title: Highly efficient diode-stack, end-pumped Nd:YAG slab laser with symmetrized beam quality.
abstract: An efficient high-power cw Nd:YAG slab laser, partially end pumped by diode-laser stacks, and a novel beam-shaping technique are reported. The optical efficiency amounted to 44 %, and the slope efficiency amounted to 55 %. Introducing an intracavity Brewster plate to polarize the laser beam, we obtained an optical efficiency of 35 % and a slope efficiency of 41 %. The output beam was rectangular and the beam quality asymmetric in two orthogonal directions. To equalize the beam quality, we introduced a step-mirror beam-shaping technique. The beam-shaping technique and the results obtained are discussed.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quade
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loosen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poprawe