Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 April 2011
Based on the features of diode-pumped Yb3+:Y2SiO5 (Yb:YSO) lasers, a thermal model was established. According to the latest reports and measurements on thermal parameters, and further considering the heat transfer on side surface, thermal lensing effect of Yb:YSO was studied for the first time to our knowledge. Under the pump power of 17 W, the maximum temperature (488.4 °C) and the maximum distortion (1.24 μm) were obtained by solving Poisson equation using finite difference method. Moreover, thermal lens focal length was measured through a plane-plane cavity. All the results demonstrate that the theoretical result will be closer to the reality if we take the heat transfer on side surfaces into account.