Modular pump geometry for diode side-pumped high-power Nd:YAG rod laser

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Diode-pumped solid-state lasers are crucial for high-power applications.
• Efficient pumping configurations are essential for optimizing laser performance and managing thermal effects.
• Existing modular designs lack flexibility in pump diode angular separation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel modular design for side-pumping an Nd:YAG rod in a diode-pumped high-power CW laser.
• To investigate the impact of different modular pump geometries on laser performance.
• To compare the thermal lensing, fluorescence, beam profile, and beam quality (M2) of various configurations.

Main Methods:

• Developed independent disc modules with three-diode linear bar arrays arranged at 120°.
• Assembled modules along the Nd:YAG rod with varying angular separations to create helical, 60° rotated, and linear geometries.
• Analyzed thermal lensing, fluorescence profiles, laser beam profiles, and beam quality factor (M2) for each geometry.

Main Results:

• The 60° rotated configuration exhibited the best overall performance compared to helical and linear geometries.
• Significant differences in thermal lensing and beam quality were observed across the tested configurations.
• The modular design allowed for systematic study of angular separation effects.

Conclusions:

• The 60° rotated modular pump geometry offers superior performance for diode-pumped high-power CW lasers.
• This novel approach provides a flexible platform for optimizing laser design through controlled pump diode arrangement.
• This work represents the first exploration of such modular pump geometries with adjustable angular separation.