External cavity design of high-power diode laser for polarized helium-3 neutron spin filters based on spin-exchange optical pumping

Polarized neutron spin filters are being developed based on spin-exchange optical pumping. In the present study a high-power diode laser (85W) was used to excite Rb atoms and the laser linewidth was narrowed using an external cavity. The optics in the external cavity were designed by ray tracing. The ray-trace calculations demonstrated that a doublet lens in front of the laser eliminates aberrations. The maximum spectral peak height in the doublet optics was found to be 25% higher than for a singlet lens. ► The optics in the external cavity of a high-power laser diode for SEOP were investigated by ray tracing. ► The ray-trace calculations demonstrated that a doublet lens in front of the laser eliminates aberrations. ► The maximum spectral peak height in the doublet optics was found to be 25% higher than for a singlet lens.