Internally folded Nd:YAG and Nd:YVO/sub 4/ lasers pumped by laser diodes

An efficient, scalable, diode-pumped Nd laser design is reported. The gain element can be longitudinally pumped along five separate axes and is relatively simple to fabricate. Both Nd:YAG and Nd:YVO/sub 4/ gain media were evaluated. Using five single-stripe laser diodes to pump the Nd:YAG, 3.94 W of absorbed power produced 2.1 W CW at 1.06 /spl mu/m. The slope efficiency was 54 percent and the output was TEM/sub 00/. The threshold power was 40 mW. No evidence of thermal saturation was observed up to the maximum pump power. Repetitively Q-switched operation is also reported. The maximum output power for Nd:YVO/sub 4/ obtained with 2.9 W of pump power was 1.3 W. The slope efficiency was 47 percent.<
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