Continuous-wave operation of a diode-pumped rotating Nd:glass disk laser

Area of Science:

• Laser physics
• Materials science

Background:

• Diode-laser end-pumped lasers offer efficient power scaling.
• Thermal effects and population dynamics can limit laser performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of rotation on a continuous-wave (cw) Nd:glass disk laser.
• To optimize laser output power by controlling pumping and rotation rates.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a diode-laser end-pumped cw rotating Nd:glass disk laser.
• Operated the laser in the TEM(00) mode.
• Varied pumping and rotation rates to measure output power.

Main Results:

• Achieved a slope efficiency of 37% with TEM(00) mode operation.
• Output power initially increased with rotation rate due to reduced thermal lensing.
• Further increases in rotation rate decreased power by sweeping excited states out of the cavity.
• Obtained 0.55 W cw output power at 2.5 Hz rotation with 2 W absorbed pump power.

Conclusions:

• Laser output power is critically dependent on rotation rate, balancing thermal management and population dynamics.
• Optimal rotation rate (2.5 Hz) maximizes output power by mitigating thermal lensing without significant gain reduction.
• Performance was limited by available pump power, not thermal damage or distortion, indicating potential for higher power scaling.