Thermal lens analysis in a diode pumped 10 Hz 100 mJ Yb:YAG amplifier

We address the power scaling issue in end-pumped laser rod amplifiers by studying, experimentally and numerically, the magnitude of thermal lensing in a high-energy diode-pumped Yb:YAG crystal. The spatio-temporal temperature profile of the gain medium and the focal length of the induced thermal len