CRITERION FOR SELECTION OF cw LASER HOST MATERIALS TO INCREASE AVAILABLE POWER IN THE FUNDAMENTAL MODE

Abstract

Present Nd:YAG lasers are subject to thermal birefringence and bifocusing which contribute to large reductions in polarized and/or fundamental mode output when the laser is pumped at high average powers. By replacing the cubic YAG host with a suitably oriented birefringent host material, this limitation can be overcome. We suggest this consideration as an important criterion for the selection of crystalline laser host materials, since an order-of-magnitude increase in the brightness of cw lasers may result. One new material which has the required properties is YAlO3.