Spectralon Laser Pumping Chamber Reflectors

Labsphere's Spectralon Machined into Laser Cavity Reflectors

Increase the slope efficiency & beam quality in lamp and diode pumped solid state lasers

Labsphere's Spectralon is used as a pumping chamber reflector in diode and lamp pumped solid state lasers and lamp pumped dye lasers. Spectralon exhibits diffuse, high reflectance leading to increased slope efficiencies, higher energies, increased gain uniformity, improved beam quality and reduced risk of parasitic oscillations. Spectralon is easily machined into bespoke reflectors.

Laser grade Spectralon is a thermoplastic with diffuse, high reflectance which promotes increased powers and improved beam quality when used as a cavity reflector in lamp and diode pumped solid state lasers and lamp pumped dye lasers. Spectralon’s combination of high reflectance (for example, >99% in the pump band of Nd:YAG at 808nm) and near-perfect diffuse reflectance provides laser engineers with a solution to the conflicting design objectives of high output energies combined with a high beam quality with reduced hot-spots.

Independent tests have shown that a flashlamp pumped Nd:YAG laser equipped with a Spectralon cavity reflector exhibits a 30% increase in slope efficiency and output energy compared with the same laser fitted with a ceramic chamber. This gain results from the multiple reflections that take place within the chamber, amplifying the effects of differences in the reflectance of the pumping chamber.

Laser output power and energy are not always the most important considerations for laser designers. For many applications in materials processing and scientific research, the quality of the laser beam is a priority. A laser equipped with a Spectralon cavity provides a significantly enhanced and more predictable beam quality compared with less diffusely reflecting materials. This is as a direct result of the more uniform pumping of the laser medium. The laser output parameters that are affected include: improved spatial uniformity; reduced non-symmetrical optical aberrations (coma and astigmatism); and reduced ‘hot-spots’. At the same time, a diffuse reflector will suffer from a much reduced risk of parasitic oscillations, allowing the designer to exploit the full output potential of the laser.

Specifications & Ordering Information

Spectralon is not supplied as a bulk material. Instead, reflectors are machined according to a customer-supplied drawing. Our dedicated Spectralon machine shop and expert machinists familiar with the nuances of working with this material ensure that your reflectors are of the highest quality and performance. We operate a fast-track process to help us to respond quickly to one-off or prototype projects. We are just as happy supplying one or one hundred reflectors - there is no minimum order quantity.

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Main Specifications	Spectralon Reflectance Material, SRM-99L
Wavelength Range	250 ... 2500nm
Reflectance	> 95%, 250 ... 2500nm
	> 99%, 400 ... 1500nm
Machining Tolerance	up to 100mm: ± 0.13mm
Thermal Stability	to 350°C (decomposes at > 400°C)
Density	1.25 ... 1.5 g/cm³
Water Permeability	< 0.001% (hydrophobic)
Coefficient of Linear Expansion	5.5 ... 6.5E-04 in/in-°C
Vacuum Stability	No outgassing except for entrained air
Flammibility	Non flammible (UL Rating V-0)
Chemical Stability	Inert (incompatible with non-polar solvents & greases)