Abstract

Thermal effect in all solid-state lasers is a bottleneck for improving output average power and beam quality. In general, the focal length or optical path difference of laser rod are calculated in order to compensate thermal effect through extremity ground, lens inserted, or especial resonator designed. We regarded laser rod as a gradient index rod in my paper and got an equaling focal length equation of thermal lens of laser rod. Our equation contrasting to Koechner' s in literature [1] was gone along. From our equation self-compensated thermal effect points (SCTEPs) in laser rod were found when certain equation is satisfied. The phenomenon of SCTEP was research in detail.

© 2005 Optical Society of America