High-Power Operation of Diode Edge-Pumped, Glue-Bonded, Composite Yb:Y_3Al_5O_(12) Microchip Laser with Ceramic, Undoped YAG Pump Light-Guide

摘要

The high-power operation of a diode edge-pumped, composite Yb~3+-doped Y_3Al_5O_(12) (Yb:YAG) microchip laser has been demonstrated. The novel hybrid composite microchip has a 5-mm-diameter, 300-μm-thickness, single-crystal Yb:YAG core and a transparent ceramic, undoped YAG pump light-guide surrounding the core with the same thickness. The high-reflection coated face of the microchip was bonded to a water-cooled heat-sink by a thermally conductive glue for efficient conduction cooling. The pump light from a fourfold diode stack directly coupled to the light-guide and maximum output powers of 410 W (peak) and 285 W have been successfully obtained at an input pump power of 866 W in quasi-continuous-wave (10 ms, 10 Hz) and continuous-wave operations, respectively, at room temperature.