High-sensitivity two-dimensional thermal- and mechanical-stress-induced birefringence measurements in a Nd:YAG rod

20 September 1994

journal article
Published by Optica Publishing Group in Applied Optics

Vol. 33 (27) , 6368-6372
https://doi.org/10.1364/ao.33.006368

Abstract

A novel polarimeter for measuring the two-dimensional (2D) thermal- and mechanical-stress-induced birefringence in solid-state laser materials such as Nd:YAG is proposed. Using this device, we could sensitively measure the direction of the principal birefringence axis as well as the phase shift δ with sign when δ < π/4. The 2D thermal- and mechanical-stress-induced birefringence in a laser-diode-pumped Nd:YAG rod was successfully measured with the proposed polarimeter. We also found an active quarter-wave Nd:YAG phase retarder.

Keywords

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