Open AccessBeam quality management by periodic reproduction of wavefront aberrations in end-pumped Nd:YVO_4 laser amplifiers
Author(s) -
Bin Liu,
Chong Liu,
Lifeng Shen,
Chunhua Wang,
Zhibin Ye,
Dong Liu,
Xiang Zhang
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.24.008988
Subject(s) - optics , amplifier , wavefront , laser beam quality , laser , physics , beam (structure) , wavefront sensor , materials science , optoelectronics , laser beams , cmos
A method for beam quality management is presented in a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) using Nd:YVO 4 as the gain medium by extra-cavity periodic reproduction of wavefront aberrations. The wavefront aberration evolution of the intra-cavity beams is investigated for both symmetrical and asymmetrical resonators. The wavefront aberration reproduction process is successfully realized outside the cavity in four-stage amplifiers. In the MOPA with a symmetrical oscillator, the laser power increases linearly and the beam quality hardly changes. In the MOPA with an asymmetrical oscillator, the beam quality is deteriorated after the odd-stage amplifier and is improved after the even-stage amplifier. The wavefront aberration reproduction during the extra-cavity beam propagation in the amplifiers is equivalent to that during the intra-cavity propagation. This solution helps to achieve the effective beam quality management in laser amplifier chains.