Abstract

The injection seeding of a large aperture, high average Nd doped advanced phosphate glass zigzag slab amplifier has required a master oscillator with single frequency output at 1.053-µm power in the range of 100 µJ to 1 mJ and near diffractionlimited beam quality. To meet this requirement we have converted a commercially available standing wave two-mirror Nd:YLF laser to operate at single frequency by modifying the cavity design to a ring configuration. The ring design eliminated the spatial hole burning power limit of the standing wave cavity. The design modification included the addition of two folding mirrors, an optical diode for unidirectional oscillation, and one uncoated etalon for cw operation and a second coated etalon for Q-switched operation. Vibration suppression of the cooling water to the flashlamp and laser rod were required for stable performance.

© 1989 Optical Society of America