Intracavity spherical aberration for selective generation of single-transverse-mode Laguerre-Gaussian output with order up to 95

Abstract We investigate the generation of single-transverse-mode Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) emission from a diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO 4 , 1064 nm laser using mode selection via intracavity spherical aberration (SA). We present both theoretical and experimental investigations, examining the limits of the order (both radial and angular indices) of the LG modes which can be produced, along with the resultant output power. We found that in order to generate single-mode emission of low-order LG modes which have relatively small beam diameters, lenses with shorter focal-length were required (to better differentiate neighboring LG modes via SA). The converse was true of LG modes with high-order. Through appropriate choice of the focal length of the intracavity lens, we were able to generate single-mode, LG 0,± m laser output with angular indices m selectable from 1 to 95, as well as those with non-zero radial indices p of up to 4.