Transverse diode-pumped neodymium-doped yttrium vanadate laser of simple design

摘要

The design and performance of an all-solid-state Nd:YVO4 laser, transversely pumped by a single 20-W (at 808 nm) diode with no coupling optics, are presented. The prototype, which is devised to be the source of a micro-LIDAR station, is very simple, easy to align, compact, and stable. The key element is a roof prism as the end mirror of the laser cavity, which is used to symmetrize the effects of the thermal distortion and the inhomogeneity of the population inversion distribution. Typical numbers are 4.2-W cw with a slightly astigmatic (3:2) homogeneous spot and a divergence of 0.5 mrad. The protoype is also tested in the active Q-switching mode, providing pulses 50-ns full width at half maximum (FWHM) at 14 KHz, 3.5 W average. Frequency doubling external to the cavity in a nonoptimized configuration provides 700 mW at 532 nm.