Rod laser
A rod laser (engl. Rod laser ) is a laser whose laser medium is a rod-shaped ( cylindrical is) crystal. However, the term is rarely used today.
Advantages and disadvantages
In the case of pulses with high energy and a low repetition rate, the average power of the rod laser is small and the thermal effects are negligible. The large crystal volume of a rod laser offers a high storage capacity for energy and therefore high pulse energies.
However, a rod laser requires a massive structure for cooling , which limits the cw power and efficiency . In addition, temperature differences in the material can change the refractive index and thereby reduce the radiation quality.
Web links
- Rod Lasers in the Encyclopedia of Laser Physics and Technology (Engl.)