Deformable mirrors for intra-cavity use in high-power thin-disk lasers

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Technology

Background:

• High-power thin-disk lasers require advanced intra-cavity components.
• Controlling laser beam quality is crucial for various applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce novel deformable mirrors for intra-cavity use in high-power thin-disk laser resonators.
• To demonstrate the tunability of laser beam quality using these mirrors.

Main Methods:

• Development of deformable mirrors with continuously adaptable refractive power (-0.7 m^-1 to 0.3 m^-1).
• Optimization of mirror membrane shape for low deviation from a paraboloid.
• Integration into a high-power thin-disk laser resonator.

Main Results:

• The deformable mirrors exhibit optical performance comparable to standard High Reflectivity (HR) mirrors.
• Demonstrated continuous tuning of laser beam quality (M²) from 3 to 1.
• Successful operation at high output powers up to 1.1 kW.

Conclusions:

• Deformable mirrors offer a viable solution for intra-cavity beam quality control in high-power lasers.
• The developed mirrors maintain performance while enabling dynamic adjustment of laser characteristics.
• This technology has potential for applications requiring adjustable laser beam quality.