Study of diode pumped Yb:YAG disk lasers at low temperature

A Yb:YAG disk laser with V-shaped stable resonator and active-mirror configuration, end-pumped by a 940-nm InGaAs laser diode array, is demonstrated. Performances and optimization of the disk laser at low temperature over a range of 130–200 K are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Laser output energy of 1.46 J/pulse operating at 10-Hz repetition rate is obtained with the optimum output coupler transmission of 30%, and the corresponding optical-to-optical efficiency is 48.7%.