system for monitoring the difference of the optical pfadlu00e4nge in lasers

摘要

A method of controlling the thermal optical path difference (OPD) in a lasing medium in a solid state laser during pumping of a lasing medium 10 including a pair of side faces 12 for receiving radiation during pumping and a pair of edge faces 16, comprises the steps of determining a temperature difference, DELTA Tmin, between the side faces and the edge faces that corresponds with approximately a minimum, OPDmin, in the OPD, and maintaining about DELTA Tmin during pumping of the lasing medium, such that the OPD is maintained at approximately OPDmin. The temperature difference is maintained by controlling heat transfer at the edge faces of the lasing medium. The temperature difference between the edge faces and the side faces can be actively controlled such that the method can be automated.