Thermal optics distortion of face pump slab lasers with two pump arrangements

Two pump arrangements, which are the slow axis and the fast axis of LD stacks parallel to the length direction of the slab, are simulated. From the results the optical intensity along the width of the slab is Gaussian and super-Gaussian distribution, respectively. Then based on heat conduction equation and conductively cooling boundary condition, the calculation of the distribution of absorbed pump power, temperature and thermal stress with the tool of finite element analyses is performed. From these results we numerically calculate the thermal focusing in zigzag and perpendicular zigzag planes using the ray tracing method running at low and high repetition rates. It is found that the temperature distribution along width has a significant impact on the thermal stress and thermal optics distortion, especially running at high repetition rate or high average power. Finally, the conclusion was that the pump arrangement with the fast axis of LD stacks parallel to the length direction of the slab is superior to the slow axis of LD stacks parallel to the length direction of the slab in decreasing thermal lens effect and obtaining high beam quality.