23.7-W picosecond cryogenic-Yb:YAG multipass amplifier

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics
• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• High-power picosecond lasers are crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Developing efficient and stable laser systems remains a key challenge in laser technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a diode-pumped picosecond 8-pass amplifier.
• To investigate the performance of a liquid-nitrogen-cooled Ytterbium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Yb:YAG) crystal.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a diode-pumped 8-pass amplification architecture.
• Employed a liquid-nitrogen-cooled Yb:YAG crystal for enhanced thermal management.
• Operated the amplifier at various pulse repetition rates (30-80 kHz).

Main Results:

• Achieved an average output power of 23.7 W at 80 kHz repetition rate.
• Obtained a near-diffraction-limited beam quality with M(2) < 1.2.
• Demonstrated average powers exceeding 20 W across the 30-80 kHz range.
• Reached a pulse energy of nearly 1 mJ at 20 kHz repetition rate.

Conclusions:

• The developed liquid-nitrogen-cooled Yb:YAG picosecond amplifier offers high average power and excellent beam quality.
• The system represents a significant advancement in high-power picosecond laser development.
• This technology has potential applications in fields requiring precise, high-energy laser pulses.