Performance characteristics of a flashlamp-pumped 946-nm Nd:YAG laser system: Oscillator-amplifier system and frequency conversion

Summary form only given. We report on the development of a 946-nm Nd:YAG laser system with performance characteristics of better than a factor of 5 over previous flashlamp pumped systems. Oscillator performance in normal mode and Q-switched lasing is presented, as well as external resonator amplification of Q-switched 946-nm lasing exceeding 20%. In addition, frequency conversion of the fundamental, doubling to to 473 nm exceeding 40% efficiency, and tripling to 315 nm exceeding 30% efficiency, is also presented.