Abstract

High power cw laser diode bars can provide an efficient pump source for solid state lasers. However, the geometry of this pump source makes it incompatible with end pumping, the preferred geometry for diode pumped solid state lasers. Most designs using diode bars have employed a side pumping scheme resulting in TEM₀₀ mode slope efficiencies of 10-15%, 3-4 times less than end pumping schemes. We have previously reported¹ a new resonator geometry designed specifically for diode bar pumping, which results in a TEM₀₀ mode slope efficiency of 45% and average powers of several watts. We discuss Q- switched, frequency doubled, and frequency tripled operation of this device.

© 1990 Optical Society of America