High-Performance Solid-State and Fiber Lasers Controlled by Volume Bragg Gratings

Abstract : The paper is a survey of properties and applications of optical elements which are volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) recorded in photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass. These elements are narrow band filters that operate in spectral, angular and temporal domains. They provide spectral narrowing, stabilization and tuning of laser radiation; narrowing of divergence and beam steering; stretching, compression and temporal shaping of laser pulses, integration of different laser components in the same material and fabrication of monolithic solid state; and passive and active coherent combining along with high density spectral combining of fiber lasers.