High-brightness-solar-pumped Nd:YAG laser design

Mordechai Lando; David G. Jenkins; Hana Bernstein; Joseph J. O'Gallagher; Roland Winston; Allan Lewandowski

doi:10.1117/12.211229

6 June 1995 High-brightness-solar-pumped Nd:YAG laser design

Mordechai Lando, David G. Jenkins, Hana Bernstein, Joseph J. O'Gallagher, Roland Winston, Allan Lewandowski

Proceedings Volume 2426, 9th Meeting on Optical Engineering in Israel; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.211229
Event: Optical Engineering in Israel: 9th Meeting, 1994, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Abstract

We have designed a Nd:YAG laser to be pumped by the High-Flux Solar Furnace (HFSF) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Based on the unique features of the HFSF, the design objectives are high brightness and superior efficiency in primary mirror area utilization. The HFSF has a primary mirror of 11.5 m² and a 1.85 f-number. With such a high f-number, the target is set off-axis and does not block incoming solar flux. Moreover, large f-number enables concentration which approaches the theoretical limit, and a two- dimensional non-imaging concentrator deposits the solar flux onto the internal part of a 10 mm diameter laser rod. For high brightness, we plan a wide low-loss fundamental mode and a laser rod aperture that suppresses high order modes. To get a fundamental mode, of up to a 2.5 mm waist, we have designed a convex-concave resonator, following well-known g₁g₂ equals 0.5 design for resonators with internal beam focusing. We have used the edge ray principle to design the concentrator, and ray traced the deposited power inside the laser rod. A 1.3% Nd doping level supports a maximal power deposition inside a 5 mm diameter.

Citation Download Citation

Mordechai Lando, David G. Jenkins, Hana Bernstein, Joseph J. O'Gallagher, Roland Winston, and Allan Lewandowski "High-brightness-solar-pumped Nd:YAG laser design", Proc. SPIE 2426, 9th Meeting on Optical Engineering in Israel, (6 June 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.211229

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