Most efficient simultaneous solar laser emissions from three Ce:Nd:YAG rods within a single pump cavity

Abstract

We report here, to the best of our knowledge, the most efficient simultaneous emissions of three continuous-wave 1064 nm solar laser beams. A fused silica aspheric lens was used to couple the concentrated solar radiation from the focal zone of a 0.4 m 2 effective collection area primary parabolic mirror into three 2.5 mm diameter, 25 mm length 0.1 at.% Ce:1.1 at.% Nd:YAG laser rods within a single conical pump cavity. For 356 W incoming solar power, 16.5 W continuous-wave total multimode solar laser power was measured, corresponding to 4.64% solar-to-laser conversion efficiency, 41.25 W/m 2 collection efficiency, and 7.64% slope efficiency, which are 1.24, 1.27, and 1.11 times, respectively, higher than previous records by pumping a single 4.5 mm diameter, 35 mm length 0.1 at.%Cr:1.0 at.%Nd:YAG ceramic laser rod. The three-rod Ce:Nd:YAG solar laser also provided 2.13, 2.25 and 1.50 times enhancements in solar-to-laser conversion efficiency, collection efficiency, and slope efficiency, respectively, as compared to previous records by pumping three 3.0 mm diameter, 25 mm length 1.0 at.% Nd:YAG rods within the same single conical pump cavity. • Most efficient simultaneous emissions of three 1064 nm solar laser beams. • 4.64% solar power-to-laser power conversion efficiency attained. • 41.25 W/m 2 solar laser collection efficiency achieved. • 7.64% solar laser slope efficiency was calculated.