Effect of heat spreader thickness and material on temperature distribution and stresses in thin disk laser crystals

Yb:YAG thin disk is mounted on the surface of the W–Cu heat spreader. The back side of the heat spreader is cooled directly using jet-impingement cooling system. In order to reduce the undesirable effects caused by the increase of temperature in gain medium, numerical analysis of the influence of material type and thickness of heat spreader was performed. The effect of various materials and thickness on temperature distribution, deformation and stress in disk laser is investigated using FEM analysis. Good agreement between the temperature distribution of numerical results and experimental thermography is obtained.

► Similar work in this area of technology, which covers both methods has not been found.
► Using thermography to determine the temperature allows online controlling of lasing process.
► The agreement between both method's results introduces numerical analysis as a confident way.