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.