Use of Intracavity Adaptive Optics in Solid-State Lasers Operation at 1 µm

Abstract

An intracavity 37-element deformable membrane mirror (DMM) has been used in order to control the transverse mode profile of a diode-pumped solid- state laser. Automatic spatial mode and output power optimisation of Nd:YVO4 end-pumped and Nd:YAlO side-pumped lasers are demonstrated using a closed-loop genetic algorithm. Transverse mode and power optimisation of a diode-pumped, grazing incidence Nd:GdVO4 laser has been performed successfully. The optimisa- tion procedure featured a genetic algorithm ensuring the global maximum is at- tained. Using a Michelson interferometer with the DMM operating intracavity, the DMM was found to present negligible deformation when used with a power den- sity of 115W/cm2 but noticeable deformation appeared with a power density of 1.25kW/cm2.