Temperature tunable 1341-nm monolithic Nd(3+):YAIO(3) laser.

Area of Science:

• Solid-state laser technology
• Diode-pumped laser systems
• Nonlinear optics

Background:

• Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers are widely used in various scientific and industrial applications.
• Efficient pumping of solid-state lasers is crucial for achieving high output power and specific beam characteristics.
• Short cavity designs can influence laser mode structure and tunability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the performance of a short cavity monolithic Nd:YAG laser.
• To evaluate the output power and beam quality achievable with diode array pumping.
• To characterize the temperature tunability of the laser's central mode.

Main Methods:

• A monolithic Nd:YAG laser with a short cavity was constructed.
• The laser was pumped using a forty-stripe diode array.
• Output power, beam quality (TEM(00)), and longitudinal mode structure were analyzed.
• Temperature tuning of the central mode was measured.

Main Results:

• The laser produced 7 mW of TEM(00) power.
• The output was confined to three longitudinal modes.
• The central mode exhibited smooth temperature tunability.
• Tunability ranged from 1341.0 to 1341.6 nm at a rate of 15.0 ± 0.5 pm/°C.

Conclusions:

• Short cavity monolithic Nd:YAG lasers pumped by diode arrays are capable of producing usable TEM(00) power.
• The demonstrated temperature tunability is suitable for applications requiring precise wavelength control.
• This laser architecture offers a compact and efficient solution for specific wavelength generation.