Thermal mode-switching of a passively Q-switched microchip Nd: YAG laser

Abstract

In the present article, the thermal distribution inside the gain medium of a passively Q-switched microchip laser is modeled and simulated for actual practical values associated with an available microchip laser constructed in our laboratory. The effects of the non-uniform heat distribution on the spectral properties of the output laser beam have been investigated and simulated with the variation of diode-pump power and pulse repetition rate. It is observed that the gain bandwidth as well as Optical Path Difference (OPD) values of the propagating pulses are significantly decreased, while the Nd:YAG chip is cooled down to a certain value. The validity of the utilized model is checked by setting and characterizing the spectral properties of a fabricated laboratory microchip laser under different heating conditions. It is verified that when the temperature of the gain material is changed by an electronically controlled Peltier device, the spectrum of the output laser beam can be switched between single- and dual-mode situations. This physical character has shown good agreement between the presented model and obtained experimental results. ©Springer-Verlag 2012.