As one of just a few suppliers worldwide, LASER COMPONENTS manufactures, in addition to standard laser optics, mirrors in which the reflectivity changes radially. Such components are also referred to as variable reflecting mirrors (VRM). One particular type of VRM is a Gaussian mirror. In Gaussian mirrors, the reflection profile R(r) across the mirror is described by the Gaussian function
R(r) = R0 * exp [-2 (r/w)n ] + Rout
Here R0 refers to the maximum reflectivity in the center of the mirror, Rout refers to the reflectivity at the edge of the mirror, w refers to the width (distance to the center of the mirror at which the reflectivity drops to R0/e²), and n refers to the exponents and thus the form of the Gaussian function. Two typical examples can be seen in Fig. 1.
There are very few limitations when choosing the parameters of the mirror, the appropriate wavelength, and the substrate.
Area of Application
The primary area of application of Gaussian mirrors is in unstable laser resonators. Using a Gaussian mirror the output power can be increased and the spatial beam profile simultaneously significantly improved. In frequency-doubled laser systems the pump efficiency can also be increased.
Gaussian mirrors are most commonly used in Nd:YAG lasers and at wavelengths of approximately 1 µm; however, other wavelengths, such as 694 nm or 800 nm, can also be manufactured.
Measuring Gaussian Mirrors
Gaussian optics are manufactured not only with precision according to customer specifications, but are measured and characterized with great detail. With a new measurement setup we have increased the accuracy of our measurements, which ensures the high quality of our optics and the precise observation of desired specifications. Moreover, measurement at a variety of wavelengths is now possible. In this way, exact measurement and analysis of the reflection profile can be achieved for Gaussian optics at non-standard wavelengths.
Detailed measurement diagrams of our optics are also available (Fig. 2).
