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710 kW stable average power in a 45,000 finesse two-mirror optical cavity
Optics Letters
|November 27, 2024
Summary
Researchers achieved 710 kW of stable average power using optical enhancement cavities (OECs), advancing high-power laser systems. This work highlights the importance of thermal lensing in designing advanced OECs for demanding applications.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Laser Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Optical enhancement cavities (OECs) are crucial for fundamental and applied research.
- High-power laser systems require stable megawatt-level average power for applications.
- Current OEC design focuses on limiting thermal deformation of mirror curvatures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the achievement of 710 kW stable average power in a two-mirror hemispherical OEC.
- To demonstrate the significance of thermal lensing in OEC design.
- To show that thermal lensing can be used to assess coating absorption.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a two-mirror hemispherical optical enhancement cavity.
- Experimentally measured stable average power output.
- Developed and applied a simple model for thermal effects in mirror coatings.
- Matched experimental observations with the thermal model.
Main Results:
- Achieved 710 kW of stable average power, surpassing previous state-of-the-art.
- Explicitly demonstrated the necessity of accounting for thermal lensing.
- Showed that thermal lensing provides a method for assessing coating absorption.
Conclusions:
- The achieved power level represents a significant advancement in high-power OECs.
- Thermal lensing is a critical factor in designing and optimizing OECs for high average power.
- These findings pave the way for designing improved optical systems for various high-power OEC applications.
