High power TEM/sub 00/ output from Nd:YVO/sub 4/ slab laser with astigmatic cavity design

Summary form only given. We report operation of the grazing-incidence bounce geometry with a cavity incorporating cylindrical optics to maximise the mode-matching between pump and single-mode laser radiation and, hence, maximising energy extraction in a TEM/sub 00/ mode. We demonstrate single mode output power of 23.1 W for 39.5 W of diode pumping. A maximum optical conversion efficiency of >68% is produced in multimode operation in which 26.1 W of output power is produced at 38.2 W of diode pumping. A maximum output power of 27.1 W is produced for 41.2 W of diode pumping.