Optical distortion in nd(+3) doped glass for repetitive pumping

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics

Background:

• Neodymium-doped (Nd+3) glass lasers are crucial for various applications.
• Understanding optical distortions is vital for laser performance optimization.
• Repetitive optical pumping can induce cumulative effects in laser materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate optical distortions in Nd(+3) doped glass under repetitive optical pumping.
• To quantify the relationship between pumping intensity and induced distortions.
• To analyze the impact of these distortions on laser output energy.

Main Methods:

• Utilized interferometric measurements to precisely detect and quantify optical distortions.
• Performed repetitive optical pumping experiments on Nd(+3) doped glass laser rods.
• Measured laser output energy as a function of the number of pumping shots.

Main Results:

• Observed that overall optical distortion in the laser rod reaches a significantly higher upper limit compared to single-shot operations.
• Demonstrated a clear dependence of distortion levels on the number of pumping shots.
• Recorded a decrease in laser output energy correlated with increased pumping and resulting distortions.

Conclusions:

• Repetitive optical pumping leads to substantial and cumulative optical distortions in Nd(+3) doped glass.
• These distortions negatively impact laser performance, reducing output energy with increased operational shots.
• Findings highlight the need for thermal management and distortion mitigation strategies in high-repetition-rate laser systems.