Abstract

We report on a Nd:YLF laser that is end pumped by a quasi-cw diode-laser bar. A fiber-optic coupler was developed to collimate and transform the cross section of the diode-laser radiation for increased spatial overlap with the TEM₀₀ mode of the Nd:YLF laser. With 12.3-mJ, 200- μs pump pulses, an optical-to-optical efficiency of 25% and a slope efficiency of 28% were obtained in free-running operation. In Q-switched operation with 19.25-mJ, 400-μs pump pulses, peak powers as high as 210 kW with 3-mJ pulse energy were obtained.

© 1993 Optical Society of America

Q-switched Nd:YLF laser end pumped by a diode-laser bar

H. Zbinden and J. E. Balmer
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High-power Nd:YAG laser end pumped by a cw, 10 mm × 1 μm aperture, 10-W laser-diode bar

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Efficient TEM₀₀-mode operation of a Nd:YAG laser end pumped by a three-bar high-power diode-laser array

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Single-frequency, end-pumped Nd:YLF laser excited by a 12-mJ diode-laser array

C. F. Rae, J. A. C. Terry, B. D. Sinclair, M. H. Dunn, and W. Sibbett
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