Abstract

A simple method for simultaneously exciting the fundamental (${\mathrm{TEM}}_{00}$) transverse mode and first order Laguerre-Gaussian (${\mathrm{LG}}_{01}$) donut mode in an end-pumped solid-state laser to yield a quasi-top-hat output beam is reported. This approach has been applied to an Er:YAG laser, in-band pumped by an Er,Yb fiber laser, yielding 9.6 W of continuous-wave output at 1645 nm in a top-hat-like beam with beam propagation factor $(M^2)<2.1$ for 24 W of incident pump power at 1532 nm. The corresponding slope efficiency with respect to incident pump power was 49%. The prospects of further scaling of output power and improved overall efficiency are considered.

©2012 Optical Society of America

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