title: Efficient operation of a diode-bar-pumped Nd:YAG laser on the low-gain 1123-nm line.
abstract: Efficient operation of a Nd:YAG laser on the low-gain 1123-nm transition by end pumping with the reshaped output from a 7-W diode bar is reported. Using a simple standing-wave laser configuration and pumping with 5.6 W of incident power yielded a laser output power of 1.7 W in a near-diffraction-limited TEM00 mode with a beam quality factor of M2 < or approximately equal to 1.1. A unidirectional single-frequency ring laser was also constructed, yielding 180 mW of single-frequency output. The prospects for further increase in power by optimization of the resonator design are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Clarkson
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bösenberg