A combination of a narrow linewidth, tunable DBR diode laser and high power ytterbium fibre amplifier in a master oscillator power fibre amplifier (MOPFA) configuration is demonstrated for efficient optical pumping of helium. A compact and efficient diode pumped prototype system is shown to compare favourably with alternative laser sources for production of hyperpolarised 3He using direct pumping for medical application in MRI.
Inspec keywords: helium; light sources; laser tuning; ytterbium; biomedical NMR; fibre lasers; optical pumping; semiconductor lasers; distributed Bragg reflector lasers
Other keywords:
Subjects: Medical magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy; Design of specific laser systems; Semiconductor lasers; Biomagnetism; Lasing action in semiconductors; Optical sources and standards; Laser beam modulation, pulsing and switching; mode locking and tuning; Fibre lasers and amplifiers; Fibre lasers and amplifiers
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