The Gain Module is the essential element of Q-Peak's diode-pumped solid state products. As shown above (schematic and photograph), the Gain Module consists of two diode bars directly side-pumping a slab-shaped crystal, our so-called multi-pass slab (MPS) design. Each diode has an attached collimating cylindrical lens for generation of a uniform-height pump beam in the crystal. The laser beam to be amplified in the laser crystal is arranged, with the use of mirrors at each end of the slab (not shown in schematic), to pass through the crystal multiple times, sweeping out the pumped region. The Gain Module, with an optical cavity, can be configured as an oscillator, or can be used as an amplifier to increase the power from another laser.
Compared to other types of diode-pumped laser designs, the Q-Peak Gain Module does not require the use of fiber-coupled pump lasers, but has equivalent efficiency and high beam quality. In addition, the design can be scaled to higher powers as more powerful diode lasers become available. The design is protected by U.S. Patent 5,774,489.
Please note that we do not supply Gain Modules as components, only as part of a complete laser system.
The performance of the Gain Module in complete laser systems depends on the particular laser crystal employed. The schematic shows the use of Nd:LiYF4 (YLF), the material we have used in most of our products. We have also based some systems on Nd:YVO4 crystals. In addition, we have built custom and research-level devices based on Nd:Y3Al5O12 (YAG), Tm:YLF, Er:YLF, Yb:YAG, Yb:Sr5(PO4)3F (S-FAP) and Cr:LiSrAlF6 (LiSAF). Because the Gain Module design minimizes stress in the laser material, it has resulted in the generation of record cw power levels from some of these materials,
For more information on Gain Module performance in a variety of configurations, please go to our Examples page, as well as read references in the Technical Papers page in our R &D section.
For your convenience, here is a selection of key references:
General
Nd:YLF
Nd:YVO4