Thermal lens correction in a solid-state laser using a flexible bimorph mirror

The resonator of a YAG:Nd³⁺ laser was used as an example to demonstrate the possibility of correcting the lowest aberrations of a thermal lens by an adaptive bimorph mirror. A fivefold reduction in the thermal lens astigmatism and of certain other aberrations was achieved at laser pump currents in the range 10 to 34 A.