| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 732494 | Optics & Laser Technology | 2012 | 6 Pages |
This study deals with the thermal characterization of a continuous wave (CW-) and end-pumped passively Q-switched microchip Nd:YAG laser crystal by solving the rate and heat transfer equations in the laser cavity. In this approach, a parametric study has been performed to investigate the influence of the pumping parameters, cooling metal dimension and also the crystal dimension and doping concentration on the thermal behavior of the laser crystal. Obtained results reveal a closed correlation between the mentioned parameters and the thermal behavior of the crystal indicating that a proper selection of the laser parameters is essential to control the crystal's temperature and improve the performance of the laser accordingly.
► Thermal characterization of a CW- and end-pumped passively Q-switched microchip Nd:YAG laser is theoretically performed. ► Pumping beam radius affects the laser crystal's temperature in two distinct enhancing and reducing trends. ► Crystal's temperature reduces with cooling jacket radius and the jacket acts as a heat sink at sufficiently high radii. ► Crystal's optimum performance strongly depends on a proper selection of the gain crystal radius. ► Laser crystal temperature rises remarkably with increasing the doping concentration in the gain medium.
