Conical refraction Nd:KGd(WO4)(2) laser

TY - JOUR

T1 - Conical refraction Nd:KGd(WO4)(2) laser

A1 - Abdolvand,Amin

A1 - Wilcox,Keith G.

A1 - Kalkandjiev,Todor K.

A1 - Rafailov,Edik U.

AU - Abdolvand,Amin

AU - Wilcox,Keith G.

AU - Kalkandjiev,Todor K.

AU - Rafailov,Edik U.

PY - 2010/2/1

Y1 - 2010/2/1

N2 - <p>In 1832 Hamilton predicted conical refraction, concluding that if a beam propagates along an optic axis of a biaxial crystal, a hollow cone of light will emerge. Nearly two centuries on, cascade conical refraction involving multiple crystals has not been investigated. We empirically investigate a unique two-crystal configuration, and use this to demonstrate an ultra-efficient conical refraction Nd:KGd(WO4)(2) laser providing multi-watt output with excellent beam quality independent of resonator design with a slope efficiency close to the theoretical maximum, offering a new route for power and brightness-scaling in solid-state bulk lasers. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America</p>

AB - <p>In 1832 Hamilton predicted conical refraction, concluding that if a beam propagates along an optic axis of a biaxial crystal, a hollow cone of light will emerge. Nearly two centuries on, cascade conical refraction involving multiple crystals has not been investigated. We empirically investigate a unique two-crystal configuration, and use this to demonstrate an ultra-efficient conical refraction Nd:KGd(WO4)(2) laser providing multi-watt output with excellent beam quality independent of resonator design with a slope efficiency close to the theoretical maximum, offering a new route for power and brightness-scaling in solid-state bulk lasers. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America</p>

KW - LIGHT-BEAMS

KW - DIFFRACTION

U2 - 10.1364/OE.18.002753

DO - 10.1364/OE.18.002753

M1 - Article

JO - Optics Express

JF - Optics Express

SN - 1094-4087

IS - 3

VL - 18

SP - 2753

EP - 2759

ER -