title: High-power efficient continuous-wave TEM00 intracavity frequency-doubled diode-pumped Nd:YLF laser.
abstract: We describe experimental results with a diode-pumped, intracavity-doubled cw Nd:YLF laser in multilongitudinal mode and TEM00 spatial transverse mode with a critical phase-matched lithium triborate crystal. Taking into account the thermal effects of Nd:YLF, energy-transfer upconversion, and the thermal fracture limit, we set up a power-scaling model to optimize and design a fundamental diode-pumped Nd:YLF laser. A highly efficient second-harmonic laser was achieved, based on the optimized cavity design. A second-harmonic-generation output power of 20.5 W at a wavelength of 527 nm was obtained at an incident pump power of 60 W, corresponding to an optical-to-optical efficiency of 34.2%. The TEM00 mode green laser operates at a measured M2 parameter of 1.2. The instability of the green laser power is less than +/- 1% RMS.
authors.affiliation: Photonics Program, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798. s.xypeng@osa.org
authors.forename: Xiaoyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Anand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asundi