Dual V-type resonators to enhance beam quality of Yb:YAG thin-disk lasers

Appl Opt. 2016 Apr 1;55(10):2559-64. doi: 10.1364/AO.55.002559.

Abstract

In this paper, the operating characteristics of a Yb:YAG thin-disk laser using double V-type resonators are reported. The laser maintained stable performance by independently activating either the main or the auxiliary V-type resonator depending on the pumping laser power. Experimental investigations revealed that by reducing the dynamic range in which the main resonator was used for stability and instead employing the auxiliary resonator, the laser beam quality factor M2 could be reduced from 40.2 to 32.3, representing a beam quality enhancement of approximately 20%.