Abstract

Nd:YAG pumped by semiconductor lasers has shown great promise in achieving reliable and highly efficient operation. In this paper a Nd:YAG laser pumped by semiconductor arrays utilizing a tightly focused end pump geometry is described. Theoretical analyses¹ have shown that in this arrangement over halt of the pump light could be converted into laser light. Thus, by combining several laser diodes, laser sources having greater power, spectral purity, peak-to-average power capability, beam quality, and lower beam divergence than laser diodes are realizable while sacrificing very little in terms of efficiency and compactness.

© 1985 Optical Society of America