Efficient Nd:YAG slab longitudinally pumped by diode lasers

An efficient scalable 1.06-μm continuous-wave (CW) Nd:YAG slab laser longitudinally pumped by diode lasers is discussed. The 809-nm diode radiation is focused into every laser channel emerging from the reflection points of the 1.06-μm beam on the coated slab surfaces. A maximum CW TEM₀₀ output power of 675 mW has been obtained at a diode pump power of 2 W resulting in a slope efficiency of 40%     

Thermal beam distortions in end-pumped Nd:YAG, Nd:GSGG, and Nd:YLFrods

The thermally induced beam distortions in end-pumped Nd:YAG, Nd:GSGG, and Nd:YLF rods were analyzed and the influence of edge- and face-cooling was investigated. The distributions of temperature, stress, and strain in the crystals were calculated by finite element analysis. Based on these data, the space-resolved changes of the refractive index were determined considering thermal dispersion, surface deformation, and strain-induced birefringence. The resulting optical path difference for one round-trip in the end-pumped rods was integrated numerically. For each rod, the induced thermal lens was determined over the extent of the pump spot radius. The calculations of the optical path difference were experimentally confirmed by investigations using a modified Twyman-Green interferometer with a polarized HeNe probe beam at 633 nm under lasing and nonlasing conditions