Abstract

We present a new, compact, and practical optical mode converter that efficiently transforms a high-order Hermite–Gaussian (HG) laser beam into a nearly Gaussian beam. The mode converter is based on coherently adding different transverse parts of the high-order mode beam by use of a single planar interferometric element. The method, configuration, and experimental results obtained with a pulsed Nd:YAG HG ${\mathrm{TEM}}_{10}$ laser beam are presented. The results reveal that the efficiency of conversion of a HG beam to a nearly Gaussian beam can be as high as 90%.

© 2003 Optical Society of America

Efficient formation of a high-quality beam from a pure high-order Hermite–Gaussian mode

G. Machavariani, N. Davidson, A. A. Ishaaya, A. A. Friesem, and E. Hasman
Opt. Lett. 27(17) 1501-1503 (2002)

Efficient mode transformations of degenerate Laguerre-Gaussian beams

Galina Machavariani, Amiel A. Ishaaya, Liran Shimshi, Nir Davidson, Asher A. Friesem, and Erez Hasman
Appl. Opt. 43(12) 2561-2567 (2004)

Conversion of a TEM₁₀ beam into two nearly Gaussian beams

Michael P. Buric, Joel Falk, and Steven D. Woodruff
Appl. Opt. 49(4) 739-744 (2010)

Continuous-phase elements can improve laser beam quality

Ram Oron, Nir Davidson, Asher A. Friesem, and Erez Hasman
Opt. Lett. 25(13) 939-941 (2000)

Intracavity coherent addition of 16 laser distributions

V. Eckhouse, A. A. Ishaaya, L. Shimshi, N. Davidson, and A. A. Friesem
Opt. Lett. 31(3) 350-352 (2006)