Abstract

A diode-side-pumped discrete-optic Er³⁺ :YAG laser employs pump-light coupling through a sapphire plate diffusion-bonded to the laser slab, removing heat directly at the pump face of the slab instead of requiring conduction through to its far side. This lowers the temperature in the gain region and gives reduced thermal lensing, which produces exceptional beam quality (M²~ 1.3) at output powers -0.3 Watt. Powers above 1 Watt have been demonstrated with peak slope efficiencies ~20%. The novel architecture is also applicable to other side-pumped lasers.

© 1997 Optical Society of America