A Bunch of Excellent Properties for Applications of Diode Laser Pumped Solid-State Lasers
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A Bunch of Excellent Properties for Applications of Diode Laser Pumped Solid-State Lasers E. W. Kreutz1,2, R. Poprawe1,2, P. Loosen2,3 and D. Hoffmann2 1
Lehrstuhl für Lasertechnik, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen, Germany Fraunhofer-Institut für Lasertechnik, Aachen, Germany 3 Lehrstuhl für Technologie Optischer Systeme, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen, Germany 2
ABSTRACT Diode laser pumped solid-state lasers such as rod, disk or slab lasers are on the way to govern as new systems developed in the last years the applications of laser radiation for various applications in innovative technologies. The laser radiation is used either as a tool for materials processing or as a source for radiation generation beside of applications in life science, environment, medicine, analytics, and others. The state-of-the-art of diode laser pumped solid state lasers is described highlighting beam quality, efficiency, mean time between failure, and compactness in order to discuss new laser radiation governed processes aimed for rapid manufacturing by rapid prototyping via selective laser melting, surface cleaning, surface polishing, and generation of EUV radiation.
INTRODUCTION The technical progress and innovative concepts are characteristic for the actual working point in laser technology. The starting point has been defined by powerful and reliable laser systems already entering the industrial use. State-of-the-art has been represented by diffusion cooled CO2 lasers at the multi-kW range and lamp-pumped Nd:YAG lasers at the kW range. Further development has revealed the diode pumped solid state lasers as seriously competing concepts. Continuous progress of the well approved Nd:YAG rod lasers is realized by using the laser diode as pump source instead of the flash lamp yielding in the diode pumped solid state lasers of the first generation, with output powers up to 6 kW with established applications for precision cutting and welding, and new ones such as selective laser melting, surface polishing, and generation of EUV radiation. The diode excitation technology and the state-of-the-art are labeled by the disc- and slab laser concepts with the resonator design as the characteristic property of the diode pumped solid state lasers of the second generation, already demonstrating an improved performance for new applications [1]. The new concepts for diode pumped solid state lasers are compared by their abilities and efficiency to generate the tailored energy density - wavelength, pulse energy, repetition rate, pulse duration, and beam quality - suitable for the requirements in the processing of materials and the control of processes involved.
DIODE PUMPED SOLID STATE LASERS Concepts With the availability of high power diode lasers the fast development of diode pumped solid state lasers is initiated. The spectral properties of the diode laser lead to much less thermal load of the active medium. Diode lasers are an attractive and cost saving substitute for the flash lamp
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