Optical distortion in end-pumped solid-state rod lasers

We explore the thermo-optical issues of mode-matched end-pumped lasers. A combination of analytical and numerical methods is used to extract practically useful scaling relations that characterize the thermally induced optical distortions and the thermal-stress operating limits in rod lasers pumped w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied optics (2004) 1993-09, Vol.32 (27), p.5256-5269
Main Authors: Sutton, S B, Albrecht, G F
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We explore the thermo-optical issues of mode-matched end-pumped lasers. A combination of analytical and numerical methods is used to extract practically useful scaling relations that characterize the thermally induced optical distortions and the thermal-stress operating limits in rod lasers pumped with super-Gaussian sources. The thermally induced spherical aberration is found to be overcorrected (focal length increases with radial position), weakly dependent on the axial profile, and strongly dependent on the super-Gaussian order. For high-order radial profiles it is shown that a significant portion of the extraction beam will operate aberration free. The effect of aberrations on cavity stability is addressed for the simple case of a cavity with a length that is equal to the rod length.
ISSN:1559-128X
2155-3165
DOI:10.1364/AO.32.005256