Active transverse mode control and optimisation of an all-solid-state laser using an intracavity adaptive-optic mirror

Lubeigt, Walter; Valentine, G.J.; Girkin, John M.; Bente, E.A.J.M.; Burns, D.

doi:10.1364/oe.10.000550

Cited by 68 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…A number of experiments reported data of WAs within the cavity of high-power laser systems [1,[15][16][17][18]. These are typically not commerciallyavailable prototypes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal wavefront stability of an ultrafast high-power laser beam

et al. 2009

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We measured the temporal dynamics of wavefront aberrations in a beam produced by a commercial ultrafast high-power laser with a research-prototype real-time Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor. Measurements were performed at two different temporal rates for a 7 mm diameter. Results showed that changes in the wavefront aberrations were always lower than 1%. The main contribution to the total root-mean-square (RMS) wavefront error was due to the effects of low order aberrations (defocus and astigmatism), which persisted even after cavity realignment. The potential improvement in the beam quality after correction of the different aberration modes was also shown. Real-time measurements of laser aberrations while modifying cavity parameters might be a useful tool to improve the beam quality.

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“…A number of experiments reported data of WAs within the cavity of high-power laser systems [1,[15][16][17][18]. These are typically not commerciallyavailable prototypes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal wavefront stability of an ultrafast high-power laser beam

et al. 2009

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“…Adaptive mirrors were already successfully used to reduce the aberrations of a beam transmitted through large glass amplifiers of high energy laser facilities [15] or to improve the beam quality in high-power solid state oscillators [16][17][18] or MOPAs [19] operating in the multimode regime. Further applications of deformable mirrors include efficient coupling of light into an optical single-mode fiber [20] and retinal imaging of the human eye [21].…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Generation of custom modes in a Nd:YAG laser with a semipassive bimorph adaptive mirror

Gerber

Graf

Kudryashov³

2006

Appl. Phys. B

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Custom modes at a wavelength of 1064 nm were generated with a deformable mirror. The required surface deformations of the adaptive mirror were calculated with the Collins integral written in a matrix formalism. The appropriate size and shape of the actuators as well as the needed stroke were determined to ensure that the surface of the controllable mirror matches the phase front of the custom modes. A semipassive bimorph adaptive mirror with five concentric ring-shaped actuators and one defocus actuator was manufactured and characterised. The surface deformation was modelled with the response functions of the adaptive mirror in terms of an expansion with Zernike polynomials. In the experiments the Nd:YAG laser crystal was quasi-CW pumped to avoid thermally induced distortions of the phase front. The adaptive mirror allows to switch between a super-Gaussian mode, a doughnut mode, a Hermite-Gaussian fundamental beam, multi-mode operation or no oscillation in real time during laser operation. For every application there is an ideal intensity distribution which yields optimum results. Such intensity distributions of the beam are commonly called custom modes because their spatial shape is optimised for a specific purpose. Either the special shape of the beam is advantageous for the generation of the laser radiation inside the cavity or for the laser induced process on a target. Due to their high potential in numerous applications we discuss the super-Gaussian mode (also known as top-hat or flat-top mode) and the doughnut mode as two examples of custom modes in the following.The super-Gaussian mode is characterised by a homogeneous intensity distribution and steep edges whereas the doughnut mode exhibits a ring shape with vanishing intensity in the centre of the beam. The intensity distributions of the super-Gaussian mode I SG (r) and the doughnut mode

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“…Being compact, low-power and low-cost with batch fabrication makes MEMS ideal candidates for replacing bulk optics with similar functionalities. Added functionality has been investigated in solidstate lasers through the use of adaptive optics [1] and MEMS for active laser Q-switching [2][3][4]. Qswitching with MEMS has also been demonstrated in fiber lasers [5] and a microchip laser [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%