Compact scalable diode-pumped Nd:YAG ceramic slab laser

• DOI: 10.1364/ao.43.006174
• Publication Date: 2004-11-24T16:48:51Z
• Authors: Marco Ciofini; Antonio Lapucci
• Keywords: Neodymium; Slab; Slope efficiency; Solid-state laser

We describe our preliminary studies of the use neodymium-doped slab-shaped ceramic YAG media in construction compact, rugged, high-power diode-pumped solid-state lasers. A maximum extraction more than 160 W at a 20% slope efficiency level, with narrow transverse direction beam-parameter product order 4 mm mrad-1 is experimentally obtained from an extremely simple and compact (overall dimensions × 100 60 mm) laser head quasi-continuous-wave regime. Experimental data together finite-elements method simulations indicate that power can be scaled up least to 900 cw this geometry.