External design freedom for optimization of resonator originated beam shaping

Author

Zeitner, Uwe D. ; Wyrowski, Frank ; Zellmer, Holger

Author_Institution

Fraunhofer Inst. fur Angewandte Opt. & Feinmech., Jena, Germany

Volume

36

Issue

10

fYear

2000

Firstpage

1105

Lastpage

1109

Abstract

Modern fabrication techniques like electron beam lithography allow the use of resonator mirrors with sophisticated surface modulation. We use this flexibility to realize a resonator with a beam the intensity distribution of which is specified in the focal region. The phase in the focal region is used as a freedom to homogenize the beam in the active medium and by that to allow the satisfaction of the laser gain condition. This is possible by a decoupling of the beam propagation characteristic of the beam inside and outside of the cavity. The design concept is described and experimentally demonstrated in a Nd:YAG laser.

Keywords

electron beam lithography; laser beams; laser cavity resonators; laser mirrors; neodymium; optical design techniques; optical fabrication; solid lasers; Nd:YAG laser; YAG:Nd; YAl5O12:Nd; active medium; beam propagation characteristic; design concept; electron beam lithography; external design freedom; fabrication techniques; focal region; intensity distribution; laser gain condition; laser resonator mirrors; optimization; resonator originated beam shaping; surface modulation; Design optimization; Geometrical optics; Laser beams; Laser modes; Lenses; Mirrors; Nonlinear optics; Optical beams; Optical design; Optical resonators;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.880649

Filename

880649