全固态单模Nd:YAG激光器输出特性优化的实验研究

为了实现高功率全固态激光器的高输出光束质量,使用1mm直径Nd:YAG激光棒和单一二极管激光模块侧面抽运的简单激光腔设计来实现功率高于10W、光束质量接近衍射极限的TEM00模输出。通过使用小口径激光棒抑制高阶横模振荡、曲面后反镜和负透镜组合补偿热透镜效应和实验优化后反镜的曲率半径、负透镜的焦距以及激光腔腔长等结构参数使激光器输出功率和光束圆率同时达到最大,实现了平均功率10.8W、脉冲宽度15ns、光斑圆率98.8%±0.8%、M2值为1.1的近衍射极限光束输出。结果表明,通过使用小口径激光棒提高激光器输出光束质量工程上可行。

Experimental optimization of the output performance of a all-solid-state pulsed Nd∶YAG laser

A simple cavity design for a pulsed Nd∶YAG laser employed a 1 mm-diameter laser rod pumped by a single laser diode module was reported. An experiment was performed to optimize the cavity design to obtain a laser output of＞10W average power and a nearly diffraction-limited TEM00 mode. In this design,the small-diameter laser rod was used to eliminate the oscillation of high-order transverse modes,and a combination of a curved rear mirror and a negative lens placed inside the cavity was employed to compensate the thermal lens effect inside the laser rod. By experimentally optimizing the values of curvature of the rear mirror,the focal length of the negative lens,and the cavity spacing to maximize simultaneously the output power and the beam circularity,the pulsed Nd∶YAG laser reached an average power of 10.8W,a beam circularity of 98.8% ±0.8%,and M2 value of 1.1.The experimental results showed that in laser engineering the small-diameter laser rod could be used to improve the beam quality of high-power lasers.