Thermal analysis and lifetime evaluation on 3-5μm solid state laser

• Main Authors: Lu, Guo-Guang, Wei, Lei, Hang, Long
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crystals; Laser excitation; Laser modes; Measurement by laser beam; Pump lasers; Solid lasers; Temperature measurement
• ISSN: 1946-1550
• DOI: 10.1109/IPFA.2017.8060099

Thermal effects of the Tm:YAP crystal and the ZGP crystal that used in 5W Mid-infrared solid-state laser are the important factor which affects the laser output characteristic and the reliability. Starting with the thermal conduction function, Tm:YAP and ZGP crystals thermal effects simulation models are build by using finite element simulation technology, the numerical value of the highest temperature in the Tm:YAP and ZGP crystals are 128.8°C and 32.8°C individually, then the thermal simulation results are further confirmed through the actual measurement. Based on these analyses, 3-5μm solid state laser aging equipment was set up, according to the actual aging test result, we confirmed that the 3-5μm laser module (optical parametric oscillator) was the weakness part for the lifetime of the solid-state laser. Then five groups of aging tests which the temperature of the optical parametric oscillator was the accelerated stress were conducted on 3-5μm solid state lasers, according to the aging data analysis result, we can not only obtain the exponential degradation model of the optical parametric oscillator, but also we can obtain the accelerated model, and using these models we can quantitive evaluate the lifetime of the mid-infrared solid-state laser.