The output beam quality of a Q-switched Nd; Glass slab laser

Journal Article · Fri Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1990 · IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/3.64349· OSTI ID:5726979

Reed, M K ^[1]; Byer, R L ^[2]

---

1. Coherent Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US)
2. Edward L. Ginzton Lab., Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (US)

The authors have constructed and tested a flashlamp pumped, Z-switched, Nd:glass zigzag slab laser. The thermally-induced optical distortion through the slab is minimized by uniform pumping and cooling and the use of corrective pump shields at the slab ends. The laser spatial output for Q-switched resonators has been measured and modeled. It is shown that a large aperture planar oscillator has an output divergence many times above the diffraction limit. Operation as a one-dimensional unstable resonator in the wide direction of the slab allows the efficient extraction of energy in a high-quality beam. Near diffraction limited laser output of 5 J at a 4 Hz is achieved with a resonator that includes an intracavity telescope to correct for residual defocusing in the thin direction of the slab.

• OSTI ID: 5726979
• Journal Information: IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA), Journal Name: IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (USA) Vol. 26:12; ISSN 0018-9197; ISSN IEJQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
ALLOYS
COHERENT SCATTERING
CORRECTIONS
DIFFRACTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
GLASS
INHIBITION
LASER RADIATION
LASERS
LIGHT BULBS
NEODYMIUM ADDITIONS
NEODYMIUM ALLOYS
OPTICAL PUMPING
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PUMPING
Q-SWITCHING
RADIATIONS
RARE EARTH ADDITIONS
RARE EARTH ALLOYS
RESONATORS
SCATTERING
SLABS
SOLID STATE LASERS
TELESCOPES
TESTING