STUDY OF Nd: YAG SOLAR LASER OUTPUT PERFORMANCE IN END PUMPING AND SIDE PUMPING CONFIGURATIONS

Since the report of the first sun-pumped solid-state laser, several pumping schemes have been proposed for enhancing the solar-laser performance. Although the most efficient laser systems have end-pumping approaches, side-pumping configurations are very suitable for reducing the thermal loading problems and consequently producing higher laser beam quality. Here we report a study of the Nd: YAG solar-lasers performance by using either end-pumping or side-pumping techniques. The end-pumping configuration provides simultaneously, in multimode regime, the maximum laser power (120 W continuous wave), the highest collection efficiency (32.1 W/m2), the highest slope efficiency (8.9 %), the lowest threshold pump power (192 W) and in monomode operation the highest fundamental-mode collection efficiency (7.9 W/m2) the highest solar laser brightness (6.5 W). However, the side-pumping approach is very preferred for achieving high laser beam quality in monomode operation (M2 < 1.05). Keywords: Solar irradiance; parabolic mirror; Fresnel lenses; solar-pumped laser; end-pumping configuration; side-pumping method; solar-laser power.

• Nd:YAG laser
• solar-pumped lasers
• slope efficiency
• laser beam quality
• parabolic reflector
• Fresnel lens
• multimode operation

• Solid State Laser Technologies
• Laser Design and Applications
• Optical Systems and Laser Technology
• Nd:YAG laser
• solar-pumped lasers
• slope efficiency
• laser beam quality
• parabolic reflector
• Fresnel lens
• multimode operation
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Engineering