Optical extraction model and optimal outcoupling for a CW quasi-three level thin disk laser

Drew A. Copeland

doi:10.1117/12.876052

15 February 2011 Optical extraction model and optimal outcoupling for a CW quasi-three level thin disk laser

Drew A. Copeland

Proceedings Volume 7912, Solid State Lasers XX: Technology and Devices; 79120D (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.876052
Event: SPIE LASE, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Using the well-known quasi-three level kinetics model of Beach^1,2 and Bourdet³ an exact analytical solution of the coupled medium and geometric, plane-wave optical propagation equations for a longitudinally or face-pumped CW laser is obtained. Although the quasi-three level kinetics model ignores all medium losses, e.g. amplified spontaneous emission, upconversion, and excited state absorption, it is applicable to Yb:YAG devices. The optical extraction model, which accounts for both laser wave amplification and pump wave absorption saturation coupling, treats both one- and two-face pumping as well as single-, double-, and multiple-reflections of the pump wave between the faces of the disk. Analytical expressions for the laser output power, the absorbed pump power, the threshold pump power, as well as the pump absorption, optical-to-optical, optical extraction, and slope efficiencies are obtained. With a suitable modification of the pump absorption efficiency, multiple-pass pumping via pump beam reinjection as achieved with a parabolic reflector by Stewen et al⁴ can also be treated. Explicit equations for determining the spatial distributions of the pump and laser intensities along the optic axis of the resonator are presented. Finally, explicit transcendental equations to determine the resonator outcoupling fraction which maximizes either the optical-to-optical or the optical extraction efficiency as a function of mirror loss, gain per pass, and pump power are derived. As an example the theory is applied to the Yb:YAG gain medium.

Citation Download Citation

Drew A. Copeland "Optical extraction model and optimal outcoupling for a CW quasi-three level thin disk laser", Proc. SPIE 7912, Solid State Lasers XX: Technology and Devices, 79120D (15 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.876052

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