Gain-guiding and thermal distortion in diode-pumped Nd:YVO/sub 4/ microchip lasers

Author

Conroy, Richard S. ; Kemp, A. ; Matthews, D.G. ; Sinclair, B.D.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys. & Astron., St. Andrews Univ., UK

fYear

1996

fDate

2-7 June 1996

Firstpage

175

Lastpage

176

Abstract

Summary form only given. Nd:YVO/sub 4/ is a commonly used four-level laser gain material in microchip lasers with a positive change in refractive index with temperature and short absorption depth, producing a positive ´thermal´ lens within the bulk of the crystal, as well as surface deformation when pumped cw with a laser diode. We have developed an analytical computer model based on the work of Farrukh (1988) and a numerical model based on finite element theory, to help predict behavior under different modes of operation and present a comparison of these models with observed results.

Keywords

finite element analysis; laser beams; laser theory; neodymium; optical pumping; solid lasers; CW laser diode pumping; Nd:YVO/sub 4/ microchip laser; YVO/sub 4/:Nd; absorption depth; analytical computer model; finite element theory; four-level gain material; gain-guiding; numerical model; refractive index; surface deformation; thermal distortion; thermal lens; Crystalline materials; Diodes; Laser modes; Laser noise; Laser transitions; Microchip lasers; Optical materials; Predictive models; Pump lasers; Refractive index;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Lasers and Electro-Optics, 1996. CLEO '96., Summaries of papers presented at the Conference on

Conference_Location

Anaheim, CA, USA

Print_ISBN

1-55752-443-2

Type

conf

Filename

864527