Thermal blooming or thermal lensing occurs when high-energy laser beams propagate through a medium.[1][2] It is the result of nonlinear interactions that occur when the medium (e.g. air or glass) is heated by absorbing a fraction of the radiation, causing a "thermal lens" to form, with a dioptric power related to the intensity of the laser, among other factors. The amount of energy absorbed is a function of the laser wavelength. The term "thermal blooming" is typically used when the medium is air, and can describe any type of self-induced "thermal distortion" of laser radiation. The term "thermal lensing" is typically used when describing thermal effects in the laser's gain medium itself.

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References

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  1. ^ Lukin, V.P.; Fortes, B.V. (2002). Adaptive Beaming and Imaging in the Turbulent Atmosphere. SPIE Press monograph. SPIE Press. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-8194-4337-3. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  2. ^ Paschotta, Dr Rüdiger. "Thermal Lensing". www.rp-photonics.com. Retrieved 2022-11-12.