Power scaling Cr/sup 2+/ lasers to the multi-watt regime

This paper reviews the state of the art in Cr/sup 2+/ lasers and investigates advanced resonator designs for use with available Cr/sup 2+/ materials and pump lasers to increase the output power of the Cr/sup 2+/ laser beyond the 2-watt level. It is found that the thin disk laser design is the most attractive option available for the demonstration of a 5-10 watt Cr/sup 2+/ laser. The additional pumping optics required in the thin disk laser geometry are more than offset by the mitigation of thermal lensing and efficient operation at powers unobtainable with end-pumped rod designs.