Adaptive aberration control in laser amplifiers and laser resonators

Ulrich Wittrock; Ivo Buske; Hans M. Heuck

doi:10.1117/12.499281

25 June 2003 Adaptive aberration control in laser amplifiers and laser resonators

Ulrich Wittrock, Ivo Buske, Hans M. Heuck

Proceedings Volume 4969, Laser Resonators and Beam Control VI; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.499281
Event: High-Power Lasers and Applications, 2003, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

We present experimental and theoretical results on aberration control in solid state laser amplifiers and resonators. In lasers with diffraction-limited beam quality, aberrations cause diffraction losses that reduce the output power. In laser amplifiers, aberrations in the active medium degrade the beam quality of the amplified beam. Adaptive optics can be used to correct for the aberrations and thus increase output power and beam quality, respectively. The required precision of the adaptive aberration correction can be estimated with a simple mode expansion model in which an aberrated TEM₀₀ mode is expanded into Gauss-Hermite modes. Apart from these theoretical results we will present experimental results for a MOPA (Master-Oscillator-Power-Amplifier) laser system consisting of a Nd:YVO₄ master oscillator and two Nd:YAG power amplifiers. A micromachined deformable mirror was used in a closed-loop system to correct for the thermo-optic aberrations of the amplifiers. A beam with a beam quality of M²= 2.5 at an out power of 80 W was obtained. The deformable mirror was controlled by a genetic algorithm.

Citation Download Citation

Ulrich Wittrock, Ivo Buske, and Hans M. Heuck "Adaptive aberration control in laser amplifiers and laser resonators", Proc. SPIE 4969, Laser Resonators and Beam Control VI, (25 June 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.499281

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available