Mode-volume and pump-power limitations in injection-locked TEM_00 Nd:YAG rod lasers

Murdough, Matthew P.; Denman, Craig A.

doi:10.1364/ao.35.005925

Cited by 47 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Because of this, each polarization is equally focused on the output coupler and Y-leg side of the rod, and the rand φ-polarization modes overlap perfectly. An ABCD matrix analysis is used to model the cavity [5] including the thermo-optic properties of the Nd:YAG rod. This model enables study of the laser mode and stability criteria as it propagates through the cavity.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birefringence Compensation using a Single Nd:YAG Rod

Denman¹,

Libby²

2001

Advanced Solid State Lasers

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birefringence Compensation using a Single Nd:YAG Rod

Denman¹,

Libby²

2001

Advanced Solid State Lasers

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“…However, in single rod lasers such as the one shown in Fig. 1, stress-induced birefringence and bifocusing place a limit on the TEM 0,0 mode size that can be produced 15 .…”

Section: Dual Rod Yb:yag Laser Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

High-average-power diode-pumped Yb:YAG lasers

et al. 2000

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A scaleable diode end-pumping technology for high-average-power slab and rod lasers has been under development for the past several years at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). This technology has particular application to high average power Yb:YAG lasers that utilize a rod configured gain element. Previously, this rod configured approach has achieved average output powers in a single 5 cm long by 2 mm diameter Yb:YAG rod of 430 W cw and 280 W q-switched. High beam quality (M 2 =2.4) q-switched operation has also been demonstrated at over 180 W of average output power 1 . More recently, using a dual rod configuration consisting of two, 5 cm long by 2 mm diameter laser rods with birefringence compensation, we have achieved 1080 W of cw output with an M 2 value of 13.5 at an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 27.5%2 . With the same dual rod laser operated in a q-switched mode, we have also demonstrated 532 W of average power with an M 2 <2.5 at 17% optical-to-optical conversion efficiency. These q-switched results were obtained at a 10 kHz repetition rate and resulted in 77 nsec pulse durations. These improved levels of operational performance have been achieved as a result of technology advancements made in several areas that will be covered in this manuscript. These enhancements to our architecture include: (1) Hollow lens ducts that enable the use of advanced cavity architectures permitting birefringence compensation and the ability to run in large aperture-filling near-diffraction-limited modes.(2) Compound laser rods with flanged-nonabsorbing-endcaps fabricated by diffusion bonding. (3) Techniques for suppressing amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and parasitics in the polished barrel rods.

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“…Therefore, the depolarization as a result of the thermally induced birefringence becomes the limiting effect on power scaling. Especially in rod lasers Knoke and Murdough et al [3,4] demonstrated that the linearly polarized output power of a single rod system is limited to a maximum of 45 W due to depolarization. To overcome this limit and to scale a rod laser design into the high power range, a double rod concept combined with a 90 degree quartz rotator is used to compensate the thermally induced birefringence [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%