Heat transfer for diode side-pumped YAG slabs

Thermal heating is a major limiting factor in scaling the average power of a solid-state laser. The heat transfer coefficient is affected by the coola nt how rate, the physical properties of the laser slab and the coolant, and the pumping cavity geometry. The relationship between the heating effects and the heat transfer coefficient has been studied by considering the varia tions of thermal conductivity and expansion coefficient of the laser slab w ith temperature. It is concluded that different heat transfer coefficients should be adopted according to different heat intensities inside the laser slabs in order to obtain better pumping input as well as to optimize the co oling effects. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.