Laser cence caused by the pump is detectable, and when the mirrors are
close to being aligned, this fluorescence is enhanced. Therefore,
adjusting mirrors to increase the fluorescence level will eventually
bring them into alignment sufficiently to allow lasing action. The
fluorescence level is many orders of magnitude lower than the lasing
level and hence the power meter must have many orders of magni-
tude of dynamic range in order to correctly measure both lasing
levels and fluorescence.
A special feature of this meter is that it will automatically change
range as the power is increased. However, it will not auto-range
downward. This prevents annoying range changes when the power
is erratic—as it is when the mirrors are close to alignment. In order
to auto-range downward, in the event that the power decreases and
cannot be recovered easily, the AUTO RANGE switch should be
momentarily actuated.
Each time the power has increased sufficiently to require a range
switch, an audible beep will sound. Therefore, every time a beep is
heard, a new high power has been achieved—higher than the
previous one—indicating a steady progression of mirror adjust-
ments toward the optimal alignment. In between each beep, the
power bar display and vernier increase in length continually, as each
new range is reached.
Before lasing occurs, it is necessary to detect very small increases in
the fluorescence level in order to determine the correct adjustment
direction. To this end, the sensitivity of the display can be enhanced
by introducing negative offset followed by a gain increase. Most of
the steady signal is suppressed, leaving only variations visible. This
feature is referred to as “DC Suppression”. The DC Suppression
feature is activated automatically by the system computer at appro-
priate intensity levels. The word DC SUP will appear in the lower
left corner of the display when this feature has been activated.
In summary, if lasing is lost, the following sequence of actions set
up the meter for laser alignment.
1. Depress AUTO RANGE briefly.

2. The DC SUP message will appear on the display.
The power display is now set to its maximum sensitivity for align-
ment.
4 - 12
Daily Operation
Other Features
of the Display
Peak Marker The peak marker (Figure 3-12, item 2) indicates the peak power
reached since the last peak reset. The PEAK RESET switch resets
the peak marker to the present power. It also resets the vernier to
zero.
Vernier The vernier display (Figure 3-12, item 6) magnifies any changes in
power from a reference level established at the most recent Peak
Reset. It is used for monitoring power increases or decreases from a
reference level while adjusting alignment, slit width, etc. It is re-set
to zero when a peak reset is requested.
Digital Power The digital power indicator is proportional to average power out for
Indicator a fixed wavelength. It can be used as a logging device to record and
compare powers. Absolute power is measured by using an externally
calibrated power meter, which is available as an accessory (see
“Mira Optima Options, Accessories, and Systems”, Appendix B).
When in the DC SUP mode, (i.e., the system is not lasing) this
number is replaced by the message “FLUOR” until the intensity
reaches a sufficiently high level.
RH RH indicates the relative humidity in the laser cavity at the position

of the head board. This measurement can be used to ensure that
condensation does not form anywhere on the laser head. See the
paragraph titled “Dry Nitrogen Purge” in Section Five, Installation
and Alignment, for more information.
Bias This number indicates the offset to the default lock point on the
Gires-Tournois Inferometer (GTI) fringe.
PZT This number indicates the voltage that is being applied to the GTI.
Error Messages Power display error messages are shown in Table 4-1.
4 - 13
Table 4-1. Power Display Error Messages (Sheet 1 of 2)
ERROR MESSAGE AND MEANING ACTION REQUIRED

Power Low-return switch to CW Return controller to the CW position and re-estab-
The control box was turned on with the switch in CW. The lish lasing.
position of the switch was subsequently changed and the
laser was not lasing. (Will be displayed until switch is
returned to the CW position)
Power low-use CW mode Return controller to the CW position and re-estab-

The laser is not lasing and the switch position is in the ML or lish lasing.
β-Lock position. The computer cannot determine the system
configuration. (Will be displayed until switch is returned to
the CW position)
DC Suppressing Out of Range Check the following:

This indicates a failure of the fluorescence power meter, • Head board alignment
most likely due to component malfunction in the controller • All connections
or head board. The processor has tried all possible gain
settings and the DC Suppression DAC values before issuing
this message. The fluorescence power meter information
will be invalid but other functions may be intact. (Will be
displayed for 1 second, then operation continues)
Stage 1 Saturation Error Check the following:

The output of the first-stage amplifier of the power meter • Alignment of the head board
exceeds 1.6 V at the minimum possible gain setting. The • Attenuate the beam entering the photocell
power meter information will be invalid but other system
functions may be intact. (Will be displayed for 1 second, then
operation continues)
Low Power Check the following:

The laser power has decreased by more than half during • Laser pump power meets specification
β-Lock operation. (Will be displayed as long as symptom • Adjust the P1/P2 tilt angle controls
persists)
• Adjust Mira Optima GTI vertical/horizontal
tilt angle controls
Error: GTI signal too low Check the following:

The light level on the GTI photocell is insufficient. (Will be • Pump laser output power meets specifications
displayed as long as symptom persists) • Mira Optima output power meets specifica-
tions
• Alignment of the GTI
Error: GTI signal too high Check the following:

The GTI photocell is saturated at the minimum gain of the • Pump laser output power meets specifications
amplifier. (Will be displayed as long as symptom persists) • Mira Optima output power meets specifica-
tions
• Alignment of the GTI
• GTI matches wavelength used by referring to
fact sheets in Appendix A.
4 - 14
Daily Operation
Table 4-1. Power Display Error Messages (Sheet 2 of 2)
ERROR MESSAGE AND MEANING ACTION REQUIRED

Error: GTI optimization failed Check the following:
The signal on the GTI photocell is changing too rapidly. • Mira Optima output power meeting specifica-
(Will be displayed as long as symptom persists) tion
(Laser is unstable) • Alignment of the GTI
Error: Power signal too low Check the following:

The signal on the external power meter detector used by • Pump laser output power meets specifications
β-Lock is too low for the servo controlled operation. (Will be • Mira Optima output power meets specifica-
displayed as long as symptom persists) tions
• Head board alignment
Error: Power signal too high Check the following:

The signal on the external power meter detector used by • Pump laser output power meets specifications
β-Lock mode is too high for Servo controlled operation. • Mira Optima output power meets specifica-
(Will be displayed as long as symptom persists) tions
• Head board alignment
• Power meter photocell must be attenuated
Error: Power gain optimization failed Check the following:

The power meter signal is changing too rapidly. (Will be • Pump laser output power meets specifications
displayed as long as symptom persists) • Mira Optima output power meets specifica-
tions
• Verify that the BRF is on the correct tuning
order
• Optimize slit
Error: PZT at limit Check the following:

The PZT on the GTI is constantly being driven to the • Connectors at the GTI and base plate
extremes of its range. (Will be displayed as long as symptom • Verify GTI alignment
persists)
• Verify BRF is on correct tuning order
• Optimize slit
4 - 15
4 - 16
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER FIVE
INSTALLATION AND ALIGNMENT
5-2
Installation and Alignment
Introduction Installation and alignment procedures contained in this chapter are

intended for use during initial installation, or if the pump laser or
Mira Optima laser head has been moved. Re-alignment after an
optics change is contained in the applicable chapter. Refer to
Chapter Three, “Controls and Indicators”, as required for the loca-
tion of all the controls used in this chapter.
Coherent recommends that the pump laser for the Mira Optima be
the Coherent Verdi Series DPSS lasers (V5, V6, V8, and V10). The
pump laser must meet all specifications before starting Mira Optima
alignment. Refer to the pump laser operator’s manual as required for
pump laser operation, alignment, turn-on and shutdown procedures,
and safety information. Refer to Appendix A if the pump laser is
from a Coherent Ion source.
Changing the voltage selector card must be done by trained

personnel. This task is accomplished during installation by a
Coherent service engineer.
Turn the system off and disconnect the unit from facility power.
Wait at least 15 seconds before changing the voltage selector.
Voltage If required, change the voltage selector as follows:

Selection 1. Remove the power cord from the facility outlet.
2. Remove the power cord from the controller rear panel.
3. Remove the voltage selector assembly using a small flat blade
screwdriver.
4. Remove and set aside the cover/fuse block assembly.
5. Using a hemostat or needle-nose pliers, remove the voltage
selector.
6. Adjust the position of the pointer for the appropriate voltage as
shown on Figure 5-7.
Note that the pointer must line up in the slot on the voltage
selector assembly for the desired voltage. Also note that the
5-3
arrow on the voltage selector and the number indicating the

desired voltage will point towards the interface box when
installing the voltage selector. A pointer on the voltage selector
must mate with a pointer on the voltage selector assembly
during re-installation.
A) 100 VOLTS B) 120 VOLTS
C) 220 VOLTS D) 240 VOLTS
Figure 5-1. Voltage Selector Card Orientation
Cooling Water The Mira Optima titanium:sapphire crystal requires a consistent

flow of cooling water for proper operation. Best performance will be
achieved using a separate closed-loop water conditioner that main-
tains the water temperature to the crystal within ± 0.1°C. Other
water parameters include:
Minimum Flow Rate 0.08 gal/min or 0.3 liters/min
Maximum Pressure 30 psi or 207 kPa
Maximum Temperature 20°C
5-4
Dry Nitrogen In order for the Mira Optima to mode-lock properly at certain wave-
lengths, optical loss due to atmospheric absorption must be mini-
Purge mized by maintaining a dry nitrogen purge of the cavity. The dry
nitrogen purge also keeps the relative humidity to below 5%. This is
recommended in general for operation above 870nm. Specific
regions where the nitrogen purge may be necessary include:
• 760 ± 10 nm
• 780 ± 5 nm
• 825 ± 10 nm
• 890 ± 10 nm
• 910 nm to 980 nm
A high-velocity purge in duration from less than one hour to several
hours may be needed to reduce the relative humidity, which can be
read on the controller display, to below 5%. Recommended flow
rates are listed below.
Initial Purge 10 CFH (ft3/hr) or 4.7 liters/min
Later purges 2 CFH (ft3/hr) or 0.94 liters/min
Equipment Used • Power meter, Coherent Fieldmaster or equivalent (0 to

10 Watts)
During
Installation and • Laser safety glasses to protect against the wavelength exiting
the laser head and to protect against the pump beam wave-
Alignment length
• Mira Optima accessory kit (supplied with the laser)
• IR viewer (recommended)
• Autocorrelator and/or spectrometer (recommended)
• 350-MHz oscilloscope (recommended) or an oscilloscope
with a fast enough sweep to cleanly resolve the 76-MHz train
of pulses from the Mira Optima fast photodiode
Installation and A summary of the Mira Optima installation is listed below. The
following paragraphs in this chapter contain detailed procedures for
Alignment each item listed.
Summary
1. Install the pump laser in accordance with the pump laser oper-
ator’s manual.
5-5
2. Ensure that the pump beam is at the correct height for Mira
Optima pumping and level to the optical table. (The standard
riser for the Verdi pump laser satisfies these requirements).
3. Evaluate the pump laser output beam quality.
4. Install the Mira Optima using the Abbreviated Alignment
Procedure found in this chapter.
a.) Position the Mira Optima so the pump beam enters the
cavity as described in the Abbreviated Alignment proce-
dure.
b.) Adjust the Mira Optima to obtain lasing.
c.) Optimize the continuous wave (CW) output.
d.) Mode-lock the Mira.
e.) Optimize the pulsewidth.
5. If lasing cannot be achieved using the abbreviated alignment
procedure, then perform the Full Alignment Procedure located
later in this chapter.
The abbreviated alignment procedure is appropriate when the laser
was operating properly when previously shut down, and that this
cavity mirror alignment is still intact. If no mirrors have been
removed or adjustment knob positions altered, the abbreviated
alignment is usually all that will be required, even after shipment.
The full alignment procedure is appropriate when the previous
cavity mirror alignment has been lost and thus the adjustment (or
verification) of each cavity mirror is necessary.
The abbreviated alignment procedure can also be used if the pump
laser has been moved or replaced. In this case, the pump laser is
repositioned to satisfy the initial alignment criteria rather that repo-
sitioning the Mira Optima. The criteria are that the pump beam at
low power is simultaneously centered on:
• Pump optic P4; it helps to be centered on pump optic P0 for
straight-in pumping or P1 for left side or right side pumping
• Pump lens L1
• Folding optic M10
• The Titanium:sapphire crystal
5-6
Abbreviated This procedure must be followed during initial installation, or if the

Mira Optima or pump laser (or both) have been moved. If proper
Alignment operating results are not obtained, perform the Full Alignment
Procedure Procedure located in this chapter.
Safety glasses must be worn when performing this alignment as

stray beams could be present.
Installation Notes • The pump input end of the Mira Optima is opposite its output
end. There are three pump input windows on this end that give
the flexibility of pumping the Mira Optima from the left side,
right side, or straight into the end.
• Correct results may not be obtained if the pump laser is other
than a Coherent Verdi Series DPSS lasers (V5, V6, V8, and
V10) or Coherent Innova Ion laser series (200, 300, 400, or
Sabre) pump laser.
• If dirt or other foreign material on an optic is visible during the
installation and alignment procedure, clean the optic in accor-
dance with the cleaning procedures located in Chapter Six,
Maintenance.
Coherent recommends that one beam steering mirror at most be

used externally to the Mira Optima. Long distances must not
exist between the pump laser and Mira Optima laser.
If beam steering optics are used, the optics must have a dielectric
coating suitable for the pump laser output. If the optic has the
wrong coating, this could result in pump beam power loss,
angular instability, mode degradation and altered pump beam
divergence that will impair performance of the Mira Optima.
Coherent also recommends that beam tubes be installed

between the pump laser and Mira Optima laser for safety and
stability to air currents. Exposed high-power beam paths can
pose a laser safety hazard, and air currents can have a signifi-
cant beam steering effect.
5-7
Configuring Mira The pump laser can be installed for left-side, right-side, or
Optima for straight-in pumping (Figure 5-1). In the case that the pump optic P0
mount is to be installed at this stage or the pump optic P1 mount is
Left-Side, moved to configure Mira Optima for a different pump configuration,
Right-Side, or perform the Coarse Pump Alignment procedures below. Final
Straight-In adjustment for P1 is located in the Mira Optima Installation proce-
Pumping dure located later in this chapter.
Front of Mira Mira

Laser Head Output
Mira
Optima
Laser
Left Side Right Side

Pump Beam Pump Beam
Input Input
Window Window
Rear of Mira
Straight In Laser Head
Pump Beam
Input
Figure 5-2. Directions for Straight-In, Left-Side and Right-Side Pumping
Coarse Pump
Alignment
procedure
Straight-In Pumping For straight-in pumping, the P0 pump optic assembly is installed in
the location shown on Figure 5-3. Pump optic P1 and the P1 mount
screw must also be located in the position shown on Figure 5-3. If
the Mira Optima is received configured for straight-in pumping and
the laser will be used in that configuration, do not adjust P0 or P1.
Proceed to the procedure for pump laser setup.
If the P0 mount requires installation, perform the following installa-
tion procedures.
1. Block the pump laser beam.
5-8
3 4
2
PUMPING
1 5
1. P0 mount retaining screws 4. P1 mount retaining screw for left-side

2. P0 optic assembly (and straight-in) pumping
3. P1 assembly 5. P1 mount hole for right side pumping
Figure 5-3. Mira Optima Pump Configurations
2. Place the P0 mount on the baseplate and loosely install only

the one mount retaining screw indicated in Figure 5-3.
3. Position the P0 mount so the optic face is perpendicular to the
incoming beam.
4. Ensure the pump laser is at low power (i.e., less than 100 mW).
Open the pump laser shutter.
5. Adjust the P0 vertical tilt angle control so the pump laser beam
retro-reflection is at the same vertical height as the incoming
beam. (The pump beam is assumed to have been leveled before
performing this step.)
6. Block the pump laser beam. Rotate the P0 mount and install
the second mounting screw. Tighten both P0 retaining
mounting screws.
7. Adjust the P0 horizontal tilt angle control to center the pump
beam horizontally on P1. P1 may require repositioning as
described below before this step can be completed. Readjust-
ment of the vertical control should not be necessary at this
time.
5-9
If the mounting screw for pump optic assembly P1 must be moved

to achieve straight-in pumping (i.e., if the laser was previously
configured for right-side pumping), perform the following proce-
dure to roughly align the P1 mount. Final P1 adjustment instructions
are located in the Mira Optima installation procedures.

2. Remove the retaining screw from the right side position indi-
cated by arrow 5 on Figure 5-3.
3. Position the P1 optic assembly at approximately 45 degrees
from horizontal and reinstall the retaining screw in the left
side, position indicated by arrow 4 on Figure 5-2.
Right Side Pumping For right side pumping, the P0 pump optic assembly is not used and
it does not matter whether it is installed or not. The P1 mount
retaining screw must be in the position indicated by arrow 5 on
Figure 5-3. If the Mira Optima is received configured for right side
pumping and the laser will be used in that configuration, do not
adjust P0 or P1. Proceed to the procedure for pump laser setup.
to achieve right side pumping, perform the following procedure to
roughly align the P1 mount. Final P1 adjustments are located in the
Mira Optima installation procedures.

2. Remove the retaining screw from the position indicated by
arrow 4 on Figure 5-3.
with respect to vertical and reinstall the retaining screw in the
position indicated by arrow 5 on Figure 5-3.
Left Side Pumping For left side pumping, the P0 pump optic assembly must be removed
from the beam path if it is installed. The P1 mount retaining screw
must be in the position indicated by arrow 4 on Figure 5-3. If the
Mira Optima is received configured for left side pumping and the
laser will be used in that configuration, do not adjust P1. Proceed to
the procedure for pump laser setup.
to achieve left side pumping, perform the following procedure to
roughly align the P1 mount. Final P1 adjustment instructions are
5 - 10
located in the Mira Optima installation procedures later in this

chapter.

2. Remove the P0 pump optic assembly (if installed) by
removing two retaining screws (Figure 5-3, item 1).
3. Remove the retaining screw from the position indicated by
item 5 on Figure 5-3.
with respect to vertical and reinstall the retaining screw in the
position indicated by item 4 on Figure 5-3.
Pump Laser Setup 1. Take into account the location and height of the Mira Optima
output beam, the pumping configuration (right side, left side,
straight in), and the physical dimensions of both the Mira
Optima and the Verdi pump laser when planning their posi-
tions on the optical table in relation to other equipment. Refer
to this operator’s manual and the Verdi operator’s manual for
the appropriate dimensions.
2. The recommended distance from the Verdi pump laser to the
Mira Optima is between 6 in. and 24 in. (15 cm and 60 cm).
Using more than one steering mirror is not recommended.
3. Install the Verdi pump laser according to procedures outlined
in the Verdi operator’s manual. For safety, ensure that the Verdi
pump laser is turned off when moving it into position on the
optical table.
4. A Verdi pump laser correctly installed on its riser block will
have an output beam that is both the correct height for
pumping the Mira Optima and level with the optical table on
which it sits. It is helpful (but not necessary) to also orient the
output beam of the Verdi so that it travels parallel to a side of
the optical table.
5. If a turning mirror is used, use the top hole in the alignment
apertures to ensure that the beam remains level with the table.
These apertures can also be bolted temporarily to holes along
a row in the table to orient the pump beam along a desired line.
Roughly aligning the Mira Optima parallel to the optical table
is a good preliminary orientation for installing the Mira
Optima.
6. Once the Verdi pump laser is positioned in approximately the
correct position, operate the Verdi at as low a power as is prac-
tical when making small adjustments (i.e., less than 0.1 W).
5 - 11
The Verdi can be turned down to as low as 0.01 W in output

power. Controls on the front panel of the Verdi controller will
allow convenient toggling between high-pump power for
normal operation and low-pump power for alignment. Refer to
the Verdi operator’s manual for instructions about how to set
these controls.
Mira Optima 1. Block the Verdi pump laser beam and remove any power meter
or alignment fixtures from the pump beam path.
Installation
2. Open the Mira Optima head covers.
3. Position the Mira Optima in the pump beam path approxi-
mately 6 in. to 24 in. (15 cm to 60 cm) from the Verdi pump
laser allowing enough room for a power meter. A helpful
starting point is to position one side of the Mira Optima
roughly parallel to the beam from the Verdi pump laser.
4. Ensure the Verdi pump laser is set to low power (less than
100 mW). Open the pump beam shutter.
5. Position the Mira Optima so the pump laser beam enters the
Mira Optima and strikes the center of P0 (or strikes the center
of P1 for left-side or right-side pumping). The rear feet of the
Mira Optima are adjusted at the factory and must remain at the
factory setting. Do not adjust the feet to center the pump beam
on P0 (or P1).
6. If the P1 mirror mount has not been moved (no pump config-
uration change), proceed to the next step.
If the P1 mirror mount has been moved, then the factory align-
ment of P1 has been lost. Perform both of the following proce-
dures to center the beam on P4, the remaining pump chain
optics, and the intracavity optics noted in below.
a.) Gently rotate the front end of the Mira Optima and/or
make small translations along its long axis.
b.) Slightly loosen the P1 mount retaining screw. Make the
necessary adjustments to center the beam on the optics.
Tighten the P1 retaining screw.
Be extremely careful that P1 does not go so far out of nominal

alignment that the beam misses P2. This can cause a potential
eye hazard.
5 - 12
7. Locate the portion of the pump beam reflected from M5 to M8

and onward to M10. If this is being performed as part of an
installation or if the Mira Optima and pump laser have been
moved, rotate the Mira Optima on the table and make small
adjustments to the P2 fine adjustment pump controls until the
pump beam is exactly centered on M10. Otherwise, the posi-
tioning of the pump beam on M10 will be addressed else-
where.
8. Verify the that the following conditions are accurate:
a.) The pump beam is centered on P1 (P0, in the case of
straight-in pumping)
b.) The pump beam is centered on P4
c.) The pump beam is approximately centered on L1
d.) The pump beam is travelling down the approximate
center of the Ti:Sapphire crystal, well clear of the edge of
either face. To see this, carefully slide back the beam
shields on the crystal. Return the beam shields to the
original position.
Note: The crystal can be damaged if the high-power pump beam

strikes the edge of the crystal.
9. Secure the two rear Mira Optima feet, which are under the
pump input end, with the clamps provided.
10. Clamp the front foot.
11. Verify the that the following conditions are accurate:
a.) The pump beam is still centered on P1 (and P4, if the P1
mirror mount was adjusted).
b.) The pump beam is approximately centered on L1.
c.) The pump beam is vertically centered on M10.
d.) The pump beam is striking the Gires-Tournois Inferom-
eter (GTI) optic at the “2 O’clock” position, overlapping
the inner optic (see Figure 5-4).
12. Connect the controller to the Mira Optima laser head as shown
in Figure 5-5 and turn on the controller.
13. Block the Mira Optima output aperture with a power meter or
beam block. Adjust the pump laser to normal operating level
(high power).
5 - 13
Pump laser beam

in 2 oclock
position
Screws (4) holding

GTI assembly
together
Figure 5-4. Pump Beam Spot on GTI Optic
14. Verify that the birefringent filter (BRF) is at the peak of the
tuning curve. Refer to the tuning chart for the micrometer
setting.
15. Open the slit by rotating the slit width control (Figure 3-4)
clockwise until it stops.
16. Set the mode select switch to CW.
17. Hold the AUTO RANGE/PEAK RESET switch in the AUTO
RANGE position for at least 2 seconds to activate the DC
suppress function.
18. Make small adjustments to the P2 vertical and horizontal tilt
controls to maximize power on the controller display. If the
Mira Optima lases, skip the next step.
19. Make small adjustments to the following controls to maximize
the power on the controller display. Adjust one control at a
time and proceed in the order listed.
a.) GTI vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls.
b.) P2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls.
Repeat this step until the Mira Optima is lasing. Maximize
power using the above controls after lasing starts.
20. Once the cavity is lasing, maximize power (on the controller
display) by adjusting the following controls:
a.) M5 vertical and horizontal tilt angle
b.) P2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle pump
5 - 14
WATER DRY
CONDITIONER NITROGEN
PUMP LASER SUPPLY
(1) (2)
MIRA OPTIMA
LASER To Power Meter (3)
HEAD (Optional)
Water Out To Power Meter (3)

Connector
(Optional)
Water In
Connector
MIRA OPTIMA
Nitrogen CONTROLLER
Purge
120 VAC
Connector
POWER OUT Facility
Power
CW ETALON OUT
Laser Head Laser

Connector Head Board
Connector
Output Pulse Sync to

External Equipment
(Optional)
GALVO BIAS IN
Optional
Fast Diode connection
Output
50W From External

Mira Output Termination Control Device (3)
Beam (Optional)
AUTO OSCILLOSCOPE
Beamsplitter CORRELATOR
(Optional) (Optional) (Optional)
(1) Refer to paragraph titled “Cooling Water” in this chapter for specifications.
(2) Refer to paragraph titled “Dry Nitrogen Purge” in this chapter for specifications.
(3) Refer to Table 3-12 for a description of the GALVO BIAS IN, POWER OUT, and the CW ETALON OUT
signals.
Figure 5-5. Mira Optima Interconnection Diagram
5 - 15
c.) GTI vertical and horizontal tilt angle

d.) M0 vertical and horizontal tilt angle
Mode-Locking 1. Set the CW/ML/β-Lock switch to CW.

2. Open the slit by turning the slit width control clockwise several
turns after the output power is maximized.
3. Verify the BRF micrometer is set to the desired wavelength in
accordance with the tuning chart (wavelength vs. micrometer
setting) furnished with the system.
4. Verify that the system is aligned and at maximum CW power.
5. Reduce the slit width by turning the slit width control counter-
clockwise until the output power is reduced approximately
50%.
6. Center the slit on the beam by adjusting the slit translation
control for maximum output power.
7. Repeat the previous two steps several times to ensure the slit is
centered on the beam and the power is reduced by about 50%.
8. Set the controller CW/ML/β-Lock select switch to β-Lock.
9. Optimize the slit to obtain a maximum stable power level with
zero CW content as viewed on the controller display.
10. Adjust the bias level for optimum pulsewidth. The pulsewidth
is monitored with an autocorrelator.
11. The fast diode display from the Mira Optima laser head can be
displayed on a 50-ohm-terminated oscilloscope to determine
mode-locked operation (Figure 4-3).
Full-Alignment
Procedure
Safety glasses must used when performing this alignment as

stray beams could be present that pose significant safety
hazards.
This procedure is intended for use when the abbreviated alignment

procedure does not achieve the correct results, or when directed to
5 - 16
do so elsewhere in this operator’s manual. If the Mira Optima is not

operating correctly, refer to Figure 4-1.
Mira Optima 1. Once the pump laser orientation has been established and the
mode quality has been checked, block the pump laser beam
Installation and remove any power meter or alignment fixtures from the
pump beam path.
2. Open the Mira Optima head covers.
3. Position the Mira Optima in the pump beam path approxi-
mately 6 to 24 in. (15 to 60 cm) from the pump laser, allowing
enough room for a power meter.
4. Ensure the pump laser is set to low power (less than 100 mW).
Turn the cooling water to the Mira Optima on and open the
pump beam shutter.
5. Position the Mira Optima so that the pump laser beam enters
the Mira Optima and strikes the center of P0 (or P1). The rear
feet of the Mira Optima are adjusted at the factory. Do not
adjust the feet height to center the pump beam on P0 (or
P1).
6. If the P1 mirror mount has not been moved (no pump config-
uration change), skip this step and proceed to the next step.
If the P1 mirror mount has been moved, then the factory align-
ment of P1 has been lost. Perform both of the following
instructions to center the beam on P4 and the remaining pump
chain optics.
a.) Gently rotate the front end of the Mira Optima and/or
make small translations along its long axis.
b.) Slightly loosen the P1 mount retaining screw. Make the
necessary adjustments to center the beam on the optics.
Tighten the P1 retaining screw.
Be extremely careful that P1 does not go so far out of nominal

alignment that the beam misses P2. This can cause a potential
eye hazard.
7. Gently move the Mira Optima until the beam is centered on P4

horizontally.
8. Check that the beam is also still striking the center of P1. If this
cannot be accomplished, make small adjustments to the P1
5 - 17
mount and to the position of the Mira Optima until this is

achieved.
9. Verify that the following conditions are correct:
a.) The beam is still centered on P0 (straight-in pumping),
P1, and P4
b.) The beam is approximately centered on L1
10. Gently slide back the beam shields on the crystal and verify
that the pump beam is travelling down the approximate center
of the crystal, well clear of the edge of either face.
Note: The crystal can be damaged if the high-power pump beam

strikes the edge of the crystal.
11. Return the beam tubes to their original position.

12. Secure the two rear Mira Optima feet (input end) with the
clamps provided.
13. Clamp the front foot.
14. Verify that the following conditions are accurate:
a.) The beam is still centered on P0 (straight-in pumping),
P1, and P4
b.) The beam is approximately centered on L1
c.) The beam is still centered on the crystal
15. Connect the controller to the Mira Optima laser head as shown
in Figure 5-5 and turn on the controller.
16. Set the mode select switch to CW and toggle the AUTO
RANGE/PEAK RESET switch to PEAK RESET.
17. Block the Mira Optima output aperture with a power meter or
beam block.
18. Adjust the pump laser to normal operating level (high power).
19. Verify that the BRF is at the peak of the tuning curve. Refer to
the tuning chart for the micrometer setting.
20. Open the slit by rotating the slit width control (Figure 3-4)
clockwise until it stops.
RANGE position for at least 2 seconds to activate the DC
suppress function.
5 - 18
Cavity 1. Tune to a wavelength near the peak of the gain curve.

Alignment 2. Locate the pump beam reflection (in front of M8) from M5.
Use the M5 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to posi-
tion the beam on M8. Center the beam in the vertical plane and
just to the right of center in the horizontal plane (see
Figure 5-6). With this alignment, the cavity beam will strike
the center of the optic.
Figure 5-6. Pump Beam Spot on M8
3. Locate the pump beam reflection (in front of M10) from M8.
Use the M8 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to posi-
tion the beam on M10.
4. Center the beam in the vertical plane and just to the left of
center in the horizontal plane (see Figure 5-7). With this align-
ment, the cavity beam will strike the center of the optic.
Figure 5-7. Pump Beam Spot on M10
5 - 19
5. Use the M10 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to posi-
tion the pump beam reflection on the front GTI optic at the
“2 o’clock” position (Figure 5-4).
6. Locate the pump beam retro-reflection from the GTI as
follows:
a.) Adjust the pump laser to high power.
b.) Use the GTI vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to
locate the retro-reflection on M10. Since the GTI consists
of multiple elements, there are typically three reflections
of the pump beams from the GTl. The reflection that
follows the cavity alignment is the middle of the three
spots and there is a red fluorescence around the spot. If
available, use an IR viewer to observe the fluorescence
to verify that the correct spot is used for the alignment.
c.) Adjust the GTI vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls
to position the pump retro-reflection on top of the pump
beam spot coming from M5 and striking M8.
7. Close and center the apertures on M2 and M3.
8. Locate the outline of the butterfly starter optic projected on the
M3 aperture. Use the M4 vertical tilt angle controls to verti-
cally position the brightest center spot of the fluorescence
through the center of the butterfly outline. Place a white card
in front of M3 to help see this outline.
9. Adjust the height of the M2 aperture to align with the center of
the shadow created by the starter.
10. Use the M4 horizontal tilt angle controls to position the fluo-
rescence in the M3 alignment aperture horizontally.
11. Open the M3 alignment aperture.
12. Use the M3 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to center
the fluorescence on the M2 alignment aperture.Verify that the
beam passes through the BRF clearly in the horizontal plane.
13. Remove the slit assembly by loosening the two screws at the
base using a 5/64-in. Allen head driver.
tion the fluorescence on to the center of the output coupler M1.
The beam alignment tool has a recessed space so it can be
placed over the output coupler M1 without touching the mirror
itself.
15. The edges of the tool will line up with the edges of the output
coupler mount to center the lower hole on the output coupler.
An accurate way to ensure the lasing spot is centered once
5 - 20
lasing is achieved, Align the brightest part of the fluorescence

into the lower hole in the alignment tool.
16. Locate the retro-reflection from M1 on the M2 aperture. An IR
viewer will make the spot easier to locate.
17. Adjust the M1 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls until
the retro-reflection is centered in the aperture.
18. Open the M2 aperture.
19. Place a white card after M1. Two fluorescence spots should
appear on the card. The dimmer of the two spots is the retrore-
flection from the GTI. Make small adjustments to the GTI
vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to position the
dimmer retro-reflection over the brighter spot.
20. If the system is not lasing, make small adjustments to the
following controls to maximize the intensity on the controller
display. Adjust one control at a time and in the order listed.
a.) GTI horizontal tilt angle and then vertical tilt angle
controls.
b.) Output coupler M1 horizontal and vertical tilt angle
controls.
Repeat this step and step 7 to step 8 until the Mira Optima is
lasing.
21. Once the cavity is lasing, maximize the output power by
adjusting the following:
a.) Output coupler M1 vertical and horizontal tilt angle
controls
b.) GTI vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls
c.) P2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls
22. Use an IR viewer to verify that the beam travels through the
center of both butterfly arms vertically.
23. Use the M3 vertical tilt angle control to adjust (walk) the
vertical position on the butterfly arm closest to the slit, if
necessary. Use M4 vertical tilt angle control to adjust (walk)
the vertical position on the butterfly arm closest to the laser
cover side. Refer to the paragraph titled “Walking The Beam”.
center of the output coupler. If not, walk the beam using M2
and M1.
25. Reinstall the slit assembly.
26. Open the slit so that the beam clearly passes the slit edges.
5 - 21
27. Once the laser is optimized, reduce the slit width (turn slit
width control counterclockwise) until the output power is
reduced approximately 50%.
28. Rotate the slit horizontal translation control for maximum
output power. This centers the slit in the beam.
29. Repeat the previous two steps two or three times to ensure that
the slit is centered.
30. Set the CW/ML/β-Lock switch on the controller to the ML
position. Optimize the BRF and slit width control for
maximum power with zero CW content as viewed on the
controller display.
a.) The fast diode display from Mira Optima laser head can
be displayed on an oscilloscope to determine
mode-locked operation (Figure 4-3).
b.) After the system is mode-locked, switch the controller to
β-Lock position and adjust the bias level for optimum
pulse width while observing the pulse on an oscilloscope
via an autocorrelator.
Walking the Beam “Walking the beam” refers to the procedure to adjust the beam posi-
tion between two adjacent mirrors such as M2 and M3. This proce-
dure is executed while the system is lasing.

hazards.
Assume that the beam is not striking M2 in the center. Walk the
beam as follows:
1. Adjust the M3 vertical tilt angle control to move the beam in

the direction to center the beam on M2 until the power has
decreased approximately 20%.
2. Adjust M2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to recover
power.
3. Repeat step 1 and step 2 until the position on M2 is satisfac-
tory. Each repetition of step 1 and step 2 moves the beam about
0.25 mm to 0.5 mm.
4. Performing step 1 through step 3 affects the beam position on
all optics on the same side of the crystal.
5 - 22
5. Continue to walk the beam on all optics progressing to the end

mirror as listed below.
a.) M4, M3, M2, M1
b.) M5, M8, M10, GTI
Advanced Below is a brief description of some advanced alignment techniques

that might improve the performance of the Mira Optima. It is not
Alignment necessary to apply any of these procedures to a properly installed
Techniques and well-maintained system, and none of these procedures must ever
be attempted until after all of the basic alignment techniques
(cleaning, end mirror alignment, beam walking, simple pump align-
ment) have been tried. These techniques are often only beneficial for
the following situations:
• The pump source was changed or moved relative to the Mira.
• The long wave (> 950 nm) performance of the system has
degraded and the normal alignment techniques do not improve
the performance.
• When a marginal performance improvement is desired at a
specific, single wavelength at the expense of the performance
at other wavelengths.
The below procedures may be followed in no particular order, and is
not necessary to follow every procedure.
Fine Pump Beam This procedure is most beneficial if the pump beam was recently
Alignment re-aligned or the pump source was changed. Under these circum-
stances it is possible to obtain up to 10% increase in CW power.
In this procedure, the pump horizontal and vertical translational
knobs are the two knobs that control the P3 and P4 pump optics.
The horizontal and vertical angle adjust knobs are the ones that
control the P2 pump optic orientation. This entire procedure is
performed while in CW mode.
1. Tune to a wavelength around the peak of the gain curve. Peak

the system up in the main cavity. Use a stable wavelength, one
where the CW power is not fluctuating.
2. Measure the power with a power meter. Because the beams are
being aligned slightly in this procedure, the positional depen-
dence of the Optima power meter can sometimes cause inac-
curate adjustments to be made; i.e., it might indicate that the
5 - 23
power is going up but it may simply be that the beam is

moving.
3. Note the power as read on the external power meter. Turn the
horizontal translational knob ¼- to ½-turn clockwise or coun-
terclockwise.
4. Now compensate for the drop in power by adjusting the hori-
zontal and vertical P2 angle adjust knobs, the GTI, and the
output coupler. If the power went up repeat the process. If it
went down, turn the horizontal translational knob in the other
direction. Do not turn the knob by more than 1 complete revo-
lution from the initial position. If it takes more than one turn to
optimize the pump beam translational alignment, then it prob-
ably means that the entire pump beam needs to be re-aligned,
which requires a visit from Coherent service.
5. Once finished, do not move the horizontal translational knob
for the rest of this procedure.
6. Repeat step 3 to step 5 for the vertical translational knob. Once
completed, do not move this knob for the rest of this proce-
dure.
7. Turn the P2 horizontal angle adjust knob 1/8- to 1/4-turn
clockwise or counterclockwise. Compensate for the drop in
power by adjusting the GTI and the output coupler. If the
power went up, repeat the process. If it went down, turn the P2
horizontal angle adjust knob in the other direction. Do not turn
the knob more than 1/2-turn from the initial position. Once
finished, do not move the P2 horizontal angle adjust knob for
the rest of this procedure.
8. Repeat the above step for the vertical angle adjust knob,
peaking the laser by using only the GTI and the output coupler.
9. Once completed, the horizontal and vertical translational
adjust knobs must not be adjusted unless you plan to repeat this
whole procedure. The P2 angle adjust knobs can be adjusted as
needed to peak for power during the day or during initial
system turn-on.
Pump Lens Position This procedure is most beneficial if the pump beam was recently
re-aligned or the pump source was changed. Under these circum-
stances, it is possible to obtain up to a 10% increase in CW power.
In this procedure, the focal position of the pump beam inside the
crystal is translated improve the modal overlap of the pump and
intracavity beam.
5 - 24
This entire procedure is performed while in CW mode.

the system up in the main cavity. Note the power as read on the
Mira Optima Power meter.
2. Slowly loosen the 1/4-20 screw that secures the translational
position of the pump lens mount. This is the screw next to the
index marker. While loosening the screw, periodically peak up
the CW power of the laser by turning the P2 horizontal and
vertical angle adjust knobs.
3. Peak up the system power by turning the P2 horizontal and
vertical angle adjust knobs, the GTI and the output coupler
4. Translate the lens either forwards or backwards 1 mm or less.
Peak up power by nudging the lens to one or the other side.
Then peak up the power by turning the P2 horizontal and
vertical angle adjust knob. If the power increases, continue to
translate the lens in the same direction. If it decreases, move
the lens in the other direction.
5. Once the position of maximum power is achieved, secure the
translational position of the lens by tightening the 1/4-20 screw
slowly. While tightening the screw, periodically peak up the
CW power of the laser by turning the P2 horizontal and
vertical angle adjust knobs.
vertical angle adjust knobs, the GTI and the output coupler.
Adjusting the This procedure is most beneficial if the long wave (> 960 nm)
In-Plane performance of the system has degraded and the normal alignment
techniques do not improve the performance. It generally has no
Alignment effect on the system performance for wavelengths < 960 nm. In this
procedure, the intracavity beam is walked to improve the parallelism
of the beam relative to the Mira baseplate (i.e., the angle of incidence
in the vertical plane for the intracavity optics is 90 degrees).
This procedure is performed while in CW mode.

the system up in the main cavity. Note the power as read on an
external power meter.
2. Adjust the vertical of M4 (clockwise or counterclockwise)
until the number on the Optima power meter drops about 50%.
3. Adjust the vertical of M3 to recover as much of the power as
possible.
5 - 25
4. Adjust the output coupler to maximize the power.

5. Iterate step 2 to step 4 for M4-M3 until the highest power on
the external power meter is achieved.
6. Repeat step 1 to step 4 for M3-M2.
8. Repeat step 1 to step 4 for M5-M8 (adjust the vertical of M5,
compensate with M8, fine adjust with the GTI and the output
coupler.)
10. Repeat step 1 to step 4 for the M10-GTI pair.
vertical angle adjust knobs, the GTI and the output couple.
Additional Factory The below settings are additional parameters that are accessible to
Adjustments the end-user but are not customer adjustable. These parameters are
factory-set. Performing any of the following adjustments may void
the system’s warranty. Contact Coherent service for guidance.
• M4-crystal, M5-crystal distance settings: These are often
referred to as the d1 and d2 settings. The total distance between
the mounts is called the z distance. These settings are
factory-set for optimal performance throughout the entire
tuning range. Among other characteristics, these settings influ-
ence CW power, ML power, the Kerr lensing, mode quality,
and beam size.
• Crystal Face Normal: This adjustment rotates the optical axis
of the crystal. It has a minor influence on CW skip tuning and
beam polarization.
• BRF angle of incidence: The highest CW and ML power is
obtained when the BRF is positioned such that the angle of
incidence is at Brewster’s angle for the intracavity beam.
• Starter angle of incidence: The highest CW and ML power is
obtained when the starter is positioned such that the angle of
incidence is at Brewster’s angle for the intracavity beam.
• Crystal angle of incidence: The highest CW and ML power is
obtained when the Crystal is positioned such that the angle of
incidence is at an angle between the Brewster’s angle for the
intracavity beam and the pump beam.
5 - 26
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER SIX
MAINTENANCE
6-2
Maintenance
Introduction This chapter contains procedures for cleaning optics and for
replacing .
Contaminated optics are the cause of many of the preventable prob-
lems in the operation of many lasers. Keeping the outside environ-
ment of the Mira Optima clean and free of dust will help avoid
degradation of performance due to contamination.
If an optic must be replaced due to damage, or for changing an entire
set of optics, refer to the appendix for the appropriate replacement
optic part number. Use the optics replacement procedures detailed in
this chapter.
Covers, The covers of the Mira Optima provide a tight seal against the
outside environment, and operating the laser with the covers on and
Brewster latched will reduce contamination and the need to clean the optics.
windows With the covers properly in place, the only optical surfaces exposed
to the outer environment are the input Brewster window, where the
pump laser enters the Mira Optima; and the output Brewster
window, where the output of the Mira Optima exits. These windows
must be checked periodically and cleaned carefully.
It is possible to clean the input and output Brewster windows while
they are in place, using a few drops of methanol on lens tissue
wrapped around a cotton swab. (In this case, block any beams that
might hit the Brewster windows both during and for a few seconds
after cleaning to allow any residue to evaporate from the surface
being cleaned.)
Cleaning these windows easier and more effective by removing the
assembly from the baseplate, or by removing only the piece
containing the Brewster window from the assembly. When the
window is put back in place, it must be seated against the inside of
the body of the Mira Optima to restore the seal.
Cleaning Optics In order to maintain optimum performance of high-grade optics,

proper cleaning is an absolute necessity. Laser optical components
are routinely exposed to high energy levels. When optical surfaces
are clean, this energy is either reflected or transmitted. When optical
coatings are contaminated, however, contaminants on the optical
surface absorb energy, creating hot-spots that can burn the precision
coating and dramatically reduce laser efficiency. Absorption caused
by contaminated optical surfaces will degrade performance and
shorten mirror life.
6-3
Contaminants that can cause absorption include a variety of particles

that may fall on the optical surface or condense from surrounding
vapors. Oils from the skin (even from the cleanest hands or trans-
ferred by contact with lens tissue used for cleaning), fibers of lens
tissue themselves left on optics, or plastic gloves can be a source of
contaminants. Exercise extreme care when handling and cleaning
optics.
Spectroscopic/spectrophotometric-grade or electronic-grade
acetone or methanol are the recommended solvents for cleaning
optics. Other solvents and other grades can leave residues or other-
wise degrade the coatings with which the they come in contact.
Lens tissue of high quality is the recommended material for cleaning
optics. When cleaning optics with lens tissue, use each tissue for
only one pass in one direction and then discard it. Do not reuse a
tissue or swipe back in the opposite direction. Repeat if necessary
with a clean tissue, going in the same direction as the original swipe.
Reusing tissue or going back in the opposite direction may lead to
damage of the optic by dragging loose particles back across the
surface.
Cleaning Installed In the case of a large amount of dust visible on an optic, gently
Optics blowing a puff of air across an optic may be used as an initial step in
cleaning. However, do not use compressed air that contains propel-
lants, do not blow with your mouth, and do not use anything that
contains any other residue or that may cause condensation on the
optic. Also, be careful not to stir up dust in the air that will then settle
on the optic.
The following procedure is used to clean optics while in place in the
laser head. When possible, clean the optic while it is installed in the
laser head to minimize disturbance to the optical alignment.
1. Block the pump laser beam. Remove the laser head cover.
2. Neatly fold a sheet of lens tissue several times into a rectan-
gular shape, ending with a folded edge that is 1/4 in. to 3/4 in.
long, clamped with a hemostat, with approximately 1/8 in. of
the tissue paper protruding from the side of the hemostat. To
avoid scratching an optic, ensure that the hemostat is not
clamped too close to the fold of the lens tissue.
6-4
Maintenance
While folding the tissue, be careful not to contaminate it with soiled

or oily fingers in the place the tissue will eventually touch the optic
to be cleaned.
3. Moisten the tissue with methanol or acetone. Two or three

drops are sufficient for this purpose. Gently shake the hemostat
to remove unwanted excess solvent.
4. Gently wipe across the optic in one direction. Use enough
pressure to just make contact between the tissue and the optic,
but no more. Take extreme care for those optics that might
dislodge or brake off of their mounts.
5. Repeat the above steps until the optic is clean, using a new lens
tissue for each pass.
Cleaning The following technique is recommended for optics that have been
Removed Optics removed from the laser or are being put into the laser.
1. Hold the optic element gently by the edge or place it on a clean

work surface covered with lens tissue.
2. Place a few drops of acetone or methanol on one end of the
lens tissue. Handle the optic gently while cleaning it to avoid
microfine abrasions.
3. Place the wet end of the lens tissue on the optic and pull it
across the optic in one direction only. Ensure that the optic
does not move by holding it by the sides while doing this. Do
not rub the tissue back and forth. Note that the dry part of the
tissue helps remove any acetone or methanol residue.
4. Repeat the above steps until the optic is clean, using a new lens
tissue for each pass. The slightest bit of contaminate is more
readily seen by looking at the reflection of a bright light off the
optic’s surface.
Cleaning the The surfaces of the Ti:Sapphire are covered by aluminum dust
Ti:Sapphire Crystal covers. Despite these dust coverings, it is occasionally necessary to
clean the crystal surfaces to maintain optimal laser performance.
The crystal inside the Mira Optima does not have an optical coating.
The Ti:Sapphire is very hard and is very unlikely (but not impos-
sible) for the surface to become scratched. A more common occur-
rence, though also rare, is that the contaminate on the crystal surface
can become burned. If the burn marks cannot be removed by the
6-5
following procedure, contact your local Coherent representative. In

this unlikely occurrence the problem is solved easily by a slight
translation of the crystal.
1. Block the pump laser beam. Remove the Mira Optima laser
head cover.
2. Slide back the two dust covers that protect the crystal surfaces.
Remove the entire dust cover by loosening the knurled thumb-
screws on the M4 and M5 mounts (see Figure 3-3).

to be cleaned.

5. Gently wipe one of the surfaces of the crystal. Be careful to not
drag any of the excess soft metal, located between the crystal
and its aluminum mount, across the crystal face.
6. Replace the tissue and wipe the second face.
7. Visually verify that the contaminate has been removed and that
the surface is not soiled.
8. Replace the dust covers and unblock the pump beam.
Mira Optima There are five sets of optics for the Mira Optima laser. The optic sets
are called short wavelength (SW), peak wavelength (PW), long
Optics Changes wavelength (LW), extended wavelength (XW) and extended long
wavelength (ELW). The part numbers for these sets are listed in the
appendix.
6-6
Maintenance
Changing This includes the following conditions:

Wavelengths from • SW to LW
Non-overlapping • SW to ELW
Wavelength Sets
• PW to ELW
• ELW to PW
• ELW to SW
• LW to SW
Follow the next steps:
1. Remove the slit assembly.

2. Change all required optics (M1 through M10) using the steps
in the optics replacement procedure for each optic.
3. Change the GTI using the procedure in this chapter.
4. Perform the full alignment procedure in Chapter Five, Instal-
lation and Alignment.
Changing This includes the following conditions:

Wavelengths • From any set to XW
between Adjacent • SW to PW
Optic Sets
• PW to LW
• LW to ELW
• ELW to LW
• LW to PW
• PW to SW
• XW to any set
Follow the next steps:
1. Remove the slit assembly.

2. Tune the laser to a wavelength in which the wavelength
coverage of the two optic sets overlap. Refer to the wavelength
calibration sheet for the correct micrometer setting.
3. Starting with M4 then M5, replace optics M2 through M10
ending with M1, one optic at a time, using the optics removal
and installation procedure for each optic.
4. Re-establish lasing after each optics replacement.
6-7
5. Change the Gires-Tournois Inferometer (GTI) using the proce-

dure in this chapter.
6. Replace the slit assembly.
7. Mode-lock the Mira Optima following the procedure in
Chapter Four, Daily Operation, or Chapter Five, Installation
and Alignment.
Optics
Replacement
Use extreme care when removing optics from their mounts and
do not touch the coated or polished surfaces.
The following procedure describes optic replacement for a single

optic. To change the wavelength range, perform steps 1 through 3 of
the optic replacement procedures for each optic (M1 through M10,
and then the GTI) that is being replaced. Then, if necessary, perform
the full alignment procedure in Chapter Five, Installation and Align-
ment. Replace only those optics required by the fact sheets to imple-
ment the wavelength change.
Equipment Used • Optics set for new operating wavelength

During Optic • Accessory kit supplied with laser
Replacement • Power meter, Coherent FieldMaster or equivalent (0 to
10 Watts)
• Laser safety glasses to protect against the wavelength exiting
the laser head and to protect against the pump beam wave-
length
• Infrared (IR) viewer (required for conversions to/from LW or
ELW optic sets).
M1 Removal and 1. Block the pump laser beam. Turn the water to the crystal off to
Installation prevent condensation. Set the controller CW/ML/β-Lock
select switch to continuous wave (CW).
2. Remove the slit assembly by removing the 2 mounting screws
(Figure 3-4).
6-8
Maintenance
3. Loosen the setscrew on top of the output coupler M1 mount

(Figure 3-4).
4. Remove the optic by pushing the optic from the output side
with the soft end of a cotton swab.

to be cleaned.

7. Gently wipe one of the surfaces of the optic, then the other.
8. Using lens tissue to avoid touching the optical surfaces, install
the new optic with the flat side facing up, and the arrow on the
side of the optic pointing towards M2. Tighten the setscrew.
9. Turn the cooling water to the crystal on and unblock the pump
laser beam.
10. Set the CW/ML/β-Lock switch on the controller to CW.
RANGE position for at least 2 seconds. This activates DC
SUPPRESSION that is the most sensitive display on the
controller.
12. Close and adjust the M2 alignment aperture so the fluorescent
reflection from M3 is centered in the aperture. If necessary,
block the retroreflection from M1 in order to see the flores-
cence from M3 cleanly.
13. Locate the retro-reflection from M1 on the M2 aperture using
an IR viewer.
14. Adjust the M1 horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls to
center the retro-reflection in the aperture. In most cases, the
system will begin to lase at this point.
15. Open the M2 aperture.
6-9
16. Adjust M1 horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls to maxi-

mize the fluorescence (or laser power) on the controller
display. If the Mira Optima does not lase after maximizing the
fluorescence, repeat the alignment procedure or refer to
Figure 4-1.
17. Maximize the output power using M1, GTI (end mirror), and
P2 horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls respectively.
18. Re-install the slit assembly.
19. Open the slit assembly by rotating the slit width control fully
clockwise.
and Alignment.
Installation prevent condensation. Set the controller CW/ML/β-Lock
select switch to CW.
2. Remove the slit assembly by removing the two mounting
screws (Figure 3-4).
3. Loosen the setscrew on the side of the M2 mount (Figure 3-8).
4. Remove the optic by carefully pushing on the optic with a
cotton swab through a hole on the rear of the optic mount.

to be cleaned.

6 - 10
Maintenance

the new optic with the arrow on the side of the optic pointing
towards M1 and tighten the setscrew.
laser beam.
SUPPRESS that is the most sensitive display on the controller.
center the fluorescence on the M1 optic. A white card or an IR
viewer may assist in centering the fluorescence.
If the Mira Optima lases, proceed to the next numbered step.
If the Mira Optima does not lase, adjust M2 horizontal and
vertical tilt angle controls to maximize the fluorescence on the
controller display. If the Mira Optima does not lase after maxi-
mizing the fluorescence, adjust the horizontal and vertical of
M1 to retroreflect the beam onto M2. Refer to Figure 4-1.
13. Maximize output power using P2 and GTI horizontal and
vertical tilt angle controls.
14. Block the pump beam and re-install the slit assembly. Open the
slit assembly by rotating the slit width control fully clockwise.
and Alignment.
Installation prevent condensation.
2. Set the controller CW/ML/β-Lock select switch to CW.
3. Open the slit assembly by rotating the slit width control clock-
wise.
4. The M3 optic is very close to the butterfly. Avoid touching the
butterfly during M3 removal. If the butterfly is accidentally
touched, clean the butterfly after M3 installation is complete
using the cleaning procedures in this chapter.
6. With a cotton swab, carefully push the optic through a hole on
the rear of the optic mount.
6 - 11


to be cleaned.

laser beam.
14. Adjust M3 horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls to center
the fluorescence on the M2 optic. A white card or an IR viewer
may assist in centering the fluorescence.
If the Mira Optima does not lase, adjust M3 horizontal and
vertical tilt angle controls to maximize the fluorescence on the
controller display. If the Mira Optima does not lase after maxi-
mizing the fluorescence, refer to Figure 4-1.
and Alignment.
6 - 12
Maintenance
wise.
4. Loosen two thumbnuts and remove the beam shield
(Figure 3-17).
5. Remove the two knurled thumbscrews on the rear of the M4
mount (Figure 3-21) and remove the mirror holder and optic.
Do not allow the thumbscrews to touch focusing lens L1.

to be cleaned.

the new optic into the holder with the arrow on the side of the
optic pointing towards M5.
10. Place the optic holder in the mount and evenly tighten the two
knurled thumbscrews (Figure 6-1).
11. Re-install the beam shield.
laser beam.
15. Follow the fluorescent spot from M4 to M1. Adjust the hori-
zontal and vertical of M4 until the spot is centered on M1.
6 - 13
5
2
4
1. M4 optic 4. Bevel washer

2. Flat washer 5. O-ring
3. Optic holder
Figure 6-1. M4 Removal and Installation

Maximize the fluorescence on the controller display. If the
Mira Optima does not lase after maximizing the fluorescence,
refer to Figure 4-1.
and Alignment.
wise.
4. Loosen the two M5 assembly thumbscrews on the rear of the
M5 mount (Figure 3-5) and remove the beam block.
5. Remove the smaller knurled screws from the rear of the mount
and remove the optic holder.
6 - 14
Maintenance


to be cleaned.

the new optic into the holder with the arrow on the side of the
optic pointing towards M4.
10. Place the optic holder in the mount and evenly tighten the two
knurled thumbscrews (Figure 3-5).
laser beam.
14. Follow the pump beam from M5 to the GTI. Adjust the vertical
of M5 until the spot is centered on the GTI. Adjust the hori-
zontal (and if necessary make small adjustments to the
vertical) tilt angle control to maximize the fluorescence on the
controller display.
If the Mira Optima does not lase after maximizing the fluores-
cence, refer to Figure 4-1.
and Alignment.
6 - 15
wise.
the rear of the optic mount to remove it from the assembly.

to be cleaned.

laser beam.
13. Adjust M8 horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls to center
the reflection on M10.
14. If the Mira Optima lases, proceed to the next numbered step.
If the Mira Optima does not lase, make minor adjustments to
the M8 horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls to maximize
the fluorescence on the controller display. If it does not lase
after maximizing the fluorescence, refer to Figure 4-1.
6 - 16
Maintenance
15. Maximize the output power using P2 and GTI vertical and
horizontaltilt angle controls.
16.
and Alignment
wise.
4. Loosen the setscrew on the top of the M10 mount (Figure 3-6)
the rear of the optic mount and remove it from the assembly.

to be cleaned.

laser beam.
6 - 17

place the retro-reflection next to the pump beam on the M8
optic. See Figure 5-4.
• If the system is not lasing, place a white card after the M1
optic and before the BS1 beamsplitter. Two fluorescent
spots should be seen, one slightly brighter than the other.
• Adjust the horizontal and vertical of M10 to overlap the
dimmer spot with the brighter spot. Make small adjust-
ments until the system lases.
• If the Mira Optima still does not lase, make small adjust-
ments to M10 horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls
to maximize the fluorescence on the controller display. If
it does not lase after maximizing the fluorescence, refer
to Figure 4-1.
14. Adjust GTI horizontal and vertical for maximum output.
and Alignment.
GTI Assembly 1. Block the pump laser beam. Turn the water to the crystal off to
Removal and prevent condensation.
Installation 2. Set the controller CW/ML/β-Lock select switch to CW.
wise.
4. Turn the power switch on the Mira Optima controller to the
OFF position.
5. Disconnect the two SMC connectors from the rear of the GTI
assembly (Figure 3-18).
6. Loosen the setscrew on the GTI mount (Figure 3-18)
7. Remove the assembly towards the rear of the mount.
8. Clean the exposed optic surface of the GTI assembly.
9. Install the new GTI assembly and tighten the setscrew.
6 - 18
Maintenance
10. Reconnect GTI electrical connectors.

11. Power on the Mira Optima controller.
laser beam.
15. Adjust the GTI horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls to
center the retroreflection of the pump beam on M10.
• If the system does not lase, place a white card after the
M1 optic and before the BS1 beamsplitter. Two fluores-
cent spots should be seen, one slightly brighter than the
other.
• Adjust the horizontal and vertical of the GTI to overlap
the dimmer spot with the brighter spot.
• Make small adjustments until the system lases.
• If the Mira Optima still does not lase, make small adjust-
ments to the GTI horizontal and vertical tilt angle
controls to maximize the fluorescence on the controller
display. If it does not lase after maximizing the fluores-
cence, refer to Figure 4-1.
17. Maximize the output power using P2 and GTI horizontal and
and Alignment.
P0 Removal and 1. Open the slit assembly by rotating the slit width control clock-
Installation wise.
3. With the Mira Optima lasing, note the position of the pump
beam on the P4 optic (it should be centered). Center the align-
ment aperture on the pump beam in front of M10.
4. Block the pump laser beam from entering the Mira Optima.
Turn the cooling water to the crystal off to prevent condensa-
tion.
6 - 19
5. Remove rear access panel.

6. Loosen the setscrew on the side of the P0 mount (Figure 3-10)
and remove the optic.

to be cleaned.

10. Using lens tissue to avoid touching the optical surface, install
the new optic and tighten the setscrew.
11. Turn the cooling water to the crystal on. Set the pump laser
power to 100 mW and unblock the pump beam.
12. Set the CW/ML/β Lock on the controller to CW.
RANGE position for at least 2 seconds. This will activates the
DC SUPPRESS that is the most sensitive display on the
controller.
14. Adjust the P0 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to
center the pump beam in the center of P4 and through the
alignment aperture in front of M10.
15. Verify that the pump beam is traveling through the center of
the titanium:sapphire crystal. Turn pump laser up to normal
operating power.
16. Remove the alignment aperture and set the pump to the normal
operating power level.
If the Mira Optima does not lase, make small adjustment to the
P0 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls until the system
lases and then maximize the reading on the display.
6 - 20
Maintenance
17. Maximize the output power by adjusting the GTI, M1, and P2
vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls.
and Alignment.
Installation wise.
3. While the Mira Optima lases, note the position of the pump
beam on the P4 optic (it should be centered).
4. Center the alignment aperture on the pump beam in front of
M10.
Turn the cooling water to the crystal off to prevent condensa-
tion.
7. Loosen the setscrew on the top of the P1 mount (Figure 3-9)

to be cleaned.

the new optic. Do not tighten the setscrew at this time.
12. Turn the cooling water to the crystal on, and set pump laser
6 - 21

14. Hold the AUTO RANGE / PEAK RESET switch in the AUTO
DC SUPPRESS that is thew most sensitive display on the
controller.
15. Rotate the P1 optic until the pump beam is as close as possible
to the center of P4. Tighten the setscrew on the top of the P1
mount.
a.) If the pump beam is not centered on P4, small adjust-
ments can be made to P1 by loosening the optic mount
retaining screw. This will translate the pump beam hori-
zontally on P4.
b.) To translate the pump beam vertically, loosen the optic
mount retaining screw on the side of the P2 mount and
make small angular changes until the pump beam is
centered on P4.
16. Verify that the pump beam is passing through the center of the
crystal assembly and is passing through the alignment aperture
in front of M10.
a.) If the pump beam is not centered, small changes can be
made to the P3 mount.
b.) Loosen the optic mount retaining screw and make small
angular changes until the pump beam is centered on the
alignment aperture.
c.) Verify that the pump beam is still centered on P4, if it is
not centered, go back and make small changes to P2.
d.) Go between P2 and P3 and make sure that the pump
beam is centered on P4 and the alignment aperture.
e.) Remove the alignment aperture and set the pump to the
normal operating power level.
If the Mira Optima does not lase, make small adjustment to the
P2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls and maximize the
reading on the display.
and Alignment.
6 - 22
Maintenance
Installation wise. Set the controller CW/ML/β-Lock select switch to CW.
4. Turn the cooling water to the crystal off to prevent condensa-
tion.
6. Loosen the setscrew on the top of the P2 mount (Figure 3-9)

to be cleaned.

11. Turn the cooling water to the crystal on.
12. Set pump laser power to 100 mW and unblock the pump beam.
RANGE position for at least 2 seconds. This activates the DC
to the center of P4.
16. Tighten the setscrew on the top of the P2 mount. Manipulate
the pump beam until it is centered on P4.
6 - 23
a.) To translate the pump beam horizontally on P4, loosen

the optic mount retaining screw and make small angular
changes.
mount retaining screw on the side of the P2 mount and
make small angular changes.
in front of M10.
a.) If the pump beam is not centered, loosen the optic mount
retaining screw and make small angular changes until the
pump beam is centered on the alignment aperture.
b.) Go between P2 and P3 and make sure that the pump
beam is centered on P4 and the alignment aperture.
c.) Remove the alignment aperture and set the pump to the
normal operating power level.
18. If the Mira Optima lases, proceed to the next numbered step. If
the Mira Optima does not lase, make small adjustment to the
P2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls and maximize the
reading on the display.
vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls
and Alignment.
tion.
6. Loosen the setscrew on the bottom of the P3 mount
(Figure 3-9) and remove the optic.
6 - 24
Maintenance


to be cleaned.

11. Turn the cooling water to the crystal on, and set the pump laser
DC SUPPRESS that is the most sensitive display on the
controller.
to the center of P4.
15. Tighten the setscrew on the bottom of the P3 mount. If the
pump beam is not centered on P4, make small angular changes
and adjustments to P1 and P4 until the beam is centered.
a.) To translate the pump beam horizontally on P4, loosen
the optic mount retaining screw.
mount retaining screw on the side of the P2 mount.
in front of M10. If the pump beam is not centered, make small
changes to the P3 mount.
a.) Loosen the optic mount retaining screw and make small
angular changes until the pump beam is centered on the
alignment aperture.
6 - 25
17. Verify that the pump beam is still centered on P4. If the beam
is not centered, go back and make small changes to P2.
18. Go between P2 and P3 and make sure that the pump beam is
centered on P4 and the alignment aperture.
operating power level.
a.) If the Mira Optima does not lase, make small adjust-
ments to the P2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls
and maximize the reading on the display.
21. Adjust the GTI, M1, and P2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle
controls to maximize the output power.
and Alignment.
tion.
6. Loosen the setscrew on the side of the P4 mount (Figure 3-9)

to be cleaned.
6 - 26
Maintenance

11. Turn the cooling water to the crystal on.
12. Set pump laser power to 100 mW and unblock the pump beam.
RANGE position for at least 2 seconds. This activates the DC
to the center the alignment aperture in front of M10. Tighten
the setscrew on the side of the P4 mount.
16. If the pump beam is not centered through the alignment aper-
ture in front of M10, make small adjustments to P4 and angular
changes to the P3 mount until the pump beam is centered on
M10.
a.) To translate the pump beam horizontally on M10, loosen
the optic mount retaining screw.
mount retaining screw on the side of the P3 mount.
crystal assembly and is centered on P4. If the pump beam is not
centered, make small changes to the P2 mount.
a.) Loosen the optic mount retaining screw and make small
angular changes until the pump beam is centered on P4.
18. Verify that the pump beam is still centered through the align-
ment aperture in front of M10.
a.) If it is not centered, loosen the optic mount retaining
screw and make small adjustments to P2.
b.) Go between P2 and P3 and make sure that the pump
beam is centered on P4 and the alignment aperture is in
front of M10.
operating power level. If the Mira Optima lases, proceed to the
next numbered step.
6 - 27
a.) If the Mira Optima does not lase, make small adjustment
to the P2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls and
maximize the reading on the display.
and Alignment.
L1 Removal and 1. Open the slit assembly by rotating the slit width control clock-
2. With the Mira Optima lasing, center the alignment aperture on
the pump beam in front of M10, if lens L1 is not badly
damaged. If the lens is too badly damaged to lase, assume the
system was aligned such that the pump beam would strike the
center of M10.
3. Block the pump laser beam. Turn the water to the crystal off to
prevent condensation.
4. Adjust the pump laser so that the output power is approxi-
mately 100 mW.
5. Using an Allen wrench, loosen the setscrew on the top of the
L1 mount (Figure 3-14) and remove the optic.

to be cleaned.

8. The lens has a curved side and a flat side. Gently wipe one of
the surfaces of the lens, then the other.
6 - 28
Maintenance

the new optic with the flat side facing M4.
10. Tighten the setscrew.
11. Turn the crystal assembly cooling water on and unblock the
pump laser beam.
12. Loosen the two 3/32 in. screws that hold the lens holder onto
the translation stage so that the holder doesn’t slip.
13. Adjust the position of the lens so that the pump beam is
centered on the aperture in front of M10 or centered on the
optic (see step 3).
14. Tighten the screws.
15. Verify that the pump beam is still centered on the aperture in
front of M10 or centered on the optic. If not, repeat step 14.
16. Retract the beam shields (Figure 3-3) and verify that the beam
is passing through the center of the crystal. The beam should
also pass through the center (within 1 mm) of M4.
17. Set the CW/ML/b-Lock switch on the controller to CW.
19. Adjust the pump laser to the normal operating power level.
If the Mira Optima does not lase, adjust the P2 pump controls
and maximize the fluorescence on the controller display. If it
still does not lase after maximizing the fluorescence, refer to
Figure 4-1.
vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls
and Alignment.
Starter Butterfly 1. Block the pump laser beam. Turn the water to the crystal off to
Removal and prevent condensation.
Installation 2. Set the controller CW/ML/β-Lock select switch to CW. Open
the slit assembly by rotating the slit width control clockwise.
6 - 29
3. Loosen the two setscrews (Figure 3-15) that secure the

butterfly assembly on the galvo shaft, and remove the old
butterfly starter.
4. Place the new butterfly assembly on the galvo shaft such that
the top of the galvo shaft makes contact with the bottom of the
butterfly starter (Figure 6-2A, left). Do not tighten the
mounting setscrews at this point.
5. Position the butterfly as shown in Figure 6-2B, which is a
coarse Brewster’s angle alignment.
6. Raise the butterfly starter slightly (~0.5 to 1 mm) and tighten
the mounting set screws (Figure 6-2A, right).
7. Clean all four long sides of the butterfly starter. (See step 7
though step 10 in the previous procedure.)
8. Turn the water to the crystal on, and unblock the pump laser
beam.
9. Tune the Mira Optima to a wavelength near the peak of the
tuning curve.
10. Note the output power as indicated on the control box. Loosen
the starter assembly Allen head screw (Figure 3-18) that
secures the starter mount to the Mira Optima baseplate.
11. Slowly rotate the entire starter assembly clockwise or counter-
clockwise while watching the power level. Position the starter
assembly at the maximum CW power level.
12. Tighten the starter assembly using the Allen head screw.
13. Clean the butterfly while holding the stainless steel flywheel to
prevent the shaft from turning. (See step 7 though step 10 in
the previous procedure.)
14. To re-assemble, follow steps 5 through 1 in the opposite order,
and tighten the screws when the step indicates to loosen them.
6 - 30
Maintenance
2
Top of galvo
flush with top
of flywheel. 4 Top of galvo not
flush with top of
flywheel.
5
A SIDE VIEW
Starter assembly
M3
1
Align the edge of butterfly

with galvo mount screw
head as shown.
B TOP VIEW
1. Starter assembly butterfly 4. Galvo shaft

2. Stainless steel flywheel 5. Galvo
3. Allen head screws (4)
Figure 6-2. Starter Butterfly Installation
6 - 31
6 - 32
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER SEVEN
THEORY OF OPERATION
7-2
Theory Of Operation
Introduction A laser is an optical oscillator that creates a very highly directed

beam of light at a precise wavelength or frequency.
There are four important components of all lasers:
1. Energy (pump) source

2. Gain medium
3. High reflector
4. Output coupler/partial reflector
The region of space between the high reflector and the output
coupler is referred to as the laser cavity.
If the atoms in the gain medium are properly “prepared”, light
passing through the medium will be intensified, or amplified. The
high reflector at one end of the laser, and the output coupler (or
partial reflector), are aligned to cause the amplified light to return to
the gain medium for further amplification. The light traveling
strictly perpendicular to the high reflector and output coupler will
make many passes through the gain medium without zigzagging off
the mirrors and therefore be amplified significantly. This strong
“preferential treatment” of light moving in a precise direction is
what gives the laser its highly directed beam.
The output of the laser is simply a sampling of the light circulating
in the cavity provided by the output coupler. The output coupler
reflects most of the light incident on it but allows a fraction to be
transmitted, forming the output of the laser.
The Gain In most materials, light is absorbed rather than amplified. The
atomic explanation of absorption and amplification are similar; the
Medium difference is in the initial state of the atom.
Atoms are normally in their low energy state and pick up energy
from incident light, thus absorbing the light. Upon absorbing this
light, the atom is in an energetic state, and, when stimulated prop-
erly, falls to its original state and in doing so, emits light.
Atoms in their energetic or excited state can be stimulated to emit
light using light itself. If, moreover, the stimulating light and the
stimulated light are identical in wavelength, more light of that wave-
length leaves the region of the atom than arrived there. This light is
“amplified”.
7-3
Preparing the Some means are required to raise the atoms to their high energy or
Atoms for excited state, because (at normal temperatures) most are in a lower
energy state and will absorb rather than emit light. This process is
Amplification — referred to as pumping.
Pumping
There are many methods of pumping, and different methods are
appropriate for different atoms. In the case of the titanium:sapphire
laser, another laser is required as the pump laser. In order to excite
Titanium, each atom requires intense light and only a laser can
provide this highly focussed and directed light.
Longitudinal Only certain wavelengths will be amplified, depending on the details

of the amplifying medium and the mirrors. The wavelength may be
Modes further restricted by filters or other devices. In the case of Mira
Optima all three are employed.
The titanium:sapphire itself will amplify anywhere from 680 nm to
1100 nm. The laser mirrors can restrict the wavelength range further
and the birefringent filter (BRF) selects a relatively narrower portion
within this range. The wavelength is restricted even further, due to a
resonance condition similar to the vibrating frequencies of a string.
Each lasing wavelength must be precisely an integral number of half
wavelength that must “fit” between the mirrors. Since the integer is
not specified, there can be many wavelengths that satisfy this crite-
rion. Each of the wavelengths is referred to as a “longitudinal
mode”.
Transverse The light contained between the mirrors within a very well-defined
volume is much narrower than the physical diameter of the mirrors.
Mode This distribution is referred to as the “transverse mode” of the laser.
The diameter of the beam anywhere within the laser cavity

depends specifically on the distance between the mirrors. This is
important to understand the principle upon which Mira Optima
operates.
7-4
Theory Of Operation
Theory of The following explanation of mode-locking is presented in its

simplest form, but is sufficient to explain the operation of Mira
Mode-locking Optima.
Within the cavity of a mode-locked laser, a single short pulse of light
bounces back and forth between the mirrors.
At each bounce from the output coupler, a small portion of the pulse
escapes to form the output of the laser. The time between pulses is
equal to the time it takes for light to make one round trip from the
output coupler to the high reflector at the other end of the cavity back
to the output coupler. In the case of the Mira Optima, this time is
approximately 13.2 ns. Time and frequency are inversely related, so
the inverse of this time is the number of pulses per second,
commonly referred to as the repetition rate, rep rate, or sometimes
as the “frequency”. For Mira Optima, the rep rate (or frequency) is
76 MHz.
Once a pulse is formed within the cavity, most atoms that were in
their excited state—i.e. prepared to emit light—have been stimulated
by the passage of the pulse through the gain medium. For a period of
time then after passage, there are insufficient atoms in the excited
state to form and amplify another pulse. This means that only a
single pulse is formed at a time, and the output consists of a sample
of this one pulse, as it periodically arrives at the output coupler.
See the section titled “Origin of the Term “Mode-locked”” on
page 7-9 for more information on mode-locking.
Formation of
the Pulse
Active Many techniques for creating this pulse have been developed. All
Mode-locking techniques, however, act upon the laser in basically the same way.
In order to initiate the pulse, some sort of optical shutter (referred to
as a “modulator”) opens, closes, and opens at precisely the correct
rate to allow a pulse of light to pass through the shutter as it travels
back and forth between the high reflector and output coupler. Only
light that arrives at the shutter at precisely the correct time to pass
through without being blocked will be amplified. Because the
shutter is closed at all other times, a second pulse cannot be formed.
The timing of the shutter is extremely important and must be
precisely equal to the time interval between successive bounces of
the pulse to be amplified. In other words, the modulator frequency
7-5
must be precisely equal to the repetition rate (pulse frequency). If

this technique must be used to form the mode-locked pulse, great
care and ingenuity must be employed to keep these two frequencies
identical. Since the time between pulses depends on the length of the
cavity, any change in the length of the cavity must be accompanied
by an accurate readjustment of the modulator frequency.
Alternatively, the cavity length can be regulated such that the repe-
tition rate always matches the modulator frequency. There are many
very practical commercial systems (e.g., YAG and YLF lasers) that
use this type of mode-locking successfully—through ingenuity,
precision components and competent engineering—despite the
complexity of design.
Passive A shutter or modulator with timing accurately controlled externally

Mode-locking is not necessary in some mode-locked systems. If some material or
mechanism is used that automatically opens to allow the pulses
through but is closed otherwise, a self-adjusting modulator could be
constructed.
In other words, the light pulse would open its own shutter when it
arrives, rather than depending on it opening according to a timing
mechanism upon arrival. Therefore, if the pulse arrives early or late,
the shutter would still open on-time, allowing the pulse to pass
through and then close. This method is referred to as passive
mode-locking.
There are materials that behave in this manner. This is possible
because the instantaneous intensity of the pulses are extremely high
compared to the intensity when the laser is operating unpulsed or
continuously (referred to as CW operation).
Some examples of this material include organic dyes that are
normally opaque but become transparent to light of very high inten-
sity. This intensity-dependent transmission is referred to as “satu-
rable absorption”. Unfortunately, these saturable absorbers are
commonly exotic dyes with properties that are very wave-
length-dependent. They often exist in liquid form and must either be
refreshed frequently or flowing constantly. In addition, the dye
concentration must be adjusted as the laser power changes.
Mira Optima’s Coherent’s engineering team has successfully designed a saturable

Saturable absorber system that does not suffer from the limitations described
above. It uses no dyes or liquids, does not have to be renewed, oper-
Absorber System ates independently of wavelength, and is adjusted for various
powers using a simple mechanical control.
7-6
Theory Of Operation
The Mira Optima cavity was designed such that the beam diameter
within the cavity changes by a small amount as the intensity of the
light changes. More specifically, the beam diameter at certain loca-
tions within the cavity is large when the laser is operating continu-
ously (CW) but becomes smaller when the laser is producing high
intensity mode-locked pulses.
A simple slot or “slit” with adjustable width is located at the appro-
priate location, so the large diameter laser beam associated with
continuous operation is interrupted at its edges. A high-intensity
pulse, however, will pass uninterrupted through the slit because the
beam is smaller. Once the laser is operating in pulsed mode, the
small loss introduced by the slit is typically enough to completely
extinguish the CW beam. Refer to Figure 7-1.
The mode-locking device in Mira Optima is a saturable absorber
system, because, in reality, it consists of two parts:
1. A material that decreases the laser beam size in the presence of

high intensity pulses
2. The slit that introduces losses for large beams
Changing the Beam The properties of light passing through any material depends on a
Diameter property referred to as the index of refraction, or n.
The index of refraction manifests itself in two primary ways.
1. The velocity of light in a material is equal to the speed of light

in a vacuum divided by the index of refraction. Thus, the
higher the index of refraction (n), the lower the velocity of
light.
2. The amount that a beam bends when it strikes a surface is
defined by n (according to Snell’s law). If the velocity of light
is different for different parts of the light beam (that is, a
spatially dependent n), then the beam will bend or otherwise be
reshaped. This is known as refraction.
A common refractive element is the lens (e.g., a biconvex lens),
which is thicker in the middle than at the edges, so that the center of
the beam is slowed down more than the edges. This causes the light
to bend toward the center. In the case of the lens, the index of refrac-
tion is the same everywhere, but since there is more glass in the
middle than the edges, the edges are slowed down less.
A lens can also be formed by making the index of refraction at the
center of the material larger than the index at the edges. This will
also bend light and is referred to as a gradient index lens.
7-7
CW BEAM CROSS SECTION MODELOCKED BEAM

CROSS SECTION
SLIT OPEN — NO LOSS SLIT ADJUSTED FOR

FOR EITHER MODELOCKING MODELOCKING — MORE
OR CW. LOSS FOR CW.
A. BEAM CROSS SECTION
TITANIUM:SAPPHIRE
CRYSTAL
MODELOCKED BEAM CW BEAM
APERTURE
B. BEAM GEOMETRY
Figure 7-1. Mira Optima Saturable Absorber System
The most common way to change the index of a material is to change

its chemical composition. However, in Mira Optima, the index is
changed by the light itself. At sufficiently high intensity, the electric
7-8
Theory Of Operation
fields associated with the light can actually distort the atoms of the
material and alter its index. This effect is known as the optical Kerr
effect. The beam is less intense at its edges as compared to the
center, the index at the center is different, and a gradient index lens
is formed. Because the optical Kerr effect alters the index, the lens
thus formed is referred to as a Kerr lens.
The Kerr lens is formed only when the intensity of the light is
extremely high. The instantaneous intensity of mode-locked light
pulses are sufficient to form this lens, but the weak intensity of the
laser that is operating CW is not. Therefore, the lens is only formed
upon the arrival of a mode-locked pulse. It is this lens that narrows
the laser beam, and, consequently, a mechanism has now been
created that narrows the beam only for mode-locked pulses. The
addition of a slit to allow only narrow beams to pass unattenuated
now forms the complete saturable absorber system, which provides
a real driving force for mode-locking.
Origin of the Term From the explanation above, it is not obvious why this pulsed output
“Mode-locked” operation is referred to as “mode-locked”. As mentioned in the laser
description section, the laser can operate at a number of wavelengths
that satisfy the condition that an integral number of half wavelengths
will “fit” between the high reflector and output coupler. Any one of
the wavelengths that satisfy this condition is called “Longitudinal
Modes”. When several modes are lasing simultaneously, they add to
each other, so on a random basis, there are instants at that the light
from all the modes will add together, to create an intense sum.
The larger the number of modes, the higher the instantaneous inten-
sity. Figure 7-2 shows the intensity of light with varying number of
modes, randomly phased or timed.
If the phase between each mode is adjusted non-randomly and held
constant, the peak powers become much larger and the random
spiking between these pulses diminishes. This is referred to as
locking the modes together, hence the term “mode-locking”.
Once the modes are locked together, it can be shown that the larger
the number of modes locked together, the higher the pulse intensity
and the narrower the pulse. Interestingly, the frequency of the pulses
exiting the laser is precisely equal to the frequency separation of
adjacent longitudinal modes.
The Starting Normally, the laser will operate in the CW mode with minor power
fluctuations, none of which cause—even instantaneously—powers
Mechanism that are sufficiently high to cause a Kerr lens to form. Therefore,
7-9
2 Modes
5
0
0 1 2
4 Modes, Random Phase 4 Modes, Phaselocked

20 20
10 10
0 0
0 1 2 0 1 2
10 Modes, Phaselocked
10 Modes, Random Phase
100 100
80 80
60 60
10 MODES
40 40
20 20
0 0
0 1 2
0 1 2
T/(2L/C)
Figure 7-2. Intensity of Light with Varying Number of Modes

(note the difference in the vertical scales)
7 - 10
Theory Of Operation
some mechanism must be introduced to create a sufficiently high

peak power to “open” the saturable absorber system. By changing
the cavity length at the proper speed, very high-power fluctuations
can be induced. Once the instantaneous power in one of these fluc-
tuations becomes sufficiently high, a slight Kerr lens is formed, the
beam is narrowed and can pass unattenuated through the slit. This
pulse is amplified and becomes the dominant pulse that will form the
mode-locked output.
Normally, in a laser such as titanium:sapphire, only one or two
longitudinal modes operate simultaneously. This is due to the fact
that all atoms within the lasing medium are considered to be equiv-
alent and are capable of emitting light over a range of frequencies
and will emit at the same frequency as the stimulating light. There-
fore, the earliest light to reach high intensity through the amplifica-
tion process will establish the frequency for subsequent light. No
atoms will remain in their upper state to amplify light at another
frequency. In reality, two modes can operate simultaneously due to
a phenomenon known as spatial hole burning that will not be
covered here.
From the discussion above, the random fluctuations caused by even
two modes do not cause very high instantaneous powers. A prereq-
uisite for high-intensity fluctuations is that the laser be encouraged
to operate simultaneously with as many longitudinal modes as
possible. Of all the longitudinal modes that can lase, a few are more
likely than others. This is due to the fact that any wave-
length-selecting element will cause more losses on either side of the
selected wavelength. As the wavelength selector (in the case or the
Mira Optima, the BRF) is changed, some modes are discouraged and
others are encouraged. Alternately, the modes themselves can be
shifted in wavelength by changing the cavity length, so a different
set of wavelengths satisfy the “integral half waves between reflec-
tors” criterion. If the cavity length is changed rapidly enough, the
freshly discouraged modes (previously oscillating modes) will die
out, leaving atoms available for the new modes. There will be a
period during which both can be lasing simultaneously. We have
therefore created a transient condition under which the output of the
laser contains more longitudinal modes than normally possible.
Once a larger number of modes are lasing, peak intensities are
produced to initiate Kerr lens formation and the mode-locking
process begins. An additional nonlinear process, called self-phase
modulation (SPM), is initiated once these higher intensities are
approached. SPM creates additional modes adjacent to the main
pulse that result in an even more intense pulse and further reinforces
the Kerr lensing process.
7 - 11
It is important to mention that once mode-locking starts, it will

continue without the need of the starting mechanism. Thus, the rapid
length variation is then halted.
The length of the cavity is changed, not by increasing the distance
between the mirrors, but by changing the angle of a glass plate
through which the beam must travel. As the angle is changed, more
glass is traversed, and since light travels slower in glass than in air,
it is entirely equivalent to increasing the distance between the
mirrors. Both increase the time necessary to traverse the distance
between the mirrors.
Transmission
of Ultrashort
Pulses of Light
Through Glass
Group Velocity The wavelength of an ultrashort pulse of light cannot be determined

Dispersion precisely because it is formed by the sum of a distribution of wave-
lengths on either side of the center wavelength. The width of the
distribution is inversely proportional to the length of the pulse.
Moreover, in order to produce a short pulse of light from the distri-
bution, the timing or phase between each component wavelength
must be precisely correct, or the pulse will not be as short as it could
be. It is easily demonstrated that an ultrashort pulse will lengthen
after it has passed through glass. This is due to the fact that in all
normal materials, the index of refraction and therefore the speed of
light depends nonlinearly on the wavelength.
Figure 7-3 shows a hypothetical dispersion curve; i.e., a graph of
refractive index (n) versus wavelength (λ) with a shape typical of
many common materials that are transparent in the optical spectrum.
The shape is typical in the sense that the index decreases monotoni-
cally with increasing wavelength while maintaining a gradual
upward curvature. This is often referred to as “normal dispersion”,
whereas a material with a downward curvature is referred to as
having “anomalous dispersion”. At a given wavelength, the refrac-
tive index n(λ) determines the phase velocity or the velocity of a
single mode, a monochromatic wave. The slope of the refractive
(λ)
index curve, dn
--------------
dλ
, determines the group velocity and thus defines
the velocity of a wave packet (short light pulse) with a central wave-
d2n( λ)
length λ. The second derivative of the curve, ----------------
- , determines the
dλ 2
group velocity dispersion, which governs the rate at which the
frequency components of a wave packet change their relative
7 - 12
Theory Of Operation
phases. Group velocity dispersion causes temporal reshaping of

wave packets—this can be a broadening or a shortening shape
change depending upon the initial conditions (chirp) of the wave
packet spectrum. The term “chirp” means that the frequency of the
packet is changing with time as in the chirping of a bird. Referring
to Figure 7-4, we see that a pulse is said to be “positively chirped” if
its instantaneous frequency increases from leading edge to trailing
edge; i.e., the redder components lead the bluer components. This is
the type of chirp that is normally imparted to a pulse after traversing
“normal” materials with an upward curvature such as that depicted
in Figure 7-3. Its blue spectral components are retarded with respect
to the red, creating a systematic variation of phase with respect to
wavelength. Similarly, a pulse is said to be “negatively chirped” if
its red spectral components have been retarded with respect to the
blue as seen in Figure 7-4.
n(l)
( ddn(l)
l
(l
-1
( ddn(l)
l
(l
0
( ddn(l)
l
(
l1
l -1 l 0 l1
"red"
"blue"
end
l end
The curvature and hence GVD is determined by

the 2nd derivative of the dispersion relation.
2
d n(l) µ "Group Velocity
d l2 Dispersion"
Figure 7-3. Group Velocity Dispersion Derivative
7 - 13
"blues" "reds"
leading edge
B. POSITIVE CHIRP — RED FREQUENCY COMPONENTS LEAD THE BLUES

(RESULTS FROM +GVD)
"reds" "blues"
leading edge
A. NEGATIVE CHIRP — BLUE FREQUENCY COMPONENTS LEAD THE REDS

(RESULTS FROM –GVD)
Figure 7-4. Group Velocity Dispersion
Self Phase In addition to the phenomena already described, pulses in ultrafast

lasers are also affected by self-phase modulation (SPM). Due to the
Modulation optical Kerr effect, intense light pulses propagating through dense
media create a local index of refraction that is dependent on the light
field intensity. Therefore, the leading and trailing edges of the pulse
will cause less change in the index than the center where the inten-
sity is highest. This will subsequently cause parts of the pulse to
move faster, thus altering the pulse shape.
Frequency components propagating through the material are thus
phase-shifted differently, depending upon where they occur in the
pulse. This phenomena actually generates new frequencies (or elim-
inates old ones depending upon the initial conditions). These
frequency components are inherently chirped and can broaden the
pulse unless the chirp is compensated. It can be shown that chirp
which results from SPM has the same sign (positive) of the chirp
introduced through normal material GVD.
7 - 14
Theory Of Operation
Dispersion Because of self-phase modulation and the GVD from the many
dispersive elements within the laser cavity, some method must be
Compensation employed to allow the slow frequencies or wavelengths to catch up
with the faster ones. Each time it traverses the cavity, the circulating
pulse receives a slight chirp from the dispersive elements it encoun-
ters. Without compensation, the cumulative effect of even a very
small chirp per round-trip would create broadening and pulse
substructure. We thus require an element or system of elements that
has negative GVD; that is, the relationship between wavelength and
speed or index must be the reverse of what it is in a normal material.
In principle, negative chirps could be introduced by propagating the
pulse through a material at a wavelength in which the curvature of
the index curve goes downward—but in practice, this is not very
practical. To accomplish this with some variability in the magnitude
of the desired compensation, some type of special optical system
must be constructed.
In the previous paragraph on group velocity dispersion, the concept
of GVD was introduced within the context of index of refraction. It
was noted that the existence of a finite second derivative of the index
with respect to the wavelength was required in order to create GVD.
In fact, this description does not only apply to simple material
dispersion curves, but can also be generalized to any optical system
by realizing that a more general description of GVD requires the
existence of a finite second derivative of the optical pathlength with
respect to wavelength.
For a given wavelength and a given optical system, one can express
the phase evolution of the light wave traveling through the system
by taking into account all of the effects that occur along the optical
path, including refraction at surfaces. A pathlength curve, analogous
to that shown in Figure 7-3, can be constructed for any complex
optical structure having wavelength-dependent beam paths. There-
fore, group velocity dispersion can be regarded as a property of an
optical construction.
There are two common optical configurations that can introduce a
negative chirp. Which optical configuration that is used depends on
the bandwidth of the pulse and the amount of negative chirp that
needs to be introduced. The optical system used in the femtosecond
version of the Mira Optima consists of a pair of prisms separated by
a distance oriented in a specific way with respect to each other. The
optical system used in the picosecond version of the Mira Optima is
a Gires-Tournois Interferometer (GTI).
The GTI is a type of etalon. As with any etalon, the reflected light
has a small amplitude modulation with a period that depends on the
plate spacing. In addition to the amplitude modulation, the GTI also
introduces a modulation in the GVD. The GVD modulation has the
7 - 15
same period but a different phase than the amplitude modulation. It

is designed such that the negative GVD portion of the modulation
cancels the positive GVD that is obtained from the rest of the pico-
second cavity. Thus for discreet wavelengths, separated by the
period of the modulation (several nanometers), the Mira Optima can
mode-lock and maintain a picosecond pulse.
The spacing of the Mira Optima GTI is controlled by a PZT. As this
spacing is changed, there is a small, inconsequential change in the
modulation period and a significant change in the phase of the
modulation. This change thus shifts the location of the discreet
wavelengths that are supported by the cavity. With this control it is
possible to mode-lock the Mira Optima at any wavelength. β-Lock
actively monitors the small amount of transmitted light that passes
through the GTI and adjusts the PZT location in order to maintain the
appropriate GVD compensation. With this feature, it is possible to
scan over small wavelength ranges without an interruption in
mode-locked picosecond pulses.
The Formation In practice, the pulse-forming mechanism is dynamic in nature. This

is due to the fact that, although the GTI and optical material within
of Final Pulse the cavity define the total dispersion within the cavity, self phase
Width modulation depends on the intensity of the pulse. As the pulse gets
shorter, its intensity becomes higher because all of the energy in the
long pulse is now emitted over a shorter interval. There is therefore
more self phase modulation and hence more broadening.
Finally, the pulse reaches a stable width and pulse amplitude. This
process of establishing an equilibrium pulse, which upon one trip
through the cavity remains unchanged, is related to a nonlinear pulse
formation process called Soliton-formation. The periodically
reforming wave is referred to as a Soliton. Soliton-like pulse forma-
tion has many attractive features. Most importantly, if the pulse
becomes more intense for some reason, the increased self-phase
modulation will cause the pulse to broaden, distributing the pulse
energy over a longer period of time and thus reducing the pulse
intensity. The laser, therefore, is self-regulating and results in an
extremely stable output.
The Effect of Stable pulses can be formed only when the chirping caused by SPM
plus material GVD cancels the negative GVD introduced by the
GVD on GTI. Under these conditions, the red and blue wavelength compo-
Stability and nents of the pulse do not change their relative positions within the
Pulse Width pulse over one complete round trip through the cavity. As the
amount of positive GVD is changed by inserting or removing mate-
7 - 16
Theory Of Operation
rial from the cavity, the pulse changes width. This must be true
because adding more material GVD changes the balance between
material positive GVD, negative GTI GVD, and chirp caused by
SPM. Only SPM can be changed dynamically. In order for the total
GVD to be the same, the pulse peak power must change. This
changes its width so that the energy per pulse is the same.
Following is the relationship governing soliton pulse shaping in
homogeneous media (such as an optical fiber).
Equation [7-1]. Relationship Governing Soliton Pulse Shaping
2 β
τ = -------
λP
β = Sum of positive material GVD and GTI negative GVD
γ = SPM coefficient
τ = pulse width
P = peak power in pulse
P is regulated by the soliton formation mechanism and can be
considered constant for a given pump power, output coupler and
wavelength.
γ is related to the nonlinear properties of titanium:sapphire and is
also a constant. It represents the nonlinear phase shift in tita-
nium:sapphire per unit length per unit power.
β can be varied in the Mira Optima by adjusting the GTI PZT. With
this scheme, the total β increases from negative towards zero to
slightly positive.
Strictly speaking, the equation above does not apply to an inhomo-
geneous medium (such as a laser cavity) in which the sources of
SPM, and negative and positive GVD are physically separated but it
nonetheless offers considerable guidance in scaling the laser
behavior and understanding the phenomena that pertain in the Mira
Optima cavity. This is the reason the pulse formation is referred to
as “soliton-like”.
Therefore, the equation above indicates that as more negative GVD
is inserted in the cavity, the pulse shortens; i.e., the magnitude of β
decreases.
Description of Because the saturable absorber cross-section in the Mira Optima

CW Detector system may be varied with slit width, it is necessary to indicate when
the slit has eliminated the CW portion of the output mode. A scan-
ning etalon with free spectral range less than the Mode-locked spec-
7 - 17
tral width is employed. Even an extremely small CW component

results in etalon fringes that are detected as a modulated transmitted
power into the CW detector.
This detection system is sufficiently sensitive, such that if no CW
power is indicated on the controller display, the average power in the
CW component is less than 1%. Experimentally, this average level
is below 1E–4, the ratio of peak power to average CW power at this
level is 1E+9. The disappearance of the CW mode is abrupt; there is
either an indication of CW on the controller or the CW component
has been reduced to a very low level, as indicated above.
Factors Since SPM is dependent on intensity, stable mode-locked operation

Influencing depends on maintaining the proper power inside the cavity. There-
fore any problem that reduces the output power from its nominal
Mode-locked value will compromise the ability of the system to produce stable
Operation pulses.
Alignment If the system is not optimally aligned to obtain the nominal average
power, the power within the cavity will be different that will effect
the stability of performance. Both the pump beam and laser cavity
mirrors must be optimally aligned. (Procedures for alignment and
cleaning are covered in other chapters of this manual.)
Mode Quality of If the transverse mode quality of the pump laser is not nominal,
Pump Laser pumping efficiency will be compromised and laser power will be
lost.
Differential Overlap Another issue intimately related to the mode quality of the pump
laser involves the overlap between the pumping laser beam and the
intracavity beam inside the gain medium. In addition to the changing
size at the slit, the formation of the Kerr Lens causes the intracavity
beam to change size and shape inside the titanium:sapphire. With
proper design, this effect can be utilized to produce differential gain
in favor of mode-locked operation, thus enhancing the saturable
absorption system. In the design of the Mira Optima, this size/shape
change between CW and mode-locked operation has been optimized
for the nominal pump volume created by standard Coherent pump
sources. Substantial deviation from the standard pump volume
criteria will generally lead to unpredictable results.
7 - 18
Theory Of Operation
Pump Power System output power stability and starting reliability may be
compromised if pump power is varied more than 20% from nominal
value. Coherent strongly recommends that the pump power used
during the factory alignment be maintained unless Coherent advises
otherwise.
Contaminated Optics Any loss within the laser reduces the power and affects the pulse
stability.
Slit Width If the slit is too wide or too narrow, stable pulses will not be formed.
If the slit is too wide, both mode-locked and CW beam diameters
will pass through. Refer to Figure 7-1. Any CW component of the
output is an indication that the slit is too wide.
Also, if the slit width is too wide, multiple pulsing can be observed.
Multiple pulsing is indicated by any of the following:
1. Modified waveform seen from the output of the fast photo-

diode.
2. Mode-locking rep rate at 152 MHz.
3. Multiple pulses seen on the autocorrelator.
4. Abnormally narrow bandwidth.
5. Abnormally high mode-locked power with no indication of
increased peak power such as increased signal height on auto-
correlator or other experimental nonlinear outputs. In this case,
the pulse as seen on fast photodiode will have two distinct
heights as the slit is closed. The lower value is the correct one.
If the slit is too narrow, relaxation oscillations will often modulate
the output power that can be seen on an oscilloscope as erratic pulse
intensity as well as in the autocorrelator as a modulation on the pulse
shape. This condition is often referred to as Q-Switching.
Beam Clipping It is possible through mechanical misalignment that the beam may
not pass clearly through the various intracavity apertures. This
results in losses that reduce the intracavity power. Because the beam
moves as the wavelength is changed, the beam must strike all
mirrors far from the edges.
7 - 19
Titanium:sapphire There is a weak dependence of output power on titanium:sapphire

Temperature temperature. Elevated temperatures reduce power and make pulse
formation less stable. To minimize the total variation in output
power, Coherent recommends that water temperature be regulated to
within ±0.1 degree.
Purge Gases The Mira Optima packaging allows the intracavity space be purged
with water-free gas. Coherent recommends when operating the laser
at above 890 nm, a dry nitrogen purge be maintained.
In addition, between 920 nm and 980 nm, strong water absorption
interferes with the operation of the system. A high-velocity purge of
the package for several hours is sufficient to bring the humidity to
near zero. In this tuning region in particular, maintenance of the rela-
tive humidity must remain below 5%.
Other weaker absorption lines appear in the vicinity of 780 nm and
850 nm, but under most conditions it is not necessary to purge the
cavity at these wavelengths.
Propagation of In any experimental arrangement, the fact that ultrashort pulses

Ultrashort Pulses broaden when passing through any glass must be taken into consid-
eration. In general, the shorter the initial pulse, the greater the broad-
Through Optical ening. In other words, the broadening experienced by a picosecond
Materials pulse is significantly less than a femtosecond pulse. Also, many
types of glass have significantly different dispersion properties.
Figure 7-5 shows the effect of several common types of glass on the
pulsewidth of a 100 fs pulse. It can be seen that fused silica and BK7
are relatively benign whereas a dense glass such as SF10 should
certainly be avoided.
Autocorrelation A real-time autocorrelator is a recommended alignment and mainte-

nance tool for the Mira Optima. In Chapter Four, Daily Operation,
assume that an autocorrelator is available at all times to monitor the
pulse characteristics. The following sections describe the operating
principles of a rotating mirror autocorrelator.
Optical Schematic The optical schematic of a rotating mirror autocorrelator is shown in

Overview Figure 7-6. The laser beam enters the input port and strikes the beam
splitter, forming two beams designated as “Fixed” and “Variable”.
The fixed beam path is defined by mirrors M1 through M3 and has
a total distance DF. The variable beam path includes mirror M4 and
7 - 20
Theory Of Operation
10
9 SF 10
6
% Broadening
3 BK7
2
1 FUSED SILICA
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Glass Thickness (mm)
Figure 7-5. Comparison of Pulse Broadening in Fused Silica, BK7,

and SF10 for 100 fs Pulse
Fixed beam path (D F)

M3 M1
Rotating
M2 mirror
M4
Variable beam path (D v)t

Rotating
Non collinear mirror
second harmonic assembly
Beamsplitter
Scope Angle tuned
drive SHG crystal Lens

Photo-
multiplier Rotating
mirror
Input beam
Figure 7-6. Autocorrelator Optical Schematic Diagram
7 - 21
the spinning mirror assembly that creates a time-dependent beam

distance DV(t). The two beams are parallel but slightly separated
when they reach the lens, which refracts them along mutually
converging paths that cross in the second harmonic crystal. An
output second harmonic beam (at half the laser wavelength) appears
after the crystal, traveling in a direction that bisects the angle
between the two input beams. This beam contains the autocorrela-
tion signal and is detected by the photomultiplier.
The Concept Of When a single pulse with envelope function E(t) enters the autocor-
Autocorrelation relator, it is split by the beamsplitter into two identical copies. The
DF
one which follows the fixed path requires a time interval of ------c
- to
reach the lens, whereas the one that follows the variable path
DV ( t )
requires -------------
-.
c
E(t) has been converted to a signal of the form:
D D
E  t – ------F- + E  t – ------V- = E ( t )
 c  c
at the lens. The two copies of the pulse travel to the SHG. In general,
second harmonic generation produces an output proportional to the
square of the input, or in this case.
Equation [7-2]. Square of the Envelope Function of the Signal in the Auto-
correlator
D D V ( t ) D D
E  t – ------F- +  E  t – -------------
2 2
- + E  t – ------F- E  t – ------V- 
 c    c   c   c 
The first term of Equation [7-2] represents a second harmonic pulse
formed only from light that propagated along the fixed beam path,
and the second term is the same quantity for the variable beam path.
The third term, however, represents a pulse formed from a mixing of
the light that traveled along the two different paths. Its magnitude
depends on the path difference between the fixed and variable arms
of the autocorrelator, as can be seen by substituting t' = t – D
------F- into
Equation [7-2] and rearranging the terms to produce: c
Equation [7-3]. The Envolope Function Expressed as a Function of the

Temporal Path Difference of the Two Arms
2 2
E ( t' ) + E ( t' – A ( t ) ) + E ( t' )E ( t' – A ( t ) )
(D – D (t))
where A ( t ) = ----------------------------
V
- is the time difference introduced by the auto-
c
correlator between the fixed and variable copies of the pulse,
changing over time according to the action of the spinning mirrors.
7 - 22
Theory Of Operation
The photomultiplier tube (PMT) is much slower than the pulse enve-
lope function E(t). The photomultiplier therefore integrates the light
incident upon it and produces a signal S(t) that is mathematically the
integral of Equation [7-3].
Equation [7-4]. Response of the PMT to the Incident Light
2 2
S(t) = ∫ ( ( E ( ( t' ) + E t' – A ( t ) ) + E ( t' )E ( t' – A ( t ) ) ) dt'
The first two integrals are identical and are independent of the path
difference A(t). The third integral contains the pulse autocorrelation
information that we wish to measure.
Background-Free While it is possible to obtain useful information from the signal

Autocorrelation by represented by Equation [7-4], the first two integrals constitute a
fixed background level that complicates the interpretation of
Non-Collinear observed data. These two integrals are effectively eliminated by the
Phase Matching method of non-collinear phase matching in the SHG crystal. A
simple theoretical understanding of this method can be gained from
the momentum representation of the second harmonic process, in
which there is a three-wave interaction satisfying the following
conservation requirement.
Equation [7-5]. The conservation of momentum for a Second Harmonic
process
k F + k V = k SHG
The k’s are vector quantities associated with the fixed, variable, and
second harmonic light fields, respectively. The direction of each k is
the direction of beam propagation and the magnitude of each k is
inversely proportional to the wavelength of the light. The vector
equation (Equation [7-5]) can be represented geometrically for the
case of non-collinear phase matching by Figure 7-7, where it is
assumed that kF and kV are identical in magnitude but slightly
different in direction. The figure shows that the direction of kSHG
must fall halfway between the fixed and variable beam directions.
Thus the non-collinearly phase-matched pulse, the third term in
Equation [7-5], can be identified and selected by its propagation
direction. The photomultiplier is positioned behind a small entrance
slit that passes predominantly the non-collinear beam, thus
measuring a signal produced by only the third term in
Equation [7-4]. This is often called background-free autocorrela-
tion.
7 - 23
KSHG
KF
KV
Figure 7-7. Non-collinear Phase Matching
Calibration and The below expression for A(t) is a reasonable approximation for the
Real-time Display changes that occur in the variable delay path as a function of time.
A ( t ) = t 0 + mt
Deviations from the straight line approximation behavior can be

evaluated by calibrating the autocorrelator at several different posi-
tions within its total scan range. For measurement of Mira Optima
pulses such deviations are generally not significant.
Equation [7-6]. Respone of the PMT Expressed as a Function of the Pulse
Time Delay
S ( t'' ) = ∫ E ( t' )E ( t' – t0 + t'' ) dt'

The substitution t" = mt, relating pulse delay time t" to real time t,
has been made. This is the exact expression for the pulse autocorre-
lation function (except for the constant offset to). The variable t" is
the pulse time delay introduced by the spinning mirrors. It is related
to real time by the constant factor m that is the calibration factor for
the autocorrelator.
When making an autocorrelation measurement on a high repetition
rate laser such as the Mira Optima, pulses are continually incident
on the autocorrelator. The photomultiplier signal represents the
instantaneous value of S(t"), that varies over time as the mirrors spin.
On most autocorrelators, the photomultiplier output is then sent to an
oscilloscope (some autocorrelators have a built-in display) to
provide a real-time display of the autocorrelation function. The cali-
bration factor m must be applied to the real-time display to convert
real time t to pulse delay time t".
7 - 24
Theory Of Operation
A typical calibration factor might be 30 ps/ms, indicating that a

30 ps pulse autocorrelation width would produce an oscilloscope
trace with a FWHM of 1 ms. A Mira Optima pulse with an autocor-
relation width of 300 fs would therefore produce an oscilloscope
trace with a FWHM of 10 µs.
Time Resolution The time resolution of the autocorrelator is related to the time
constant of the photomultiplier. An estimated time resolution is
obtained by multiplying this time constant by the calibration factor.
Interpretation of An autocorrelation trace is an indirect measure of a pulse shape and

Autocorrelation in principle cannot reveal the exact shape of E(t). For example, S(t")
in Equation [7-6] is always symmetrical about the position t"-to;
Traces autocorrelation functions are always symmetrical around their peak.
Information about asymmetries in E(t) is therefore unavailable from
a measurement of S(t").
As a tool for measuring pulse widths, autocorrelation techniques are
limited by the fact that there is no general relationship between the
width of S(t") and the width of E(t). The ratio of FWHMs between
S(t") and E(t) can be calculated for model pulse shapes, but it is diffi-
cult to estimate the validity of the model for a given practical situa-
tion. Table 7-1 lists some common model pulse shapes and the
corresponding FWHM ratio.
Autocorrelation traces for Mira Optima pulses suggest by their func-
tional form that they are best described by a sech2. Table 7-1 indi-
cates that a factor of 0.648 should be applied to convert observed
autocorrelation widths to actual pulse widths. While such a conver-
sion may provide a useful insight into the detailed properties of the
pulse, it should be done with an awareness of the assumptions and
possible errors involved.
Time-Bandwidth Multiplying together the spectral bandwidth and the real temporal
width produces the time-bandwidth product, that has a theoretical
Product minimum value known as the transform limit. This chapter defines
this terminology.
The time-dependent electric field E(t) associated with any laser
pulse at a fixed point in space can be written in general form as in
Equation [7-7].
Equation [7-7]. Time-Dependent Electric Field
E ( t ) = A ( t ) exp ( – iω 0 t )
7 - 25
Table 7-1. Time-Bandwidth Products For Typical Model Pulse Shapes
FUNCTION Ι (T) ΤP/ΤAC ∆Ν ΤAC ∆Ν ΤP

Square 1 1 1
 1 ; t ≤ τp ⁄ 2 
I ( t ) =  ------------------------------- 
 0 ; t > τp ⁄ 2 
Gaussian 0.707 0.624 0.441

4 ( ln2 ) t 2
I ( t ) = exp – ------------------------
τp ⁄ 2
Hyperbolic secant 0.648 0.486 0.315

 1.76t
I ( t ) = sech 2  --------------
 τp 
Lorenzian 0.500 0.441 0.2206

1 -
I ( t ) = -------------------------
 2
4t
1 +  ----------
τ 2
 p 
Symmetric 2-sided exponential 0.413 0.344 0.142

I ( t ) = exp – 2 t----------------
( ln2 )
-
τp
τ p ≡ FWHM of intensity envelope function in seconds.

τ ac ≡ FWHM of autocorrelation function of corresponding intensity envelope.
∆ν ≡ FWHM of power spectrum in units of Hertz.
In this expression, A(t) is the envelope function and ωo is the carrier

frequency. Both A(t) and E(t) are complex functions. The frequency
spectrum associated with the pulse E(t) is given by the Fourier trans-
form of E(t), that is designated E´(ω).
Equation [7-8]. Fourier Transform of E(t)
1 – iωt
E ( ω ) =  ------ E ( t )e
∫ dt
 2π
Equation [7-9]. Fourier Transform of E'(t)
E' ( ω ) = A' ( ω – ω 0 )
While the functions A(t) and A´(ω) are complex, only the square of
the field; i.e., |E(t)|2 or |E(ω)|2, is generally observable due to the fact
that photodetectors respond to intensity (power) and not to E-field.
Thus information about the imaginary parts of E(t) and E´(ω) that
relate to phase variation within the pulse is not directly observable.
7 - 26
Theory Of Operation
However, this information can be inferred by comparing the pulse

envelope intensity |A(t)|2 with the power spectrum |A(ω)|2. A simple
approach to this can be taken in cases where the envelope functions
A(t) and A´(ω) are smoothly varying. One can then define the inten-
sity temporal width and the pulse bandwidth of the power spectrum
as:
Equation [7-10]. Pulse Width (Seconds)
2
τ p = FWHM ( A ( t ) )
Equation [7-11]. Bandwidth (Hz)
2
∆ν = 2πFWHM ( A' ( ω ) )
FWHM denotes the full width at half maximum.
The observable quantities τp and ∆ν determine the time-bandwidth
product (T).
Equation [7-12]. Time-Bandwidth Product
τ p × ∆ν = T
The time-bandwidth product is an easily measured characteristic of
ultrafast pulses. It provides a useful estimate of pulse quality, since
it achieves its minimum value when A(t) is purely real and the pulse
is fully phase coherent. For ultrafast pulses, however, interpretation
of time-bandwidth product data suffers from the limitation that the
pulse envelope function |A(t)|2 can only be measured indirectly by
means of autocorrelation techniques. It is possible to examine
several model functions for A(t) and to calculate the minimum
time-bandwidth product for each model using Equation [7-7]
through Equation [7-11]. This information is presented in Table 7-1.
7 - 27
7 - 28
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CHAPTER EIGHT
PICOSECOND TO FEMTOSECOND
CONVERSION
8-2
Picosecond to Femtosecond Conversions
Introduction The Mira Optima is sold in one of three different configurations.

• Mira Optima 900-F: sub-150 femtosecond pulses
• Mira Optima 900-P: sub-5 picosecond pulses
• Mira Optima 900-D: Configurable as either of the above.
This chapter details the conversion between the two pulse regimes
available from the Mira Optima 900-D. At any time the Mira Optima
900-P can be field upgraded to the Mira Optima 900-D.
Picosecond to
Femtosecond
Conversion
Conversion A summary of Mira Optima conversion from picosecond to femto-

Summary second is listed below. The following paragraphs in this chapter
contain detailed procedures for each process step listed below.
• Remove the picosecond birefringent filter and install the
femtosecond birefringent filter.
• Remove the picosecond output coupler (M1) and install the
femtosecond output coupler (M1).
• Insert BP1 into the beam path.
Birefringent Filter 1. Block the pump laser beam. Turn the water to the crystal off to
Removal and prevent condensation. Set the controller CW/ML/β-Lock
select switch to CW.
Replacement
2. Remove the button head screw on the side of the BRF
assembly, Refer to Figure 3-7. Remove the three-plate BRF
and replace it with the one-plate BRF.
3. Close and adjust the M2 alignment aperture so it is centered
over the M2 optic.
laser beam.
8-3
5. Use M3 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to center the

fluorescence on the M2 aperture. If necessary, block the
retroreflection from M1 in order to see the fluorescence from
M3 cleanly.
tion the fluorescence on to the center of the output coupler M1.
an IR viewer.
9. Open the M2 aperture. Adjust M1 horizontal and vertical tilt
angle controls to maximize the fluorescence (or laser power)
on the controller display. If the Mira Optima does not lase after
maximizing the fluorescence, repeat the alignment procedure
or refer to Figure 4-1.
10. Maximize the output power using M1, the GTI, and P2 hori-
zontal and vertical tilt angle controls respectively
11. Verify that the BRF is at the peak of the tuning curve. Refer to
tuning chart for micrometer setting.
exact center of both butterfly arms vertically. If not, use the M3
vertical tilt angle control to adjust the vertical position on the
butterfly arm closest to the slit. Use M4 vertical tilt angle
control to adjust the vertical position on the butterfly arm
closest to the side. For more information, refer to the para-
graphs titled “Walking the Beam” on page 5-22 or “Walking
the Beam” on page 8-7.
3. Remove the slit assembly by removing the 2 mounting screws
(Figure 3-4).
4. Loosen the setscrew on top of the picosecond output coupler
M1 mount (Figure 3-4) and remove the optic by pushing the
optic from the output side with the soft end of a cotton swab.
8-4


to be cleaned.

7. Gently wipe both sides of the femtosecond output coupler.
the new optic with the flat side facing up, and the arrow on the
side of the optic pointing towards M2. Tighten the setscrew.
laser beam.
SUPPRESSION that is the most sensitive display on the
controller.
12. Close and adjust the M2 alignment aperture so that the fluores-
cent reflection from M3 is centered in the aperture. If neces-
sary, block the retroreflection from M1 in order to cleanly see
the fluorescence from M3.
an IR viewer.
15. Open the M2 aperture. Adjust M1 horizontal and vertical tilt
angle controls to maximize the fluorescence (or laser power)
on the controller display. If the Mira Optima does not lase after
maximizing the fluorescence, repeat the alignment procedure
or refer to Figure 4-1.
16. Maximize the output power using M1, the GTI, and P2 hori-
zontal and vertical tilt angle controls respectively.
17. Re-install the slit assembly. Open the slit assembly by rotating
the slit width control fully clockwise.
8-5
BP1 Installation 1. Tune to a wavelength near the center of the optics set tuning
range.
2. Turn BP1 micrometer translation adjust (Figure 3-2) counter-
clockwise to translate prism BP1 into the beam path so the
output power is reduced by 50%.
Do not rotate either BP1 or BP2. The rotational position of these

prisms is critical for optimal tuning and pulsewidth. The proce-
dure for setting the rotational position of the prisms is detailed
later in case the rotational position of one of the prisms has been
moved from the factory setting
3. Locate the beam on the M6 optic that is refracted from the

auxiliary cavity.
4. Close and adjust the M6 aperture to center it on the refracted
beam spot (it may be necessary to block the retro-reflection
from M7). Follow the reflection from M6 to BP2. If necessary
translate BP2 until the tip of the prism refracts the beam to M7.
5. Locate the retro-reflected spot (from M7) on the M6 aperture
face. Take note of the power reading on the Optima control
box.
6. Adjust M7 horizontal and vertical tilt angle controls to position
the retro-reflection into the M6 alignment aperture.
7. Make small adjustments to the M7 horizontal and vertical tilt
angle controls until the power level on the control box
increases by at least 5%.
8. Translate BP1 (turn micrometer counterclockwise) into the
beam path until the pump beam travels through 3 to 4 mm of
the prism.
9. Toggle the controller AUTO RANGE/PEAK RESET switch to
PEAK RESET.
10. Open the aperture on M6.
11. Maximize the output power using the M7 vertical and hori-
zontal tilt angle controls.
12. Maximize the output power using the M1 and P2 vertical and
horizontal tilt angle controls.
Mode-locking 1. After the output power is maximized using M7, reduce the slit
width (turn the slit width control counterclockwise) until the
output power is reduced approximately 50%.
8-6
2. Rotate the slit horizontal translation control for maximum

output power. This centers the slit in the beam.
3. Repeat the previous two steps two or three times to ensure that
the slit is centered.
4. Turn BP2 control clockwise until laser power drops to 50% of
original power. Then turn the BP2 control counterclockwise:
• 2 turns if the BRF is set for a wavelength longer than
960 nm
• 3 turns if the BRF is set for a wavelength between
730-960 nm
• 4 turns if the BRF is set for a wavelength shorter than
730 nm
5. Set the CW/ML/β-Lock switch on the controller to ML. Opti-
mize the slit width control for maximum power with zero CW
content as viewed on the controller display.
• The fast diode display from Mira Optima laser head can
be displayed on a 50-ohm terminated oscilloscope to
determine mode-locked operation (Figure 4-3).
• After the system is mode-locked, adjust the BP2
micrometer for optimum pulse width while observing the
pulse with an autocorrelator.
Walking the Beam “Walking the beam” refers to the procedure to adjust the beam posi-
tion between two adjacent mirrors such as M2 and M3. This proce-
dure is executed while the system is lasing.

hazards.
Assume that the beam is not striking M2 in the center. Walk the
beam as follows:
1. Adjust the M3 vertical tilt angle control to move the beam in

the direction to center the beam on M2 until the power has
decreased approximately 20%.
2. Adjust M2 vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls to recover
power.
8-7
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the position on M2 is satisfactory.

Each repetition of steps 1 and 2 moves the beam about 0.25 to
0.5 mm.
4. Performing steps 1 through 3 affects the beam position on all
optics on the same side of the crystal. Continue to walk the
beam on all optics progressing to the end mirror as listed
below.
• M4, M3, M2, M1
• M5, M6, M7
8-8
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
APPENDIX A
INSTALLATION WITH AN
ION PUMP SOURCE
A-2
Installation with an Ion Pump Source
Introduction This chapter details the main differences between pumping with a
Coherent Verdi Series DPSS pump source and a Coherent Ion pump
source.
Ion Pump 1. Ensure the pump laser is turned off.

Laser Setup 2. Carefully lift the pump laser and install a retaining/positioning
block (supplied with the Mira Optima) under each foot. Ensure
the correct blocks are used.
3. Position a power meter or beam block at the pump laser output
aperture.
4. Turn on the pump laser in accordance with the pump laser
operator’s manual. Adjust the power for a low power output
(approximately 100 mW). High and low power can be set in
the controller memory of the pump laser to accomplish
toggling between the two power settings.
If using a Coherent Innova 300 series ion laser as a pump laser,
install the low divergence output coupler P/N: 0163-321-00.
The Innova series 200, 400, or Sabre ion lasers should auto-
matically satisfy the low divergence requirement in their stan-
dard configurations.
5. The pump laser should also be operated in Light Regulation
Mode (see pump laser operator’s manual).
Ion Pump Beam 1. Position the alignment fixture #1 (Figure A-1) on the optical
table approximately 6 in. (15 cm) in front the pump laser
Height and output aperture. Position the power meter or beam block
Leveling behind the alignment fixture.
Adjustments 2. Adjust the front legs of the pump laser so that the pump beam
is centered in the top hole of alignment fixture #1. Do this in
accordance with the pump laser operator’s manual. The pump
laser must remain level (in the horizontal plane perpendicular
to the beam axis) during this process.
3. Position alignment fixture #2 (Figure A-1) approximately 4 ft.
(122 cm) in front the pump laser output aperture. Move the
power meter or beam block behind the alignment fixture.
4. Adjust the rear feet of the pump laser so that the pump beam is
centered in the top aperture of alignment fixture #2. The pump
laser must remain level (in the horizontal plane perpendicular
to the beam axis) during this process.
A-3
Aperture
Alignment Fixture
Beam Block
or Power Meter
Alignment Alignment
Fixture #2 Fixture #1
Output Beam
(Low Power) Pump Laser
Optical Table
» 6 inches
» 4 feet (122 cm) (15 cm)
Figure A-1. Pump Laser Alignment
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 until the output beam travels through

the top apertures of both alignment fixtures without read-
justing the pump laser. This positions the output beam parallel
to the table top at 4.75 in. (12.06 cm) above the table. Leave
the alignment fixtures in place.
6. Clamp down the pump laser head using the foot clamps
provided in the Mira Optima accessory kit. Verify that the
beam did not move and still travels correctly through both
alignment fixtures. If the beam moved, repeat the pump beam
height and leveling adjustments procedure.
A-4
7. Remove the alignment fixtures and proceed with the Mira

Optima installation.
Tuning Curves This following pages contain typical tuning curves for Ion pumped
Mira Optima systems with short wave (SW) or long wave (LW)
optic sets. For information on tuning with a peak wave (PW) or
extended long wave (ELW) optic set contact your local sales repre-
sentative or call Coherent Advance Technical Sales at (800)
527-3786.
A-5
Mira ™ 900 - Picosecond LPSW-PICO

Titanium:Sapphire Laser Fact Sheet
SW O PTIC S ET Optical Layout and Part Numbers
M8
M10
GTI
M4 M5
L1
M2 M1
SG
BRF
M3
Mirror Part Number Radius Description Mirror Part Number Radius Description
P0 - P4 0161-712-00 Flat Periscope Optics M5 0163-050-00 10.0 cm High Reflector
L1 0163-052-00 Focusing Lens M8 0158-791-09 Flat High Reflector
M1 0163-652-00 Flat Output Coupler M10 0158-791-09 Flat High Reflector
M2,M3 0158-791-09 Flat High Reflector GTI 0163-799-00 Gires Tournois
M4 0163-048-00 10.0 cm High Reflector SG 0163-147-00 Starter Galvo Assembly
Xtal 0161-938-00 Ti:Saph Crystal BRF 0163-800-00 Birefringent Filter
Ti:Sapphire Tuning Curve 8.0 WATT PUMP Non-Specified * See Note
Pump Source Innova 310
6
1.0
Autocorrelation Width (ps)

Relative Laser Output
0.8 4
0.6
0.4 2
0.2
0.0 0
680 700 720 740 760 780 800 820 840
Relative Laser Output Wavelength (nm) Autocorrelation Width (ps)
*The maximum peak output power achieved in the Mira 900-P configuration by Coherent personnel is 1160 mW
Specifications: Pump Power 8.0 Watts @ Multiline

Average Output Power: 600 mW Picosecond Tuning Range: 720 -810 nm
Autocorrelation Width: < 3.0 ps Beam Diameter at the Output Coupler: 0.8 mm ± 0.1
Peak Power [calculated(sech^2)]: 4.0 kW Divergence (Full Angle): 1.5 mRad ± 0.2
Noise [rms measured in 10 Hz - 2MHz]: < 2.0% Polarization: Horizontal
Mode: TEM00 Repetition Rate: 76 MHz

Notes:
1. Specifications only apply with Coherent pump lasers equipped with PowerTrack™ active stabilization.
2. When operating the laser between 759 - 766 nm the cavity must be purged with N 2 to improve overall performance.
A-6 Rev F.9/92

Mira ™ 900 - Picosecond LPLW-PICO

LW O PTIC S ET Optical Layout and Part Numbers
M8
M10
GTI
M4 M5
L1
M2 M1
SG
BRF
M3
6
1.0 5

0.8 4
0.6 3
0.4 2
0.2 1
0.0 0
880 900 920 940 960 980 1000 1020 1040

Average Output Power: 270 mW Picosecond Tuning Range: 900-980 nm
Noise [rms measured in 10 Hz - 2Mhz]: < 2.0% Polarization: Horizontal

Notes:
2. When operating the laser between 925 - 966 nm the cavity must be purged with N 2 for proper operation.
A-7 Rev F. 9/92
Mira ™ 900 - Picosecond HPSW-PICO

SW O PTIC S ET Optical Layout and Part Numbers
M8
M10
GTI
M4 M5
L1
M2 M1
SG
BRF
M3
6
1.0 5

0.8 4
0.6 3
0.4 2
0.2 1
0.0 0
680 700 720 740 760 780 800 820 840

Average Output Power: 1300 mW Picosecond Tuning Range: 710 -810 nm
Noise [rms measured in 10 Hz - 2MHz]: < 2.0% Polarization: Horizontal

Notes:
2. When operating the laser between 759 - 766 nm the cavity must be purged with N 2 to improve overall performance.
A-8 Rev F.9/92

Mira ™ 900 - Picosecond HPLW-PICO

LW O PTIC S ET Optical Layout and Part Numbers
M8
M10
GTI
M4 M5
L1
M2 M1
SG
BRF
M3
6
1.0 5

0.8
0.6 3
0.4 2
0.2 1
0.0 0
880 900 920 940 960 980 1000 1020 1040 1060

Average Output Power: 600 mW Picosecond Tuning Range: 900-1000 nm
Noise [rms measured in 10 Hz - 2Mhz]: < 2.0% Polarization: Horizontal

Notes:
2. When operating the laser between 925 - 966 nm the cavity must be purged with N 2 for proper operation.
A-9 Rev F. 9/92

A - 10
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
APPENDIX B
MIRA OPTIMA OPTIONS,
ACCESSORIES, AND SYSTEMS
B-2
Mira Optima Options, Accessories, and Systems
Introduction The Mira Optima is available with many different options and acces-
sories. In addition to these, the Mira Optima can also be used to
pump different laser systems that can among other things signifi-
cantly increase the wavelength tuning range. Contact your local
sales representative or call Coherent Advance Technical Sales at
(800) 527-3786 for more information.
Options • Mira Optima Optic sets: The tuning range of the Ti:Sapphire
extends from below 690 nm to above 1080 nm. There are five
sets of optics for the Mira Optima laser. The optic sets are
called short wavelength (SW), peak wavelength (PW), long
wavelength (LW), extended wavelength (XW) and extended
long wavelength (ELW). The part numbers for these sets are
listed in the appendix.
• Pulsewidth: Reconfigure the Mira Optima to generate either
picosecond or femtosecond pulsewidths. In addition to the
standard 3 picosecond option, custom picosecond pulsewidths
are available upon request that range from around
1 picosecond to over 7 picoseconds.
• Pump source: Upgrade the Mira Optima pump source from an
ion laser or a 5 or 6 W Verdi to an 8 or 10 W Verdi.
Accessories • Power Meters: A full range of Power and Energy meters are
available to measure pulses powers from 10 nW to 10 kW.
• Beam diagnostic equipment: Analyze the beam profile,
M-squared, or many other beam propagation characteristics.
• Wavelength meters: Fast, compact way to measure the center
wavelength of ultrafast pulses over the wavelength range of
about 380 to 1100 nm.
• Doubler/Tripler: Simple single pass arrangements that are
used to double or triple the optical frequency of an ultrafast
pulse to produce wavelengths from 350 to 500 nm and 240 to
320 nm.
• Synchrolock AP: The Mira Optima cavity is modified to make
possible the synchronization of the optical pulses with a stable
external frequency to within a jitterRMS of < 250 fs.
• Pulse Picker: Stand alone device that can selectively pick
pulses from the Mira Optima pulsetrain that effectively
changes the Mira Optima repetition rate. The new repetition
B-3
rate can span the range of 9.5 kHz to 9.5 MHz. External trigger
and single-shot operation are also available.
• Cavity Dumper: The Pulseswitch is integrated into the Mira
Optima cavity and is used to increase the pulse energy to up to
40 nj/pulse over the repetition range of 200 Hz to 9 MHz.
Systems In addition to the above options and accessories, the Mira Optima is
also used as a pump source for the Mira-OPO or as a seed for
Coherent’s Regenerative Amplifier, the RegA. The Mira-OPO is a
synchronously-pumped optical parametric oscillator that extends the
wavelength tuning range of the Mira Optima. Wavelengths ranges
are available that collectively cover most of the tuning range from
about 545 nm to over 3000 nm. The RegA is a CW-pumped tita-
nium:sapphire regenerative amplifier, seeded by the Mira Optima,
that produces ultrafast µj level pulses at pulse repetition rates up to
300 kHz. The output of the RegA can be used to pump multiple
OPAs (Optical Parameter Amplifiers) that extend the wavelength
tuning to as low as 480 nm and as high as 2400 nm. When combined
with Coherent’s DFG 9400/9800 (Difference Frequency Generator)
this tuning range is extended into the mid-IR range up to 10 µm or
more.
B-4
Parts List
PARTS LIST
The following parts can be ordered by contacting Coherent

contacting our Technical Support Hotline at 800-367-7890
(408-764-4557 outside the U.S.)
PART DESCRIPTION PART NUMBER

XW Optics (~700-1000 nm)
Optics Set, XW Mira-F, V-5W pump 0163-149-08
Optics Set, XW Mira-F, A-8W pump 0163-149-12
Optics Set, XW Mira-F, A-12W pump 0163-149-13
Optics Set, XW Mira-P, V-5W pump 0163-798-08
Optics Set, XW Mira-P, A-8W pump 0163-798-12
Optics Set, XW Mira-P, A-12W pump 0163-798-13
Optics Set, XW Mira-D, V-5W pump 0163-803-08
Optics Set, XW Mira-D, A-8W pump 0163-803-12
Optics Set, XW Mira-D, A-12W pump 0163-803-13
M1: V5, V6, 6W Ar, XW femto output coupler 0171-945-00
M1: V5, V6, 6W Ar, XW pico output coupler 0175-159-00
M1: V8, V10, 8W Ar, XW femto output coupler 0175-444-00
M1: V8, V10, 8W Ar, XW pico output coupler 0175-443-00
M1: 12-14 W Ar, XW femto output coupler 0174-946-00
M1: 12-14 W Ar, XW pico output coupler 0175-160-00
M2, M3, M8, M9, M10: XW 1/2” high reflector flat 0171-901-01
M4: XW 3/4” pump-through for Verdi, 10cm ROC 0171-902-01
M4: XW 3/4” pump-through for Argon, 10cm ROC 0171-902-02
C-1

M5: XW 1/2” pump-through for Verdi or Argon, 10cm ROC 0171-903-01
M6, M7: XW 1” high reflector flat 0171-900-01
XW Gires-Tournois Interferometer, 3 ps pulse 0163-799-58
SW Optics (~700-800 nm)
Optics Set, SW Mira-P, 5-8 W pump 0163-798-00
Optics Set, SW Mira-P, 10-14W pump 0163-798-03
Optics Set, SW Mira-F, 5-8 W pump 0163-149-00
Optics Set, SW Mira-F, 10-14W pump 0163-149-03
Optics Set, SW Mira-D, 5-8 W pump 0163-803-00
Optics Set, SW Mira-D, 10-14W pump 0163-803-03
M1: 5-8 W pump, SW femto output coupler 0163-057-00
M1: 10-14 W pump, SW femto output coupler 0163-524-00
M1: 5-8 W pump, SW pico output coupler 0163-652-00
M1: 10-14 W pump, SW pico output coupler 0163-653-00
M2, M3, M8, M9, M10: SW 1/2” high reflector flat 0158-791-09
M4: SW 1/2” pump-through for Argon, 10cm ROC 0163-048-00
M5: SW 3/4” pump-through for Verdi or Argon, 10cm ROC 0163-050-00
M6, M7: SW 1” high reflector flat 0163-049-00
SW Gires-Tournois Interferometer, 3 ps pulse 0163-799-50
SW Reflective Starter optics (2 HRs) on an AL mount 0165-547-00
(see below for transmissive starter)
MW Optics (~800-900 nm): obsoleted, use XW optics
PW Optics (~750-850)
Optics Set, PW Mira-F, 5-8 W pump 0163-149-06
Optics Set, PW Mira-F, 10-14W pump 0163-149-07
Optics Set, PW Mira-P, 5-8 W pump 0163-798-06
Optics Set, PW Mira-P, 10-14W pump 0163-798-07
Optics Set, PW Mira-D, 5-8 W pump 0163-803-06
Optics Set, PW Mira-D, 10-14W pump 0163-803-07
M1: 5-8 W pump, PW femto output coupler 0166-410-00
M1: 5-8 W pump, PW pico output coupler 0166-411-00
C-2
Parts List

M1: 10-14 W pump, PW pico output coupler please call
M1: 10-14 W pump, PW femto output coupler please call
M2, M3, M8, M9, M10: PW 1/2” high reflector flat 0158-791-10
M4: PW 3/4” pump-through for Argon, 10cm ROC 0163-048-04
M5: PW 1/2” pump-through for Verdi or Argon, 10cm ROC 0163-050-04
M6, M7: PW 1” high reflector flat 0163-049-04
PW Gires-Tournois Interferometer, 3 ps pulse 0163-799-56
PW Reflective Starter optics (2 HRs) on an AL mount 0165-547-03
LW Optics (~900-1030 nm)
Optics Set, LW Mira-P, 5-8 W pump 0163-798-02
Optics Set, LW Mira-P, 10-14W pump 0163-798-05
Optics Set, LW Mira-F, 5-8 W pump 0163-149-02
Optics Set, LW Mira-F, 10-14W pump 0163-149-05
Optics Set, LW Mira-D, 5-8 W pump 0163-803-02
Optics Set, LW Mira-D, 10-14W pump 0163-803-05
M1: 5-8 W pump, LW femto output coupler 0163-059-00
M1: 10-14 W pump, LW femto output coupler 0163-526-00
M1: 5-8 W pump, LW pico output coupler 0163-656-00
M1: 10-14 W pump, LW pico output coupler 0163-657-00
M2, M3, M8, M9, M10, LW 1/2” high reflector flat 0158-791-14
M4: LW 3/4” pump-through for Argon, 10cm ROC 0163-048-03
M5: LW 1/2” pump-through for Verdi or Argon, 10cm ROC 0163-050-03
M6, M7: LW 1” high reflector flat 0163-049-03
LW Gires-Tournois Interferometer, 3 ps pulse 0163-799-52
LW Reflective Starter optics (2 HRs) on an AL mount 0165-547-02
ELW Optics (~950-1080 nm)
Optics Set, ELW Mira-F, 10-14W pump 1013198
M1: 10-14 W pump, ELW femto output coupler, call for options please call
M2, M3, M8, M9, M10: ELW 1/2” high reflector flat 0158-791-13
C-3

M4: ELW 3/4” pump-through for Argon, 10cm ROC 0163-048-02
M5: ELW 1/2” pump-through for Verdi or Argon, 10cm ROC 0163-050-02
M6, M7: ELW 1” high reflector flat 0163-049-02
Prisms/BRFs/Starters Optics (see below for mounts)
Prism assembly for BP1 or BP2 (mount and prism, no stage) - new prisms 1008399
Birefringent filter Femto (1-plate) version, not including retainer ring 0162-692-00
Birefringent filter, Pico (3-plate) version, not including retainer ring 0163-800-50
Transmissive starter butterfly on aluminum metal base 0163-147-00
(see above for reflective starters)
Oscillator: Mount Assemblies
M1 mount / OC assembly and hardware 0163-108-00
Mira Slit Assembly and hardware 0163-107-00
M2 mount and hardware 0163-153-00
BRF mount assembly and hardware 0163-105-00
BRF micrometer 2512-0073
Transmissive starter mount and galvo. Need butterfly: 0163-147-00 0163-106-01
M3 mount and hardware for a transmissive starter system 0163-153-00
M3 mount and hardware for a reflective starter system 0165-549-00
New M4 mount (must be used with new M5 mount) and hardware 0172-508-00
New M5 mount (must be used with new M4 mount) and hardware 1007126
Upgrade old M4,M5 mounts to new M4,M5 mounts 1007149
BP1 mount (no prism), mic, and hardware 0163-102-00
Old M6 mount (use with old prisms) and hardware 0163-432-00
New M6 mount (use with new prisms) and hardware 1013196
BP2 translation control mount, with external knob and hardware 0163-297-00
M9, M10 mount and hardware 0163-104-00
GTI mount and hardware 0163-703-00
Pump Chain with Crystal: Mounts and Optics
Brewster window for pump input at end bezel (base, mount, window, hardware) 0162-924-00
C-4
Parts List

Brewster window for pump input at sides (base, mount, window, hardware) 0162-924-01
Uncoated beamsplitter for Optima and all input/output Brewsters, BS1-BS4 0163-051-00
P0 mount and hardware (no optic) 0163-151-00
Pump rotation (P1,P2) mount assembly and hardware 0163-096-00
Pump translation (P3,P4) mount assembly and hardware 0163-097-00
Pump mirror (internal P0 through P4 or external), 45 degrees, Argon, 458-515 nm 0161-712-00
Pump mirror (internal P0 through P4 or external), 45 degrees, Verdi, 532 nm 0171-707-00
Black circular beam block placed on the back of P3 0406-618-00
Pump beam tube between P4 and M4 and mount 1063537
Pump Lens mount and hardware 0163-112-00
Pump focusing lens L1 0163-052-00
Gold colored pump beam block for M4 mount, thumb screws, and thumb nuts 1063538
Crystal dust shields (for M4 and M5 mounts), holders, and thumb screws 1063539
Black colored pump beam block for M5 mount and thumb screws 1063540
Pump Fold: Kits and Parts
Pump Fold Kit (One Mount, no optics) - Mira standard 0165-066-01
Pump Fold Kit (Two Mounts, no optics) 0165-066-02
Pump Fold Kit (Three Mounts, no optics) 0165-066-03
15” Dust Tube (From Pump Fold kit) 0164-669-00
30” Dust Tube (From Pump Fold kit) 0164-669-05
Mira Optima System and Output: Mounts and Optics
BS1 mount and hardware (no optic) 0163-110-00
Uncoated beamsplitter for Optima BS1-BS4 0163-051-00
CW detector etalon assembly and galvo 1063541
Brewster window mount for Mira output (base, optic mount, window, hardware) 0162-924-02
Controller and miscellaneous Electronics
Mira Optima 900F (Femto) Controller - tested 0163-709-50
Mira Optima 900P (Pico) or 900D (Dual) Controller - tested 0163-709-52
Fuse, slo-blo, 1A, 250V (for USA) 5110-0055
Fuse, slo-blo, 0.25A, 250V (for Europe), controller needs 2 fuses 5110-0337
Tested controller cable (between controller and laser head) 0164-325-50
C-5

GTI photodiode cable (6”) and PZT (HV) cable (6”) 1063542
Upgrades/Conversions
Mira 5-8 W Verdi or 8 W Ar pumped SW Pico to SW Dual Upgrade 1013245
Mira 10 W Verdi or 12-14 W Ar pumped SW Pico to SW Dual Upgrade 1013246
Mira 5-6 W Verdi or 8W Ar pumped XW Pico to XW Dual Upgrade 1013247
Mira 8-10 W Verdi pumped XW Pico to XW Dual Upgrade 1013248
Mira 12-14 W Ar pumped XW Pico to XW Dual Upgrade 1013249
Mira 5-8 W Verdi or 8 W Ar pumped LW Pico to LW Dual Upgrade 1013250
Mira 10 W Verdi or 12-14 W Ar pumped LW Pico to LW Dual Upgrade 1013251
Mira V10, fs, no XW to Dual XW 1043750
Mira V10, fs, XW to Dual XW 1043751
Reflective starter to transmissive starter conversion kit 1008487
Upgrade from old to new M4,M5 mounts 1007149
Miscellaneous
Chiller, Thermotek T255P 1037271
Mira Plumbing Repair Kit 0178-320-00
Set of 3 Mira foot clamps 1063543
Set of 4 Ion laser foot lifts 1063544
Acetone and Methanol dropper bottles (1 each) 1063545
Mira seals: Cover seals, CDRH seals, Brewster window seals 1063546
Mira tool kit (hemostats, wrenches, ball drivers, level, lens cleaning tissue, etc) 0162-019-00
Alignment Aperture Assembly, 3-hole external alignment tool for Mira 0163-114-00
Screw-on for end bezel where the Mira beam exits 0162-945-00
Mira shipping crate 0162-980-00
Set of knobs: 1 each of horizontal, vertical, and plain 1063547
Nitrogen Regulator,.5-5SCFH 2902-0071
C-6
Warranty
WARRANTY
Coherent, Inc. warrants to the original purchaser (the Buyer) only,

that the laser system, that is the subject of this sale, (a) conforms to
Coherent's published specifications and (b) is free from defects in
materials and workmanship.
Laser systems are warranted to conform to Coherent's published
specifications and to be free from defects in materials and workman-
ship for a period of twelve (12) months. This warranty covers travel
expenses for the first ninety (90) days. For systems that include
installation in the purchase price, this warranty begins at installation
or thirty (30) days from shipment, whichever occurs first. For
systems that do not include installation, this warranty begins at date
of shipment.
Optical Coherent optical products are unconditionally warranted to be free

of defects in materials and workmanship. Discrepancies must be
Products reported to Coherent within thirty (30) days of receipt, and returned
to Coherent within ninety (90) days. Adjustment is limited to
replacement, refund or repair at Coherent's option.
Conditions of On-site warranty services are provided only at the installation point.
If products eligible for on-site warranty and installation services are
Warranty moved from the original installation point, the warranty will remain
in effect only if the Buyer purchases additional inspection or instal-
lation services at the new site.
For warranty service requiring the return of any product to Coherent,
the product must be returned to a service facility designated by
Coherent. The Buyer is responsible for all shipping charges, taxes
and duties covered under warranty service.
Parts replaced under warranty shall become the property of Coherent
and must be returned to Coherent, Inc., Santa Clara, or to a facility
designated by Coherent. The Buyer will be obligated to issue a
purchase order for the value of the replaced parts and Coherent will
issue credit when the parts are received.
D-1
Other Products Other products not specifically listed above are warranted to,
(a) conform to Coherent's published specifications and (b) be free
from defects in materials and workmanship. This warranty covers
parts and labor and is for a period of twelve (12) months from the
date of shipment.
Responsibilities The Buyer must provide the appropriate utilities and operating envi-
ronment outlined in the product literature and/or the Preinstallation
of the Buyer Manual. Damage to the laser system caused by failure of Buyer’s
utilities or the Buyer's failure to maintain an appropriate operating
environment, is solely the responsibility of the Buyer and is specifi-
cally excluded from any warranty, warranty extension, or service
agreement.
The Buyer is responsible for prompt notification to Coherent of any
claims made under warranty. In no event will Coherent be respon-
sible for warranty claims later than seven (7) days after the expira-
tion of the warranty.
Limitations of The foregoing warranty shall not apply to defects resulting from:
Warranty 1. Components or accessories with separate warranties manufac-
tured by companies other than Coherent.
2. Improper or inadequate maintenance by Buyer.
3. Buyer-supplied interfacing.
4. Operation outside the environmental specifications of the
product.
5. Improper site preparation and maintenance.
6. Unauthorized modification or misuse.
Coherent assumes no responsibility for customer-supplied material.
The obligations of Coherent are limited to repairing or replacing,
without charge, equipment that proves to be defective during the
warranty period. Repaired or replaced parts are warranted for the
duration of the original warranty period only. This warranty does not
cover damage due to misuse, negligence or accidents, or damage due
to installations, repairs or adjustments not specifically authorized by
Coherent.
This warranty applies only to the original buyer at the initial instal-
lation point in the country of purchase, unless otherwise specified in
the sales contract. Warranty is transferable to another location or to
D-2
Warranty
another Buyer only by special agreement that will include additional

inspection or installation at the new site.
THE WARRANTY SET FORTH ABOVE IS EXCLUSIVE IN
LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTY, WHETHER WRITTEN,
ORAL OR IMPLIED, AND DOES NOT COVER INCIDENTAL
OR CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS. COHERENT SPECIFICALLY
DISCLAIMS THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT-
ABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
D-3
D-4
Glossary
ACRONYM GLOSSARY
°C Degrees centigrade or Celsius

°F Degrees Fahrenheit
λ Lambda (wavelength symbol)
λ/e2 Beam diameter parameter = 0.13534
AC Alternating current
ADC Analog-to-digital converter
Amp Amperes
BRF Birefringent filter

BTU British thermal unit
CDRH Center for devices and radiological health

(U.S. Government)
CFH Cubic feet per hour
CFR Code of federal regulation
cm Centimeters = 10–2 meters
CPU Central processing unit
CW Continuous wave (operating mode)
DAC Digital- to-analog converter

DC Direct current
DVM Digital voltmeter
fs Femtoseconds = 10–15 seconds

FWHM Full width half maximum
GHz Gigahertz = 109 Hertz

GVD Group velocity dispersion
GTI Gires-Tournois inferometer
Hz Hertz or cycles per second (frequency)
IR Infrared (wavelength)
kg Kilograms
KLM Kerr lens mode-locking
kV Kilovolts = 103 volts
kΩ Kilohms = 103 ohms
kW Kilowatts = 103 watts
l Liters (volume)
lbs Pounds
LC Inductance/capacitance (electronic filter)
LCD Liquid crystal display
LED Light emitting diode
LW long-wave optic set
mA Milliamperes
mg Milligrams = 10–3 grams
MHz Megahertz = 106 Hz
Glossary - 1
mm Millimeters = 10–3 meters

mrad Milliradians = 10–3 radians (angle)
MΩ Megohms = 106 ohms (resistance)
mW Milliwatts = 10–3 watts (power)
N2 Nitrogen
nm Nanometers = 10–9 meters (wavelength)
OA Open aperture
PMT photomultiplier tube

ps or psec picoseconds = 10–12 seconds
psi Pounds per square inch
psig Pounds per square inch gauge
RAM Random access memory
RH Relative humidity
RMS Root mean square (effective value of a sinusoidal wave)
SHG Second harmonic generator

SPM Self phase modulation
SW short-wave optic set
TEM Transverse electromagnetic (cross-sectional laser beam mode)

TTL Transistor-to-transistor logic
UHP Ultra high purity

UV Ultraviolet (wavelengths)
V Volts
V/I Voltage/current
VAC Volts alternating current
VDC Volts direct current
VIS Visible (wavelengths)
W Watts (power)
YAG Yttrium aluminum garnet

YLF Yttrium Lithium Fluoride
Glossary - 2
Index
INDEX
A Controls 3-15
Adjustment Removal and replacement 8-3
Beam position between two adjacent mirrors 5-22 BP1 (Brewster Prism)
Pump beam height and leveling A-3 Installation 8-6
Alignment 7-18 BRF 7-4
Abbreviated procedure 5-7 BRF (Birefringent filter) 3-14
Auxiliary cavity 5-19 Brewster’s angle adjustment screws 3-14
Cavity 5-19 Controls 2-6
Coarse pump procedure 5-8 Micrometer adjust (wavelength tuning) 3-14
Equipment used 5-5 Notch 3-14
Full procedure 5-16 Setscrew 3-14
General BS1 (Beamspitter) 3-32
Using power display 4-12 Horizontal tension adjust 3-32
Procedure (full) 5-16 Vertical tension adjust 3-32
Pump laser A-4 BS1 (Beamsplitter) 3-20
Summary 5-5 BS3 (Beamspitter) 3-32
Using power display to align laser 4-12 BS4 (Beamspitter) 3-32
Amplification
C
Preparing atoms - pumping 7-4
Calibration and real-time display 7-24
anomalous dispersion 7-12
Cavity
Autocorrelation 7-20
Length adjustment 3-20
Background-free, by non-collinear phase
Length controls 3-20, 3-21
matching 7-23
CDRH
Concept of 7-22
Location of compliance labels 1-5
Traces, interpretation of 7-25
CDRH compliance
Autocorrelator
Protective housing 1-5
Display 4-10
Chirp
Optical schematic diagram 7-21
Negative, blue frequency 7-14
B Positive, red frequency 7-14
Bandwidth (Hz) 7-27 chirp 7-13, 7-14, 7-15
Bandwidth (Hz), equation 7-27 Cleaning
Beam Installed optics 6-4
Block 3-10 Optics 6-3
Clipping 7-19 Removed optics 6-5
Cross section 7-8 Configuring
Geometry 7-8 For left side, right side, or straight in pumping 5-8
Beamsplitter 2-5, 3-20, 3-21, 3-32, 3-33 Left side, right side, or straight in pumping 5-8
Cavity length adjustment control 3-32 Conservation of momentum for a Second Harmonic pro-
Etalon 3-32 cess, equation 7-23
Etalon galvo 3-32 Controller 2-3
Horizontal tilt angle control 3-20 AC in 3-22
Output coupler lever arm 3-32 Auto range / peak reset select switch 3-22
Screws (4) 3-32 Buzzer defeat switch 3-22
See also BS1 - BS4 Controls and indicators 3-23
Vertical tilt angle control 3-20 CW etalon out BNC connector 3-22
Bias 4-13 CW/ML/b-Lock select switch 3-22
biconvex lens 7-7 Displays 3-24, 3-25
Birefringent filter 2-5 Fan 3-22
Button head screw 3-14 Head board connector 3-22
Control 3-14 LCD display 3-22
Index - 1
On indicator LED 3-22 Gases, purge 7-20

On/off switch 3-22 Gires-Tournois interferometer 2-5
Power out BNC connector 3-22 Controls 3-36, 3-37
PZT (-) / PZT (+) select 3-22 See also GTI
View angle adjust 3-22 Gires-Tournois Interferometer (GTI) 7-15
Controls 2-3, 3-2, 3-3 Gradient index lens 7-7
Locations 3-2, 3-3 gradient index lens 7-9
Cooling water 5-4 Group velocity dispersion 7-12, 7-14
Lines 3-6 Derivative 7-13
See also Water See also GVD
CW GTI
Detector, description of 7-17 Alignment controls 2-6
Signal Slit Open 4-9 Assembly 3-36
Signal slit open 4-9 Assembly removal and installation 6-18
Assembly setscrew 3-36
D End mirror controls 2-3
Daily Horizontal tilt angle control 3-36
Operation 4-4 Mount assembly 3-28
DC Suppression 4-12 Photocell connector 3-36
Differential overlap 7-18 PZT drive connector 3-36
Digital power indicator 4-13 Tensioning screws 3-36
Dispersion compensation 7-15 Vertical tilt angle control 3-36
Display See also Gires-Tournois interferometer
Features 4-13 GVD
Dry nitrogen purge 5-5 The effect of, on stability and pulse width 7-16
E See also Group velocity dispersion
Envelope function of the signal in the autocorrelator, H
square of, equation 7-22
Head
Envolope function, equation 7-22
Board 3-20, 3-21, 3-26, 3-27
Equipment
Connector 3-22
Used during installation and alignment 5-5
Connector 3-26
Used during optic replacement 6-8
Height and leveling adjustment screws (2) 3-18
Error message 4-13
Major components 2-6
DC suppressing out of range 4-14
Rear interface
GTI optimization failed 4-15
Connectors 3-26, 3-27
GTI signal too low 4-14
Cover latch 3-26
Low power 4-14
Fast diode output (sync out) 3-26
Power gain optimization failed 4-15
Water In/out connector 3-26
Power low-return switch to CW 4-14
Water in/out connector 3-26
Power low-use CW mode 4-14
High-velocity purge 5-5
Power signal too high 4-15
Humidity, intracavity space 7-20
Power signal too lo 4-15
PZT at limit 4-15 I
Stage 1 saturation error 4-14 Index of refraction 7-7
Etalon 7-15 Indicator
Locations 3-2, 3-3
F Indicators
Focusing lens 2-5
Location 3-2, 3-3
Fourier Transform
Installation 5-12, 5-17
of E(t), equation 7-26
Equipment used 5-5
of E’(t), equation 7-26
General 5-12, 5-17
G Notes 5-7
Gain medium 7-3 Summary 5-5
Galvo Interconnection
Bias in BNC connector 3-22 Diagram 5-15
Index - 2
Index
K Setscrews 3-30
Kerr effect 7-9 Starter assembly allen head screw 3-30
Kerr lens 7-9 Starter assembly butterfly 3-30
Starter connector 3-30
L Tension adjust 3-30
L1 Vertical and horizontal tilt angle controls (not
Focusing lens 3-28 visible in photo) 3-30
Focusing lens controls 3-28, 3-29 Vertical tilt angle control 3-8
Mount index marker 3-28 M4
Optic setscrew 3-28 Assembly 3-6
Removal and installation 6-28 Beam tube assembly, crystal 3-34
Left side pumping 5-10 Beam tube crystal 3-6
Lens Beam tube thumbnuts (2) 3-34
biconvex 7-7 Bevel washer 6-14
gradient Index 7-7 Controls 3-34, 3-35
Kerr 7-9 Flat washer 6-14
Light Horizontal tilt angle control 3-34
Intensity of with varying number of modes 7-10 Knurled thumbscrew (beam tube assembly) 3-34
Longitudinal mode 7-9 Mount assembly 3-28
Longitudinal modes 7-4 Optic 6-14
M Optic holder 6-14
M1 Optical retaining thumbscrews (2) 3-34
Optic 3-8, 3-20 O-ring 6-14
Optic setscrew 3-8 Removal and installation 6-13, 6-14
Output coupler, horizontal tilt angle control 3-20 Tensioning screw 3-34
Output coupler, vertical tilt angle control 3-20 Vertical tilt angle control 3-34
Removal and installation 6-8, 8-4 M4/M5
Setscrew 3-20 Controls 3-6
M10 M5
Controls 3-12, 3-13 Assembly 3-10
Horizontal tilt angle adjustment 3-12 Assembly thumbscrews 3-10
Optic (coated surface shown) 3-12 Beam tube crystal 3-6
Optic setscrew 3-12 Controls 3-10, 3-11
Optical mount removal 8-6 Horizontal tilt angle adjustment 3-10
Removal and installation 6-17 Knurled thumbscrew 3-10
Tensioning screw 3-12 Micrometer adjustment 3-10
Vertical tilt angle adjustment 3-12 Optic 3-10
M2 Optic mount assembly 3-6
Alignment aperture 3-16 Removal and installation 6-14
Controls 3-16, 3-17 Vertical tilt angle adjustment 3-10
Horizontal tilt angle control 3-16 M6 6-16
Mount assembly 3-28 M8 6-18
Optic 3-16 Controls 3-4, 3-5
Optic setscrew 3-16 Horizontal tilt angle control 3-4
Removal and installation 6-10 Optic 3-4
Tensioning screw 3-16 Optic setscrew 3-4
Vertical tilt angle control 3-16 Pump beam spot 5-19
M3 Removal and installation 6-16
Alignment aperture 3-30 Tensioning screw for horizontal and vertical tilt
Allen head screws (4) 3-30 angle controls 3-4
Controls 3-9, 3-30 Vertical tilt angle control 3-4
Horizontal tilt angle control 3-8 Marker
Optic 3-30 Peak 4-13
Optic setscrew 3-30 Mode
Removal and installation 6-11 Longitudinal 7-4
Index - 3
Quality of Pump Laser 7-18 Vertical tilt angle control 3-18

Tranverse 7-4 P1
Modelock 5-16 Assembly 5-9
Active 7-5 Mount hole for right side pumping 5-9
Factors influencing operation 7-18 Mount retaining screw for left-side (and straight-in)
Origin of the term 7-9 pumping 5-9
Passive 7-6 Optic setscrew 3-18
Signal slit optimized 4-9 Pump optic 3-18
Theory of 7-5 Removal and installation 6-21
Mode-lock, definition 7-9 P2
mode-locked power, high 7-19 Horizontal tilt angle control 3-18
Modelocking 8-6 Optic setscrew 3-18
Modulation Pump optic 3-18
Self phase 7-14 Vertical tilt angle control 3-18
Modulator, definition 7-5 P3
Multiple pulsing 7-19 Optic setscrew 3-18
Pump optic 3-18
N P3/P4
Nitrogen purge Horizontal tilt angle control 3-18
Connector 3-26 Vertical tilt angle control 3-18
Dry 5-5 P4
normal dispersion 7-12 Optic setscrew 3-18
O Pump optic 3-18
Optical Kerr effect 7-9 Peak marker 4-13
optical Kerr effect 7-14 Phase matching, non-collinear 7-24
Optical Materials 7-20 Picosecond to femtosecond
Optics Conversion 8-3
Cleaning 6-3 Power display
Installed 6-4 Error message 4-13, 4-14
Removed 6-5 DC suppressing out of range 4-14
Cleaning installed 6-4 GTI optimization failed 4-15
Cleaning removed 6-5 GTI signal too high 4-14
Contaminated 7-19 GTI signal too low 4-14
Equipment used during replacement 6-8 Low power 4-14
Products D-1 Power gain optimization failed 4-15
Replacement 6-8 Power low-return switch to CW 4-13
Schematic 2-5 Power low-use CW model 4-14
Schematic overview 7-20 Power signal too high 4-15
Warranty of products D-1 Power signal too low 4-15
Optics changes 6-6 PZT at limit 4-15
Oscilloscope Stage 1 saturation error 4-14
Display 4-10 Pulse
Output Broadening, comparison of in fused silica, BK7, and
Beam aperture 2-3, 2-6 SF10 for 100 fs pulse 7-21
Coupler 3-20, 3-21 Formation of 7-5
Transmission of ultrashort pulses of light through
P glass 7-12
P0 Ultrashort, propagation of through optical
Horizontal tilt angle control 3-18 materials 7-20
Mount retaining screws 5-9 Width
Optic assembly 5-9 Formation of final 7-16
Optic setscrew 3-18 Pulse envelope
Pump optic 3-18 Modulation of slit too narrow 4-10
Removal and installation 6-19 Pulse width (seconds), equation 7-27
Tensioning screw 3-18 Pump
Index - 4
Index
Beam Replacement
Height and leveling adjustments A-3, B-3 Optics 6-8
Input aperture 3-26 Response of the PMT to the incident light,
Spot on GTI optic 5-14 equation 7-23
Beam spot on M8 5-19 Response of the PMT, equation 7-24
Coarse, alignment procedure 5-8 RH 4-13
Configurations 5-9 Right side pumping 5-10
Laser
Setup 5-11, A-3, B-3
S
Laser alignment A-4 Safety
Laser setup 5-11, A-3, B-3 Electrical 1-4
Mirror controls 2-6 Features and compliance to government
Mode quality of laser 7-18 requirements 1-4
Optic controls 3-18 Features and labels 1-7
Optics controls 2-3 Optical 1-3
Power 7-19 Saturable absorber system 7-6, 7-8
Pump beam height and leveling adjustments A-3, Schematic
B-3 Optical 2-5
Source 1-4 Self phase modulation (SPM) 7-11, 7-14
Pumping Shutdown
Left side 5-10 Long term 4-11
Left-side, directions 5-8 Short term 4-11
Preparing the atoms for amplification 7-4 Slit
Right side 5-10 Aperture controls 2-3
Right-side, directions 5-8 Mode locking
Straight in 5-8 Assembly 3-8, 3-9
Straight-in, directions 5-8 Controls 2-6
Purge Modelock 3-8
Dry nitrogen 5-5 Assembly mounting screws 3-8
Purge gases 7-20 Horizontal translation adjustment 3-8
PZT 4-13 Modelocking
Width control 3-8
Q Width 7-19
Q-Switching 7-19 Snell’s law 7-7
Solition 7-16
R Soliton pulse shaping formula 7-17
Radiated emission compliance 1-6
Spatial hole burning 7-11
Radiation
Specification 2-7
Hazardous exposure 1-5 Specifications 2-7
Real-time display and calibration 7-24 Starter
Red frequency Assembly 3-30, 3-31
Positive chirp 7-14 Assembly butterfly 6-31
Relationship Governing Soliton Pulse Shaping 7-17 Butterfly
relative humidity 5-5 Allen head screws (4) 6-31
Removal and installation Galvo 6-31
L1 6-28 Galvo shaft 6-31
M1 6-8 Installation 6-31
M2 6-10 Removal and installation 6-29
M3 6-11 Stainless steel flywheel 6-31
M4 6-13, 6-14 Mechanism 7-9
M5 6-14 Startup
M6 6-16 Short term 4-11
M8 6-18 Straight in pumping 5-8
P0 6-19 System description 2-3
Starter Butterfly 6-29
Index - 5
T (BRF) controls 2-3

Third Integral of the Pulse Formed from Two Light Turn-on
Paths 7-24 Daily 4-3
Time resolution 7-25
V
Time-bandwidth
Vector equation 7-23
Product 7-25
Vernier 4-13
Products For typical model pulse shapes 7-26
Voltage Selection 5-3
Time-bandwidth product, equation 7-27
Voltage Selector Card Orientation 5-4
Time-Dependent Electric Field 7-25
Time-dependent electric field, equation 7-25 W
Titanium sapphire Walking the beam 5-22, 5-23, 8-7
Assembly 3-34 Warranty
Crystal 2-5 Conditions of D-1
Crystal assembly 2-6, 3-6 Limitations of D-2
Crystal translation 3-6 Wavelength
Temperature 7-20 Changes 6-6
Transverse
Mode 7-4
Tuning 7-17
Index - 6
© Coherent, Inc., 08/2004, Printed in the U.S.A.
Coherent Part Number 1013391, Rev. AA

Operator S Manual The Coherent Mira Optima 900-P Laser

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Operator’s Manual

5100 Patrick Henry Drive

Outside the U.S.:

Coherent provides telephone and web technical assistance as a service to

Chapter One: Laser Safety .................................................................................. 1-1

Chapter Two: Description and Specifications ......................................... 2-1

Chapter Three: Controls and Indicators .................................................... 3-1

Chapter Five: Installation and Alignment ................................................. 5-1

Installation Notes ................................................................................................. 5-7

Chapter Six: Maintenance ................................................................................... 6-1

Chapter Seven: Theory of Operation............................................................ 7-1

Chapter Eight: Picosecond to Femtosecond Conversion .................. 8-1

BP1 Installation.................................................................................................... 8-6

Appendix A: Installation with an Ion Pump Source .......................... A-1

Appendix B: Mira Optima Options, Accessories, and Systems ....B-1

Parts List .........................................................................................................................C-1

Glossary ............................................................................................................... Glossary-1

2-1 Mira Optima 900-P Laser .......................................................................................... 2-3

3-1 Mira Optima Controls and Indicator Locations ......................................................... 3-2

4-1 Mira Optima Daily Operation.................................................................................... 4-4

5-1 Voltage Selector Card Orientation............................................................................. 5-4

6-1 M4 Removal and Installation................................................................................... 6-14

7-1 Mira Optima Saturable Absorber System .................................................................. 7-8

7-3 Group Velocity Dispersion Derivative .................................................................... 7-13

A-1 Pump Laser Alignment ............................................................................................. A-4

3-1 Mira Optima Controls and Indicators Location ......................................................... 3-3

4-1 Power Display Error Messages................................................................................ 4-14

Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures

This symbol is intended to alert the operator to the presence of

This symbol is intended to alert the operator to the danger of

This symbol is intended to alert the operator to the presence of

PROTECTIVE CONDUCTOR TERMINAL.

The greatest concern when using a laser is eye safety. In addition to

1. Observe all safety precautions in the pre-installation and oper-

Laser safety glasses can present a hazard as well as a benefit;

6. As a precaution against accidental exposure to the output beam

(LVD) (published in 73/23/EEC and amended in 93/68/EEC). The

Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures

Use of the system in a manner other than that described herein

• When the pumping beam is allowed to impinge on the tita-

• The laser is designed to be used with the covers in position and

Operation of laser with covers removed will allow access to

Electromagnetic The European requirements for Electromagnetic Compliance

Note: Key is located on sheet 3 of 3

Figure 1-1. Safety Features and Labels (Sheet 1 of 3)

4 LABEL ON BOTH SIDES

Note: Key is located on sheet 3 of 3

Figure 1-1. Safety Features and Labels (Sheet 2 of 3)

Figure 1-1. Safety Features and Labels (Sheet 3 of 3)

1. Pump optics controls 5. Output beam aperture

Figure 2-1. Mira Optima 900-P Laser

The technique used to mode-lock the Mira Optima laser is referred

mode-locked beam diameter is smaller to produce lower round trip

BRF: Birefringent filter L: Pump focusing lens

Figure 2-2. Optical Schematic

Specifications and typical power tuning curves for Verdi-pumped

1. Output beam window 6. Titanium:sapphire crystal assembly

Table 2-1. Mira Optima 900-P Laser Specifications (XW Optics)

Pump laser (1) Verdi V5 Verdi V8 Verdi V10