Calculation of three-dimensional thermal-gradient-induced stress birefringence in slab lasers

Abstract

The thermal-gradient-induced stress birefringence and depolarization losses were reported previously for a Yb:YAG slab in which the plane-strain approximation applied. In this paper we present analyses of these phenomena applying a full three-dimensional treatment of deposited pump power and cooling in a Yb:YAG slab. We treat both straight-through and zigzag propagation and the cases of the slab length along the crystalline [1 1 1] and [1 1 0] axes. We also describe the losses in a slab with undoped Brewster ends and pump edges.