Controllable continuous-wave Nd: YVO4 self-Raman lasers using intracavity adaptive optics

A controllable self-Raman laser using an adaptive optics (AO)-based control loop featuring an intracavity deformable mirror is reported. This method has the potential to alleviate thermal lensing within the Raman and laser gain media, and enable solid-state Raman lasers to reach new power levels. A proof-of-concept experiment using a Nd:YVO₄ self-Raman laser and resulting in 18% enhancement of the first Stokes output power is reported. Moreover, wavelength selection between two Raman laser outputs (λ = 1109 and 1176 nm) emanating from the 379 and 893 cm^-1 Raman shifts of YVO₄, respectively, was achieved using this AO technique.