High power conversion efficiency diode lasers for pumping high power solid state laser systems

Abstract

High power multimode diode lasers emitting in the wavelength range of 0.8 µm to 1.06 µm have been extensively used for pumping high power solid - state lasers such as the thin disk, slab, heat capacity and fiber lasers that are potential high-energy sources for defense applications. Additionally, these pump lasers are the workhorse for erbium doped fiber amplifiers, dual-clad fiber lasers, solid-state lasers that are used in power-hungry telecommunications and industrial applications. Diode-pumped, high-power solid-state lasers are expected to produce 5 kW to 10 kW of power for industrial applications and in excess of 100 kilowatts of power for defense applications. The required power supply and thermal management system for handling high power levels make these systems prohibitively expensive and bulky especially for mobile high power laser systems. Total cost (i.e. including the cost of ownership of diode pumped solid state lasers) is still not competitive enough to displace the flash-lamp pumped solid state lasers. Emerging new solid-state laser architectures such as the high power disk lasers and fiber lasers, which require diode lasers as pump sources, face this same economic challenge. Significant improvements in power conversion efficiency can have far-reaching implications for high-power laser systems by lowering the total cost and laser-system size as well as improving reliability and mobility. Additionally, having higher PCE will allow optimization of diode laser designs for higher power and higher temperature operation with higher reliability than currently possible.High power multimode diode lasers emitting in the wavelength range of 0.8 µm to 1.06 µm have been extensively used for pumping high power solid - state lasers such as the thin disk, slab, heat capacity and fiber lasers that are potential high-energy sources for defense applications. Additionally, these pump lasers are the workhorse for erbium doped fiber amplifiers, dual-clad fiber lasers, solid-state lasers that are used in power-hungry telecommunications and industrial applications. Diode-pumped, high-power solid-state lasers are expected to produce 5 kW to 10 kW of power for industrial applications and in excess of 100 kilowatts of power for defense applications. The required power supply and thermal management system for handling high power levels make these systems prohibitively expensive and bulky especially for mobile high power laser systems. Total cost (i.e. including the cost of ownership of diode pumped solid state lasers) is still not competitive enough to displace the flash-lamp pumped solid ...