RMS error analysis of spatial uniformity and energy stability of the laser beam in second harmonic generation.

Abstract

The coupling of the energy stability and spatial uniformity of the laser beam before and after second harmonic generation (SHG) was analyzed. SHG experiments were performed using a Nd:YAG nanosecond laser and LBO crystals, and images, pulse shapes, and energies were measured. The relationship between energy stability and spatial uniformity uses a formula derived from the previous study to analyze changes in energy stability and spatial uniformity of the input beam and converted beam. In addition, the measured input beam shape and energy are compared with the results of applying the SHG converting equation considering pump depletion. Both methods were similar to the experimental results when corrected by empirical factors. Through SHG, it was confirmed that there is an optimal point of energy stability and spatial uniformity of the laser beam near the critical power.