Beam intensity reshaping by pump modification in a laser amplifier.

We propose a new technique for laser beam shaping into a desirable beam profile by using a laser amplifier with a pump beam that has a modified intensity profile. We developed the analytical formula, which describes the transformation of the seed beam into the desired beam profile in a four level amplifiers small signal regime. We propose a numerically method to obtain the required pump intensity profile in the case where high pump power saturated the laser crystal or for three level materials. The theory was experimentally verified by one dimensionally shaping a Gaussian shaped seed into a Flat-Top beam in a Ho:YLF amplifier pumped by a Tm:YLF laser with a HG(01) intensity profile.