Low-heat high-power scaling using InGaAs-diode-pumped Yb:YAG lasers

Bruesselbach, H.; Sumida, David S.; Reeder, R. A.; Byren, Robert W.

doi:10.1109/2944.585822

Cited by 154 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Yb:YAG as crystals and polycrystalline ceramics are one of the dominant laser gain media used for solid-state lasers [4][5][6][7] owing to the excellent optical, thermal, chemical and mechanical properties [8]. Yb:YAG crystals have been used as gain medium to obtain high average output power short-pulse generation in laser-diode pumped regenerative amplifier [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laser-diode pumped efficient Yb:LuAG microchip lasers oscillating at 1030 and 1047 nm

2010

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The performance of laser-diode end-pumped Yb:LuAG microchip lasers has been investigated at ambient temperature without active cooling of the gain media. Efficient laser oscillation of Yb:LuAG crystals with different thickness and output couplings was achieved at 1030 and 1047 nm with slope efficiencies of 72 and 54%, correspondingly. The thermal population distribution at the terminated laser level of Yb:LuAG crystal plays an important role in the laser performance. The effects of the thickness of Yb:LuAG crystal and the transmission of output couplers on the laser oscillating wavelength and central wavelength shift were investigated by taking account into the reabsorption loss at lasing wavelength and intracavity laser intensity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laser-diode pumped efficient Yb:LuAG microchip lasers oscillating at 1030 and 1047 nm

2010

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“…Recently, some researchers reported chromium and ytterbium co-doped YAG crystal used as self-Q-switched laser material [8,9]. Laser diode pumped Yb:YAG lasers have several advantages relative to Nd:YAG lasers, such as a long storage lifetime (951 µs) [10], a very low quantum defect (8.6%), resulting in three times less heat generation during lasing than comparable Nd-based laser systems [11], broad absorption width which is approximately eigh- Figure 1 (online color at www.lphys.org) Schematic of laserdiode end-pumped Cr,Yb:YAG self-Q-switched microchip laser teen times broader than the 808 nm absorption feature in Nd:YAG and therefore the Yb:YAG system is less sensitive to diode wavelength specifications [12], a relatively large emission cross section [13], and easy growth of high quality and moderate concentration crystal without concentration quenching. The self-Q-switched Cr,Yb:YAG laser was first demonstrated by using Ti:sapphire laser as a pumping source [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Stable laser-diode pumped microchip sub-nanosecond Cr,Yb:YAG self-Q-switched laser

et al. 2005

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Near‐diffraction‐limited longitudinal multimode self‐Q‐switched microchip Cr,Yb:YAG laser is obtained by using of a laser diode as a pump source at room temperature without cooling Cr,Yb:YAG sample. The output Q‐switched traces are very stable, and the slope efficiency is as high as 18.5%. Laser pulses with 23.5‐µJ pulse energy and 440‐ps pulse duration were achieved which results in over 53 kW peak power at repetition rate of 6.6 kHz. The effect of the absorbed pump power on the laser characteristics and laser spectrum are addressed in details. The number of the longitudinal laser modes increases with the absorbed pump power. (© 2005 by Astro, Ltd. Published exclusively by WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA)

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“…19 In the past, a common concept for pumping end-pumped Yb:YAG bulk lasers was implemented using a pump wavelength of 940 nm. 20 Mostly the technique of back-reflection of the non-depleted pump beam was used to achieve a high pump intensity above the saturation intensity along the crystal length, which helps to reduce reabsorption losses. 21 To reach higher powers, increasing the pump power at 940 nm would lead to too strong thermal lensing and destruction of the crystal, due to heat load and thermo-mechanical stress.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

50W CW output power and 12mJ pulses from a quasi-2-level Yb:YAG ceramic rod laser end-pumped at the 969nm zero-phonon line

et al. 2015

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With the advent of high power and narrow bandwidth 969 nm pump diodes, direct pumping into the upper laser level of Yb:YAG and hence quasi-2-level lasers became possible. Pumping directly into the emitting level leads to higher quantum e ciency and reduction of non-radiative decay. Consequently, thermal load, thermal lensing and risk of fracture are reduced significantly. Moreover pump saturation and thermal population of uninvolved energy-levels in ground and excited states are benefical for a homogenous distribution of the pump beam as well as the reduction of reabsorption loss compared to 3-level systems, which allows for high-power DPSS lasers. Beside continuous-wave (cw) operation, nanosecond pulses with a repetition rate between 1 and 5 kHz are an attractive alternative to flashlamp-pumped systems (10-100 Hz) in various measurement applications that require higher data acquisition rates because of new faster detectors. Based on measurements of the absorption and a detailed numerical model for pump beam distribution, including beam propagation and saturation factors, power-scaling of a ceramic rod Yb:YAG oscillator was possible. Finally a cw output power of 50 W with 33 % pump e ciency at 1030 nm has been demonstrated (M 2 < 1.2). Nanosecond pulses have been produced by cavity-dumping of this system. The cavity-dumped setup allowed for 3-10 ns pulses with a pulse energy of 12.5 mJ at 1 kHz (M 2 < 1.1). In order to achieve these results a systematic experimental and numerical investigation on gain dynamics and the identification of di↵erent stable operating regimes has been carried out.

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Low-heat high-power scaling using InGaAs-diode-pumped Yb:YAG lasers

Cited by 154 publications

References 27 publications

Laser-diode pumped efficient Yb:LuAG microchip lasers oscillating at 1030 and 1047 nm

Laser-diode pumped efficient Yb:LuAG microchip lasers oscillating at 1030 and 1047 nm

Stable laser-diode pumped microchip sub-nanosecond Cr,Yb:YAG self-Q-switched laser

50W CW output power and 12mJ pulses from a quasi-2-level Yb:YAG ceramic rod laser end-pumped at the 969nm zero-phonon line

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