Abstract
A comparative study of the thermal lensing effect is performed for monoclinic 3 at.%Tm:KLu(WO4)2 crystals cut along the three principal axes of the optical indicatrix, Np, Nm and Ng. Optical power, sensitivity factors and astigmatism of the thermal lens are determined. It is found that the thermal lens is differently signed for beam propagation along Np and Nm (for m- and p-polarizations, respectively). In contrast, beam propagation along Ng possesses a positive lens with nearly two-times reduced astigmatism (m-polarization). The results are utilized in the first realization of a continuous-wave quasi-microchip 3 at.%Tm:KLu(WO4)2 laser delivering 880 mW output power at 1.95 μm with a slope efficiency of 44%, and an M2 factor below 1.05.
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