Abstract

To scale Nd lasers to high average power it is essential to quantify the heat load that the laser medium must accommodate. In a series of systematic experiments we have found large variations in the heat generation accompanying flash-lamp pumping of various types of Nd-doped phosphate glass and Nd:YAG. Since heating laser media severely limits their performance, this finding can have significant practical design consequences. In this context, the best way to evaluate a candidate material is to quantify its normalized heating parameter x, which is defined as the heat generated per unit stored energy at 1 μm. This parameter is relatively independent of the particular pumping geometry used and applies to all laser designs utilizing flashlamp pumping.

© 1986 Optical Society of America