High sustained average power cw and ultrafast Yb:YAG near-diffraction-limited cryogenic solid-state laser

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics and Technology
• Materials Science
• Cryogenics

Background:

• High average power lasers are crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Cryogenic cooling enhances the performance and power handling capabilities of laser systems.
• Yb:YAG is a promising gain medium for high-power laser development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report record performance for a high average power Yb:YAG cryogenic laser system.
• To demonstrate sustained output power and reliable long-term operation.
• To evaluate different amplifier configurations for optimized power output.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a continuous wave (CW) oscillator-single-pass amplifier configuration.
• Employed a two-amplifier Yb:YAG cryogenic system driven by a picosecond fiber laser oscillator.
• Implemented force convection cooling with liquid nitrogen for both systems.

Main Results:

• Achieved 963 W of output power in the CW oscillator-single-pass amplifier configuration.
• Obtained 758 W of average power output from the two-amplifier system with picosecond pulses.
• Demonstrated reliable long-term operation at high average power levels.

Conclusions:

• The Yb:YAG cryogenic laser system exhibits record-breaking performance in terms of sustained output power.
• The implemented cooling method ensures reliable operation for extended periods.
• These results pave the way for advanced high-power laser applications.