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Preserving a diffraction-limited beam in Ho:YAG laser using coherent polarization locking
1DSO National Laboratories, 20 Science Park Drive, Singapore 118230, Singapore.
Optics Letters
|November 21, 2012
Summary
This study introduces coherent polarization locking to improve Holmium lasers (Ho:YAG). This technique enhances beam quality and power output by addressing thermal issues in Ho:YAG laser systems.
Area of Science:
- Laser physics
- Solid-state lasers
- Photonics
Background:
- Holmium lasers (Ho:YAG) are crucial for various applications but suffer from thermal issues.
- Thermal lensing and stress-induced birefringence degrade beam quality and limit output power.
- Conventional laser cavities struggle to mitigate these thermal effects effectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address thermal issues in Ho:YAG lasers.
- To achieve a diffraction-limited beam quality.
- To enhance laser performance metrics like absorption and power saturation.
Main Methods:
- Distributing the laser gain over a larger volume.
- Implementing a coherent polarization locking technique.
- Comparing performance against a conventional Ho:YAG laser cavity.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated increased single-pass absorption.
- Achieved suppression of output power saturation.
- Showcased significant improvement in beam quality.
- Generated 10 watts of continuous-wave (CW) Ho:YAG laser power.
- Attained >96% coherent combining efficiency.
Conclusions:
- Coherent polarization locking effectively overcomes thermal issues in Ho:YAG lasers.
- The technique significantly improves beam quality and output power.
- This method offers a viable solution for high-power, high-quality Ho:YAG laser generation.
