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Abstract

The systems and methods herein provide for tuning an optical characteristic of a gain medium for a laser system. For example, a system may include a thermal tuner that dynamically controls the temperature of the gain medium to compensate for thermal mechanical distortions of the gain medium caused by laser energy in the gain medium. In doing so, the tuner may dynamically adjust a coolant temperature and/or a coolant flow rate proximate to the gain medium. Accordingly, heat is dynamically removed from the gain medium so as to adjust for optical distortions in the gain medium. Such a dynamic heat removal may provide a laser system designer with the ability to generate laser energy with controllable predetermined optical wavefronts (e.g., a flat optical wavefront).

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First Claim