Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor measurement for dynamic temperature profiles in heat-capacity laser rods
A Shack-Hartmann sensor nonintrusive measurement for the temperature profile in a heat-capacity neodymium-doped glass rod is proposed. This technique is possible because the optical path length of the rod changes with temperature linearly over a wide range. The temperature change of the solid-state laser rod is often recorded by using a thermocouple, thermal camera, or phase-shifting interferometer. Based on an analysis of temperature-induced changes in length and index of refraction, we can get the temperature profiles from the wavefront reconstructions in real time. The results suggest the Shack-Hartmann sensors could replace microbolometer-based thermal cameras and phase-shifting interferometers for dynamic temperature profiles in heat-capacity laser rods with particular advantages. A strange temperature chaos of the Nd:glass rod just after the pump cycle is discovered.
- OSTI ID:
- 20929735
- Journal Information:
- Applied Optics, Vol. 46, Issue 15; Other Information: DOI: 10.1364/AO.46.002963; (c) 2007 Optical Society of America; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6935
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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