100-W quasi-continuous-wave diode radially pumped microchip composite Yb:YAG laser

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics

Background:

• Microchip lasers offer compact and robust laser solutions.
• Ytterbium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Yb:YAG) is a promising gain medium for high-power lasers due to its favorable spectroscopic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the performance of a diode-radially pumped Yb:YAG microchip laser.
• To optimize the laser design for maximum output power and efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a slab-shaped Yb:YAG microchip with an Yb-doped core and undoped YAG cladding.
• Quasi-continuous-wave diode pumping at a 5-Hz repetition rate with a 2.5% duty cycle.
• Systematic variation of the Yb-doped core dimensions and doping concentration.

Main Results:

• A 2 mmx2 mm, 10-at.% Yb:YAG core delivered 66-W peak power with 0.49 slope efficiency.
• A 1.2 mmx1.2 mm, 15-at.% Yb:YAG core achieved 112-W peak power.
• The optimized laser demonstrated a 0.63 slope efficiency and 0.38 optical-to-optical efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Diode-radially pumped Yb:YAG microchip lasers can achieve high peak power outputs.
• Optimizing core dimensions and doping concentration is crucial for maximizing laser performance.
• These results highlight the potential of Yb:YAG microchip lasers for various high-power applications.