A New Technique For Spatially Resolved Thermal Lensing Measurements

A new method is presented for spatially resolved thermal lensing measurements using multiple narrow probe beams and a two-dimensional array detector. The method is applied to an Er,Tm,Ho:YAG laser rod. No significant deviation from a parabolic temperature profile has been found although there is extraordinarily strong thermal lensing in the crystal. Thermo-optical constants of the material are reported