Highly efficient 400  W near-fundamental-mode green thin-disk laser

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Green lasers are crucial for applications like deep-penetration welding of copper and pumping Titanium:Sapphire (Ti:Sa) oscillators.
• Efficient generation of high-brightness green laser radiation is essential for advancing these technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate efficient generation of continuous-wave, high-brightness green laser radiation.
• To achieve high output power and excellent beam quality at 515 nm.

Main Methods:

• Intracavity second-harmonic generation within a thin-disk laser resonator.
• Utilizing a grating waveguide mirror for wavelength stabilization, spectral narrowing, and polarization selection.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated an output power of up to 403 W at 515 nm.
• Achieved almost diffraction-limited beam quality.
• Reached an optical efficiency of 40.7% for green output power relative to pump power.

Conclusions:

• The developed thin-disk laser system enables efficient, high-power green laser generation.
• The integrated grating waveguide mirror is key to achieving high performance and efficiency.
• This technology holds promise for improved copper welding and advanced laser pumping applications.