Thermal beam distortions in end-pumped Nd:YAG, Nd:GSGG, and Nd:YLF rods

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/3.299492· OSTI ID:6913390

Pfistner, C; Weber, R; Weber, H P ^[1]; Merazzi, S; Gruber, R ^[2]

---

1. Univ. of Berne (Switzerland). Inst. of Applied Physics
2. CSCS Manno (Switzerland). Centro Svizzero di Calcolo Scientifico

The thermally induced beam distortion in end-pumped Nd:YAG, Nd: GSGG, and Nd:YLF rods were analyzed and the influence of edge- and face-cooling was investigated. The distributions of temperature, stress, and strain in the crystals were calculated by finite element analysis. Based on these data, the space-resolved changes of the refractive index were determined considering thermal dispersion, surface deformation, and strain-induced birefringence. The resulting optical path difference for one round-trip in the end-pumped rods was integrated numerically. For each rod, the induced thermal lens was determined over the extent of the pump spot radius. The calculations of the optical path difference were experimentally confirmed by investigations using a modified Twyman-Green interferometer with a polarized HeNe probe beam at 633 nm under lasing and nonlasting conditions.

• OSTI ID: 6913390
• Journal Information: IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) Vol. 30:7; ISSN 0018-9197; ISSN IEJQA7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
BIREFRINGENCE
CALCULATION METHODS
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
HEATING
LASER MATERIALS
LASERS
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NEODYMIUM LASERS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OPTICAL PUMPING
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PUMPING
REFRACTION
REFRACTIVE INDEX
SOLID STATE LASERS
STRESSES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION