Photonics, Vol. 12, Pages 814: Switchable Single- and Dual-Wavelength Yb:YAG Laser Enabled by a Dual-Confocal Resonator

Photonics doi: 10.3390/photonics12080814

Authors:
Enhuai Liang
Zhiqi Zhou
Menghua Jiang
Wenbin Qin
Youqiang Liu
Yinhua Cao
Zhiyong Wang

In this manuscript, we demonstrated a switchable single-/dual-wavelength Yb:YAG laser based on intracavity loss modulation in a dual-confocal resonator configuration. The laser employed a dual-confocal resonator with a length of 175 mm that enabled the controlled adjustment of geometric losses through precise angular modulation of the output coupler, achieving stable switching between single- and dual-wavelength operations. Under a maximum pump power of 20.98 W, the laser delivered 1.868 W of single-wavelength output at 1050 nm with an optical-to-optical (O–O) conversion efficiency of 8.9%, exhibiting excellent power stability (RMS < 0.6%). When it was switched to a dual-wavelength operation at 1030 nm and 1050 nm, the total output power reached 0.376 W with respective powers of 0.180 W (1030 nm) and 0.196 W (1050 nm), corresponding to a 1.792% O–O conversion efficiency and a power stability of RMS < 3.0%. When it was switched to single-wavelength operation at 1030 nm, the maximum output power reached 0.193 W with a 0.920% O–O conversion efficiency and a power stability of RMS < 1.5%. These experimental results confirm that the controlled modulation of geometric losses in a dual-confocal resonator provides an effective approach for achieving flexible wavelength switching while maintaining stable output performance. This methodology offers promising potential for expanding the application scope of dual-wavelength lasers in precision optical systems.

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