Compact temperature-insensitive high-energy VCSEL side-pumped Nd:YAG laser with a VRM output coupler

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• High-energy pulsed lasers are crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Traditional Q-switched lasers often suffer from thermal instability and bulky designs.
• Developing compact and temperature-insensitive laser systems remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a compact, temperature-insensitive, high-energy Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.
• To optimize laser parameters for enhanced performance and stability.
• To characterize the laser's output energy, pulse width, peak power, brightness, beam quality, and temperature stability.

Main Methods:

• Utilized vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) side-pumping technology.
• Employed a variable reflectivity mirror (VRM) as the output coupler (OC).
• Optimized laser parameters and conducted temperature stability tests.

Main Results:

• Achieved an output energy of 217 mJ at a 100 Hz pulse repetition rate.
• Generated a 7 ns pulse width with a peak power of 31 MW.
• Demonstrated high brightness (10.34×10⁶ MW/mm²/sr) and good beam quality (M²∼2.3).
• Exhibited excellent temperature stability with <1.8% energy variation from 15°C to 35°C.

Conclusions:

• The developed VCSEL side-pumped Nd:YAG laser offers a compact and temperature-insensitive solution for high-energy pulsed laser applications.
• The optimized design provides high output energy, excellent beam quality, and robust thermal stability.
• This laser technology holds promise for applications requiring reliable and stable high-power laser sources.