Abstract

To scale the output power of diode pumped solid state lasers at high beam quality, high efficiency and low cost, we have developed a novel slab laser concept /1,2/, which consists of slab-shaped crystal with only two polished faces for passing pumping and laser beam. The slab crystal is end pumped by a stack consisting of 3 diode laser bars and mounted in a water-cooled brass heat sink with two large faces serving as thermally conducting surfaces. The pumped volume underfills the slab volume and has a rectangular cross section. Hybrid resonator, which is stable in the plane of the small dimension and unstable in the plane of the large dimension, was used for diffraction-limited beam quality at high efficiency. Unlike in the conventional slab laser design, in which the laser beam takes zigzag path inside the slab crystal, in our design the laser beam goes straight through the slab. This leads reduced crystal cost and possibility of parasitic oscillation.

© 1998 IEEE