Fiber-bundle coupled, diode end-pumped Nd:YAG laser.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Solid-State Lasers
• Laser Engineering

Background:

• Diode-pumped solid-state lasers offer high efficiency and compact designs.
• Nd:YAG lasers are widely used in various scientific and industrial applications.
• Efficient end-pumping configurations are crucial for optimizing laser performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the performance of a Nd:YAG laser end-pumped by multiple laser-diode arrays.
• To determine the maximum single-mode output power and overall efficiency achievable with this configuration.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of fiber-coupled diode arrays for laser pumping.

Main Methods:

• Utilized seven fiber-coupled laser-diode arrays as the pump source.
• Combined the output of the laser diodes using a seven-fiber bundle.
• End-pumped a Nd:YAG solid-state laser resonator.
• Operated the laser diodes at a rated current of 1 A/diode.

Main Results:

• Achieved a maximum TEM(00) single-mode output power of 660 mW.
• Obtained a total electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 4.4%.
• Demonstrated stable single-mode operation under the specified pumping conditions.

Conclusions:

• Fiber-coupled laser-diode arrays are effective for end-pumping Nd:YAG lasers.
• The achieved output power and efficiency are suitable for specific applications requiring high-quality laser beams.
• This pumping scheme provides a viable route for developing compact and efficient solid-state laser systems.