Title :
300-W cryogenically cooled Yb:YAG laser
Author :
Ripin, Daniel J. ; Ochoa, Juan R. ; Aggarwal, Roshan L. ; Fan, Tso Yee
Author_Institution :
Lincoln Lab., MIT, Lexington, MA, USA
Abstract :
Thermooptic effects often limit the power and beam quality of bulk-solid-state lasers. Cryogenically cooled (∼100 K) Yb:YAG lasers have been previously demonstrated to have relatively low thermooptic effects and high efficiency due to improved material properties at low temperatures. In this work, >300-W average power with M2∼1.2 and 64% optical-optical efficiency has been demonstrated from an end-pumped-rod geometry power oscillator. To our knowledge, this is the highest average power to date from a cryogenically cooled Yb:YAG laser.
Keywords :
cooling; cryogenics; laser beams; optical pumping; solid lasers; thermo-optical effects; ytterbium; 100 K; 300 W; YAG:Yb; YAl5O12:Yb; Yb:YAG laser; beam quality; bulk-solid-state lasers; cryogenic cooling; end-pumped-rod geometry oscillator; optical-optical efficiency; power oscillator; thermooptic effect; Laser beams; Laser noise; Material properties; Optical distortion; Oscillators; Power lasers; Solid lasers; Temperature; Thermal conductivity; Thermal expansion; High-power lasers; Yb lasers; solid-state lasers; thermooptic effects;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JQE.2005.855027
