Design and Development of

Solar pumped Nd:YAG Laser

Supervised By: Presented By:

Prof. D.S. Mehta Ajay Singh
 Typical Nd:YAG Laser 1

 Laser Rod(Active Media)

 Pumping source (flashtubes/
continuous gas discharge
lamps/DPSS lasers
 Laser Cavity & output coupler
 Power Supply

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_construction
 Typical Nd:YAG Laser 1

 Laser Rod(Active Media)

 Pumping source (flashtubes/
continuous gas discharge
lamps/DPSS lasers
 Laser Cavity & output coupler
 Power Supply

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_construction

The Sunlight as pumping source

 3.5 to 7.0 kWh/m2 per day
 Broad spectrum
 Not hazardous like mercury
 No power supply
 No dependence on electricity
 Available everywhere
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunlight#/media/File:Solar_s
pectrum_en.svg)
 2
Design of Solar pumped Nd:YAG Laser
 2
Design of Solar pumped Nd:YAG Laser
Motivation:
 Conversion of naturally available light
into laser light
 Alternate pumping source for lasers
 Ecofriendly system
 System with “No power supply”
 Low cost, field portable system
 Green Photonics
 2
Design of Solar pumped Nd:YAG Laser
Solar concentrator
Motivation: (Fresnel Lens)
 Conversion of naturally available light
into laser light
 Alternate pumping source for lasers
 Ecofriendly system

Focal length
 System with “No power supply”
 Low cost, field portable system
 Green Photonics
Basic Requirements:

 Collection of solar light

 Transportation of the light
 Laser cavity design
 Laser pumping by the light
 Oscillation/Amplification
 Optimization !!
 3
Collection of solar light
Fresnel Lens concentrator
 Focal length : 61cm
 Diameter: 46 cm
 Fresnel lens mount
 Measured spot size~= 7mm
 Groove density= 50 g/inch
 Index of refraction= 1.49
 Substrate=Acrylic
 Transmission=92% (400-1000nm)
 3
Collection of solar light Fresnel Lens
Fresnel Lens concentrator
 Focal length : 61cm
 Diameter: 46 cm
 Fresnel lens mount
 Measured spot size~= 7mm
 Groove density= 50 g/inch
 Index of refraction= 1.49
 Substrate=Acrylic
 Transmission=92% (400-1000nm)

Focal point
 3
Collection of solar light Fresnel Lens
Fresnel Lens concentrator
 Focal length : 61cm
 Diameter: 46 cm
 Fresnel lens mount
 Measured spot size~= 7mm
 Groove density= 50 g/inch
 Index of refraction= 1.49
 Substrate=Acrylic
 Transmission=92% (400-1000nm)

Why Fresnel lens ? Focal point

 Much thinner comparable to conventional lens
 Large aperture and short focal length
 Captures more oblique light from a light
source
 Reduces the amount of material required
compared to a conventional lens
Laser rod (The active media) 4

Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG)Nd:Y3Al5O12

 Dopant Concentration: 1 %
 Diameter: 5mm
 Length: 50mm, 120mm
 AR Coating: (R < 0.2% @ 1064 nm)
 HR coating : (R >99% @ 1064nm)
 Orientation: <111> +/- 5%
 Surface Flatness: <λ/10@1064 nm
 Damage Threshold: 500mW/cm2
 Energy Level Diagram of Nd:YAG 
Laser rod (The active media) 5

Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG)Nd:Y3Al5O12

 Dopant Concentration: 1 %
 Diameter: 5mm
 Length: 50mm, 120mm
 AR Coating: (R < 0.2% @ 1064 nm)
 HR coating : (R >99% @ 1064nm)
 Orientation: <111> +/- 5%
 Surface Flatness: <λ/10@1064 nm
 Damage Threshold: 500mW/cm2
 Energy Level Diagram of Nd:YAG 

 Nd3+:YAG is a four-level gain medium:

substantial gain even for moderate
excitation [6]

 The gain bandwidth is relatively small, but

this allows for a high gain efficiency and
thus low threshold pump power [6].
https://www.rp-photonics.com/yag_lasers.html
 6
Light Guide Light from concentrator

o Glass
o Conical end
o Total internal reflection
o Reflection
o Selective coating
o Other types of LG available
Laser rod
o Fused silica Light Guide
 6
Light Guide Light from concentrator

o Glass
o Conical end
o Total internal reflection
o Reflection
o Selective coating
o Other types of LG available
Laser rod
o Fused silica Light Guide

Cooling System
 Water cooling
 Attached to Light guide
 Laser rod submerged into water

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunlight#/media/File
:Solar_spectrum_en.svg)
 6
Light Guide Light from concentrator

o Glass
o Conical end
o Total internal reflection

Water
o Reflection
o Selective coating
o Other types of LG available
Laser rod
o Fused silica Light Guide

Cooling System
 Water cooling
 Attached to Light guide
 Laser rod submerged into water
 7
Work Done So Far….
 Fresnel lens mount
 Procurement of Fresnel lens
 Procurement of Laser rod
 Focal length and Spot size measurement
 Fabrication of light guide
 Cooling system
 Cavity design (on going )
 7
Work Done So Far….
 Fresnel lens mount
 Procurement of Fresnel lens
 Procurement of Laser rod
 Focal length and Spot size measurement
 Fabrication of light guide
 Cooling system
 Cavity design (on going )

Additional work
 Light transport using fiber bundle
 IR separation using prism
Future Work Plan 8

• Cavity Design
September • Fix the laser rod in the cavity

• Inlet/outlet for cooling water

October • Modify the light guide !!

• Pumping
• Measure and characterize the
November output
• Place output couplers
• Characterize the output
Next
• Optimization
Semester
• Redesign
References:
[1]. J. Almeida, D. Liang, E. Guillot, and Y. Abdel-Hadi, “A 40 W cw Nd:YAG solar laser
pumped through a heliostat: a parabolic mirror system,” Laser Phys. 23, 065801 (2013)
[2]. Joana Almeidaa, Dawei Lianga and Emmanuel Guillotb, Improvement in solar-pumped
Nd:YAG laser beam brightness, Optics and Laser technology ,Volume 44,Issue 7,October2012
[3]. D. Liang and J. Almeida, Highly efficient solar-pumped Nd:YAG laser, Opt. Express 19
(2011) 26399-26405
[4]. L. Jing, H. Liu, Y. Wang, W. Xu, H. Zhang, and Z. Lu, “Design and optimization of Fresnel
lens for high concentration photovoltaic system,” Int. J. Photoenergy 14, 539891 (2014)
[5]. http://nextbigfuture.com/2014/10/sola-powered-lasers-for-magnesium.html
[6]. https://www.rp-photonics.com/yag_lasers.html
[7]. http://fp.optics.arizona.edu/
[8]. http://www.fizik.itu.edu.tr/akturks/files/L&P%2014%20laser%20types.pdf
[9]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_laser_types
Thank for your
Attention!
Ray Diagram

Critical angle condition:

Half angle= Sin-1(n12-n22)1/2= 63.44o for Glass
= 57.83o for Water
 8
Cavity Design
September
Fix the laser rod in the cavity

Inlet/outlet for cooling water

October
Modify the light guide !!
Future work
Pumping
Plan
November
Measure and characterize the
output

Output couplers

Measure the output and

characterize
Next Semester
Optimization

Redesign !!