Experimental generation of nondiffracting Mathieu beams using a thin-disk laser configuration

Abstract

Nondiffracting modes were experimentally generated in an end-pumped thin-disk laser with a new kind of axicon-based stable laser resonator. The eigenvalue and eigenvector of the resonator were investigated based on the geometrical optics view. Ytterbium ions doped in the YAG crystal as an active medium were then utilized in this configuration. The experimental generation of the Mathieu–Gauss and Ince–Gauss modes was performed and also discussed during the thin-disk deformation.