Title :
Determination of the thermal lens in solid-state lasers with stable cavities
Author :
Neuenschwander, Beat ; Weber, Rudolf ; Weber, Heinz P.
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Appl. Phys., Berne, Switzerland
fDate :
6/1/1995 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A useful method to determine the thermal lens in a thermally loaded material inside a laser resonator under operation is presented. The laser beam emitted is focused with a lens placed exactly at the distance of its focal length behind the output mirror. For stable spherical resonators this focusing is not astigmatic even for an astigmatic cavity. This fact is used to experimentally determine the thermal lens including the beam quality factor (beam propagation factor) M2 of the laser beam. Measurements are presented for an end-pumped rod and a longitudinally pumped slab laser serving as an example for an astigmatic cavity
Keywords :
Q-factor; laser accessories; laser beams; laser cavity resonators; laser mirrors; laser stability; mirrors; optical focusing; solid lasers; thermal blooming; astigmatic; astigmatic cavity; beam propagation factor; beam quality factor; end-pumped rod; focal length; focused; laser beam; laser resonator; lens; longitudinally pumped slab laser; output mirror; solid-state lasers; stable cavities; stable spherical resonators; thermal blooming; thermal lens; thermally loaded material; Laser beams; Lenses; Mirrors; Optical materials; Pump lasers; Q factor; Solid lasers; Thermal factors; Thermal lensing; Thermal loading;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
