Abstract

High-power solid-state mid-IR lasers are being actively developed, as they possess the key properties for a vast number of technological applications [1] (e. g. lidar, gas sensing, or pump sources optical parametric oscillators) and are in a high demand for basic research as well [2]. These potentialities have recently led to intensive investigations of new mid-IR laser gain media [3,4] and other optical elements. One of the key components under investigation is an optical isolator (OI), a magneto-optical device enabling safe operation of a laser by preventing harmful back-reflections into the laser cavity. The development of high-power OIs is particularly challenging due to the severe thermal effects which arise because of the relatively high absorption of the currently available magneto-optical elements. Therefore, a lot of scientific effort is being put into the research of novel magneto-optical materials with the desired properties: high Verdet constant, low absorption and excellent thermal properties. All of these properties enable a reduction of the heat generated in the magneto-optical element.

© 2019 IEEE