ADAPTIVE OPTICS CONTROL OF SOLID-STATE LASERS

摘要

Adaptive optics techniques were implemented inside a laser cavity in order to enhance itscapabilities. Firstly, a closed-loop system using a deformable membrane mirror, a fitnesssensor and a control algorithm was developed. This was successfully used to enhance thebrightness of a grazing-incidence Nd:GdVO_4laser operating at steady-state by a factor of10. Secondly, the transient time of a side-pumped Nd:YLF laser (i.e. the time taken bythe laser to reach its full brightness) was reduced by at least an order of magnitude basedon the automatic translation of one of the intra-cavity mirror. Finally, investigations arecurrently under way based on the use of a new type of large-stroke bimorph mirror.