Diode radial pumped composite microchip Yb:YAG laser: output performances and thermal effects

摘要

A diode radial pumped microchip Yb:YAG laser that consists of a Yb-doped core surrounded by undoped YAG of slab shape is presented. Quasi-continuous wave pumping of a 800-μm thick 10-at.% Yb doped core of 2x 2 mm~2 square shape with pulses of 5-Hz repetition rate and 2.5% duty cycle delivers 66-W output peak power at 220-W input pump power with 49% slope efficiency. 112-W peak power with 63% slope efficiency and 38% optical-to-optical efficiency, were obtained from a of 1.2 x 1.2 mm~2 square 15-at.% Yb:YAG core of 800-μm thickness. Continuous-wave operation with up to 90 W were obtained from a 400-μm thick Yb:YAG/YAG structure with a 10-at.% Yb:YAG square core of 2x2-mm~2 area; the slope efficiency and optical-to-optical efficiency with respect to the pump power were 40% and 28%, respectively. Measurements of the optical phase distortions induced by pumping gives focus shift bellow 0.05 m and shows the absence of astigmatic effects, indicating the axial heat flow in this pumping configuration.