DESIGN AND PROTOTYPING OF COMPONENTS FOR A DIODE PUMPED NEODYMIUM GLASS LASER

Abstract

Neodymium Glass lasers are recognized for their high energy storage and scaling characteristics. These lasers are often frequency doubled to pump ultrafast Titanium doped Sapphire laser systems and for other applications. Currently, Colorado State University’s 0.85-petawatt Titanium-Saphire laser system (ALEPH) uses frequency doubled Neodymium Glass laser amplifiers as pump lasers for energizing several of its amplification stages. The repetition rate of the overall system is limited by heat removal from these amplifiers, which are pumped by flash lamps. The next generation of ALEPH will use laser diodes as a higher efficiency excitation source for the Neodymium Glass gain material. This will allow for scaling laser operation to higher repetition rates. This thesis discusses the design and characterization of components for these next generation of glass pump lasers. The performance and characteristics of the pump diodes and thermal characteristics of the gain medium are examined. A beam deflection technique is developed to measure the temperature of the glass slabs that constitute the gain medium, and the results are compared to simulations. Last, the multiplexing architecture of the glass laser amplifier is designed.