Segment side-pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG laser

In the design of conduction-cooled lasers, a side-pumped configuration is an attempt to solve the space conflict between pump and heat removal. The pump radiation always competes with the heat removal and mechanical support device for the lateral surface of a laser rod. This space conflict can be addressed by a segment side-pumped configuration in which circular laser diode arrays and heat-conducting rod holders alternate periodically along the length of the laser rod. This scheme permitted 11 Hz operation of a 190 mJ Q-switched laser at the wavelength of 1064 nm without the use of liquid cooling for both the laser rod and laser diode arrays and the corresponding optical-optical conversion efficiency of 23.1%. Thus, it has great potential to be used in compact and miniature laser systems.