ABSTRACT
Since the invention of the laser, engineers have searched for new ways to increase the laser’s power and brightness. These efforts have largely focused on improved ways to remove the waste heat that is generated in the lasing medium. This chapter reviews a novel approach to the problem of laser power scaling: minimizing the waste heat through the incorporation of anti-Stokes fluorescence cooling. This approach has been shown to significantly reduce heat generation in carefully controlled laser systems. This chapter reviews the theory and practice of this novel mode of laser operation. 5.1 IntroductionOne of the more useful properties of lasers is their ability to generate extremely high power densities. Take, for example, a commercial fiber laser operating continuously with an average power of 1 kW.
