Diffractive optical pumping and Laguerre-Gaussian (LG/sub 0m/) modes formation in Nd:YAG laser

In this paper the combination of diffractive optics elements with a coherent pumping source makes it possible to control the pump light intensity distribution and achieve various inversion profiles inside a laser material. The perspective of the amplification of LG/sub 0m/ modes and the concept of a high-power short pulse laser operating with "hollow" beams is discussed.