Abstract

The use of optical rotators and waveplates to compensate for thermally induced birefringence in cylindrical laser rods is reported. The use of these components allows polarization coupled lasers to operate efficiently at high average power levels. Experimentally a Nd:YAG oscillator has been operated in a Q-switched TEM₀₀ mode giving 300-mJ pulses and 15 W of average power.

© 1987 Optical Society of America

Effects of thermally induced birefringence in high-output-power electro-optically Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers and their compensation

S. Z. Kurtev, O. E. Denchev, and S. D. Savov
Appl. Opt. 32(3) 278-285 (1993)

Investigation of the misalignment sensitivity of a birefringence-compensated two-rod Nd:YAG laser system

Nicolas Kugler, Shalei Dong, Qitao Lü, and Horst Weber
Appl. Opt. 36(36) 9359-9366 (1997)

Quasi-continuous-wave birefringence-compensated single- and double-rod Nd:YAG lasers

Martin Ostermeyer, Guido Klemz, Philipp Kubina, and Ralf Menzel
Appl. Opt. 41(36) 7573-7582 (2002)

Simple method for reducing the depolarization loss resulting from thermally induced birefringence in solid-state lasers

W. A. Clarkson, N. S. Felgate, and D. C. Hanna
Opt. Lett. 24(12) 820-822 (1999)

Correction of birefringence and thermal lensing in nonreciprocal resonators by use of a dynamic imaging mirror

Inon Moshe and Steven Jackel
Appl. Opt. 39(24) 4313-4319 (2000)