Beam spatial intensity modification based on stimulated Brillouin amplification

The beam spatial intensity distribution is critical to laser applications both in the scientific and the industrial fields. Here, a method for beam spatial intensity modification based on stimulated Brillouin amplification (SBA) is proposed, which provides an alternative approach of laser beam shaping accompanied by efficient energy amplification. Three beam shaping schemes based on SBA has been demonstrated and evaluated in theoretical simulation and experiments with pulsed laser. The results indicate that the spatial distribution can be modified by manipulation of the beam polarization and the intensity. Finally, the shaped Stokes beam has been modified into the flat-top distribution with the output pulse energy increasing to 4.43 times of the input energy, proving the feasibility of SBA spatial shaping method.