Thermo-management of average power plasma electrode Pockels cell by heating electro-optic crystal side-face

Three-dimension heat transfer finite-element model in electro-optic crystal, which is orthotropic and actively heated by resistance wire, is established. Based on the model, thermo-effects are analyzed in the plasma electrodes Pockels cell. A thermo-management idea is put forward and the optical switch performance is studied in the average power Pockels cell. The results are as follows: for 50 J/10 Hz laser system with 50 mm×30 mm light beam aperture, the maximum depolarization is 3.58%, the average depolarization is 0.90 %, and PV is 1.59λ; With 500 W/m2 resistance wire heating the edge of the electro-optic crystal, the maximum depolarization of the Pockels cell reduces to 0.17%, the average depolarization is 0.05%, and PV decreases to 0.26λ. The performance of the Pockels cell is impr