Laser cooling of solids has advanced immensely in recent years and temperatures well below 100 K have been demonstrated in Yb:YLF crystals. We will discuss our progress towards developing a functional all-solid-state cryocooler based on this principle. We present data and analysis concerning laser coupling efficiency, thermal link between the cooling crystal and the cold-finger, shielding the load from the fluorescence, and overall thermal load management. Considerations for building a cooler prototype for specific applications will also be discussed.
We present a study of cooling enhancement in optical refrigerators by the implementation of advanced non-resonant
optical cavities. Cavity designs have been studied to maximize pump light-trapping to improve absorption and thereby
increase the efficiency of optical refrigeration. The approaches of non-resonant optical cavities by Herriott-cell and totalinternal-
reflection were studied. Ray-tracing simulations and experiments were performed to analyze and optimize the
different light-trapping configurations. Light trapping was studied for laser sources with high quality beams and for
beams with large divergences, roughly corresponding to the output from fiber lasers and from diode lasers, respectively.
We present a trade-off analysis between performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
We present our recent work in developing a robust and versatile optical refrigerator. This work focuses on minimizing
parasitic energy losses through efficient design and material optimization. The cooler’s thermal linkage system and
housing are studied using thermal analysis software to minimize thermal gradients through the device. Due to the
extreme temperature differences within the device, material selection and characterization are key to constructing an
efficient device. We describe the design constraints and material selections necessary for thermally efficient and durable
optical refrigeration.
We present a study of non-resonant optical cavities for optical refrigerators. Designs have been studied to maximize
pump light-trapping to improve absorption and thereby increase the efficiency of optical refrigeration. The approaches of
non-resonant optical cavities by Herriott-cell and total-internal-reflection were studied. Ray-tracing simulations and
experiments were performed to analyze and optimize the different light-trapping configurations. We present a trade-off
analysis between performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
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