Direct and absolute temperature mapping and heat transfer measurements in diode-end-pumped Yb:YAG

We report direct and absolute temperature measurements in a diode-end-pumped Yb:YAG crystal, using a calibrated infrared camera, with a 60-$\mu$m spatial resolution. The heat transfer coefficient has been measured, for the first time to our knowledge, with four different types of thermal contact (H = 0.25, 0.28, 0.9 and 2.0 for bare contact, graphite layer, indium foil and heat sink grease respectively). The dynamics of thermal effects is also presented.