High-power dual-rod Yb:YAG laser

Abstract

We describe a diode-pumped Yb:YAG laser that produces 1080 W of power cw with 27.5% optical optical efficiency and 532 W Q-switched with M(2)=2.2 and 17% optical-optical efficiency. The laser uses two composite Yb:YAG rods separated by a 90 degrees quartz rotator for bifocusing compensation. A microlensed diode array end pumps each rod, using a hollow lens duct for pump delivery. By changing resonator parameters we can adjust the fundamental mode size and the output beam quality. Using a flattened Gaussian intensity profile to calculate the mode-fill efficiency and clipping losses, we compare experimental data with modeled output power versus beam quality.

Sintering and laser behavior of composite YAG/Nd:YAG/YAG transparent ceramics

“…For example, the thermal conductivity (∼10 W/m K) of 1.0 at.% Nd:YAG is about 1.4 times lower than that of pure YAG [7]. In order to address this problem, the composite structure of YAG ceramic and single crystal was fabricated by vacuum sintering techniques and thermal diffusion bonding, respectively [8,9]. The thermal concentration of local regions can be suppressed using composite structure design thanks to gradient distribution of active elements [3,10].…”

Growth and spectroscopic properties of Yb3+-doped Li6Y(BO3)3 single crystal

“…The output power of Yb 3+ -doped lasers have exponentially increased, up to 434 W in a longitudinal pumping configuration at Livermore [1] and recently up to 1.08 KW [2], 346 W at Stuttgart [3] and more than 1 KW in sidepumped configuration at Hughes [4]. Another garnet, Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 :Yb 3+ , was revealed to have laser properties very close to YAG:Yb 3+ [5].…”

Silica-taper array for beam shaping of high power laser diode bar

“…3) Several approaches have been proposed to beam shaping and concentration of the high power LDB: micro-optics array devices (micro-lens or micro-prism), 4,5) diffractive optical elements devices, 6,7) subbeams-rearrange devices, 8,9) and non-imaging devices. [10][11][12] However, as attractive means for the laser beam shaping of LDB, they are expensive, together with inconvenience in the design and manufacture of the optical elements, have raised the costs of the whole semiconductor laser sources. In this paper, we described a low-cost, easy producing novel laser beam integrator for LDB.…”