Abstract
We report here the demonstration of a scalable side-pumped neodymium solid-state lasers with internal photon efficiencies approaching the quantum limit for conversion of diode-array pump light to laser output near 1.06 μm. Lasers in Nd:YAG, Nd:BeL (lanthanum beryllate), and Nd: Phosphate Glass were excited in a geometry using cylindrical laser rods pumped transversely by a 1 cm long by 5 bar GaAlAs diode laser array. We have obtained in Nd:YAG an overall efficiency of 18% for conversion of electrical input to the pump diode to laser output at 1.06 μm. This efficiency is the highest reported for any solid-state laser with the exception of the GaAlAs laser diode arrays themselves. We believe that these results foreshadow the development of high-power solid state laser systems with overall efficiencies well in excess of 20%.
© 1989 Optical Society of America
PDF ArticleMore Like This
FRANK HANSON
TUJ26 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO:S&I) 1989
A. D. HAYS and R. BURNHAM
CMA1 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO:S&I) 1990
DAVID P. CAFFEY, WAYNE W. HOVIS, RICHARD UTANO, and TOOMAS H. ALLIK
FJ3 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO:S&I) 1989