Abstract

A simple, scalable transverse pump design for diode laser pumped Nd:YAG lasers is presented. The diode lasers are placed such that the emission zones are perpendicular to the rod axis. The diode light is focused onto the laser rod by a parabolic reflector. The calculated intensity distributions show a pronounced peak in the centre of the rod which is promising for fundamental mode operation. In a preliminary setup, pumped with four 9 W diode bars, cw multimode output of 7.2 W at a slope efficiency of 22% was achieved.

© 1993 Optical Society of America