Thermal stress effect in diode end-pumped Nd:YVO4 bar laser

Abstract

The thermal stress effect on various doping levels of yttrium vanadate crystal Nd:YVO4 is investigated. Diode end-pumped source was used to obtain the input-output characteristics of the vanadate crystal. The laser performance of the low doping crystal is poor since the optical conversion efficiency is small and high threshold pump power. However the low Dopant crystal is not associated with thermal stress thus no thermal damage. Differently with higher concentration of Nd ions crystal, the laser performance is relatively high but it is accompanied with thermal damage which comprised of microcrack, microfracture and contamination. The high absorption on the doping ions with additional external impurities causes extra heat generation which leads to thermal fracture. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.