title: Conical refraction Nd:KGd(WO4)2 laser.
abstract: In 1832 Hamilton predicted conical refraction, concluding that if a beam propagates along an optic axis of a biaxial crystal, a hollow cone of light will emerge. Nearly two centuries on, cascade conical refraction involving multiple crystals has not been investigated. We empirically investigate a unique two-crystal configuration, and use this to demonstrate an ultra-efficient conical refraction Nd:KGd(WO(4))(2) laser providing multi-watt output with excellent beam quality independent of resonator design with a slope efficiency close to the theoretical maximum, offering a new route for power and brightness-scaling in solid-state bulk lasers.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, United Kingdom. a.abdolvand@dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdolvand
authors.forename: Keith G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Wilcox
authors.forename: Todor K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kalkandjiev
authors.forename: Edik U
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Rafailov