针对目前高功率固体激光器的热管理问题,提出了一种基于折射率匹配液冷却的固体微球阵列激光技术方案。按照该方案搭建了布儒斯特角透射式激光放大光路,进行了掺Nd^3+玻璃微球阵列激光器流动出光实验,实现了连续稳定的激光输出,并对其激光特性进行了初步研究。直径为2mm和4mm微球阵列激光器在1Hz抽运频率下获得的最大单脉冲能量分别为30.2mJ和115.4mJ,斜率效率分别为4.6%和16.2%。随着抽运频率的增加,激光输出能量下降。实验结果表明,掺Nd^3+玻璃微球阵列激光器具有较好的散热效能和热稳定性,在高功率激光器方向具有极大的应用潜力。
A novel laser gain medium, microsphere array cooled by refractive index-matched coolant, is presented in response to the thermal management of high-power solid-state lasers in this paper. Experiments on microsphere array lasers in circulating state are carried out. The emission spectra and flourescence decay curves are measured. Besides, the stable pulse output energy is achieved and its laser characteristics are studied. The maximum pulse energy of microsphere array laser with diameters of 2 mm and 4 mm are 30.2 mJ and 115.4 mJ, respectively at a repetition rate of 1 Hz, and the corresponding slope efficiencies are 4.6% and 16.2%, respectively. Output energy decreases as pumping frequency increases. Experimental results show that the microsphere array laser has relatively good thermal performance and thermal stability, and can be used in high-power laser systems.