Hot alkali atomic vapor in laser technology development

Alkali atomic vapor lasers have gained significant attention in recent decades as a promising option for high-powered and efficient laser systems. Utilizing hot alkali atomic vapor as the optical gain medium, these lasers, in principle, offer several advantages, such as high quantum efficiency, reduced thermal issues, and high beam quality. This paper reviews critical techniques developed in recent years to enhance the power and efficiency of these lasers. We discuss continuous wave laser optimization strategies, optical amplifier schemes, and pulsed laser generation based on hot alkali atomic vapor cells. Additionally, select findings from the authors’ research group are presented.