Optically induced pulse delay in a solid-state Raman amplifier

The pump-induced group velocity reduction of subnanosecond pulses is calcul ated and measured in a Ba(NO3)(2) solid-state Raman amplifier. 1.197 mum pr obe pulses with 90 ps duration were generated using a Raman-shifted mode-lo cked and Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, and propagated through a Ba(NO3)(2) cryst al synchronously pumped by 7-ns-long 1.06 mum pulses. The time delay of the pulse peak was measured with varying pump intensity and was compared with theoretical calculation up to the point where amplified spontaneous Raman e mission becomes dominant. The maximum time delay was found to be 105 ps. (C ) 2001 American Institute of Physics.