250-W average-power Nd:YAG laser with self-adaptive cavity completed by dynamic refractive-index gratings

Abstract

A high average power laser oscillator with a cavity completed by a nonlinear mirror formed by refractive index gratings which accompany population gratings induced in Nd:YAG laser crystals by generating beams themselves is investigated numerically and experimentally. The role of different noise sources at the initial stage of nonlinear cavity formation is studied. The adaptation of the cavity formed by nonlinear dynamic mirrors to intracavity distortions is demonstrated. The generation of beams with average power up to 250 W, near-diffraction-limited divergence, and long coherence length has been achieved.