Sapphire-conductive end-cooling of high power cryogenic Yb:YAG lasers

• DOI: 10.1007/s00340-005-1779-4
• Publication Date: 2005-03-17T05:46:42Z
• Authors: S. Tokita; J. Kawanaka; M. Fujita; T. Kawashima; Y. Izawa
• Keywords: 0103 physical sciences; 7. Clean energy; 01 natural sciences

We have demonstrated a high-power laser oscillator with end-cooling using a sapphire-sandwiched Yb:YAG disk at near liquid nitrogen temperature. An output power of 75 W with a near-diffraction-limited beam was obtained from a 0.6-mm thick activemedium. The slope efficiency and themaximum optical–optical efficiency were 80 and 70%, respectively, with respect to absorbed pump power.