Diode-pumped 275-watt average power Nd:YAG slab laser

Abstract

We have developed and tested stackable microchannel cooled laser bar diode pump packages suitable for direct face pumping of slab lasers at high duty factor. A stack of 41 diode packages gives a pump array of 13.5 cm² and produces a peak power of 3750 watts and an average power of 1000 watts, for an average irradiance of 75 watts/cm². A high average power, total internal reflection face pumped Nd:YAG laser using 80 diode packages has been constructed. Average power of 275 watts is obtained at 2.5 kHz pulse repetition rates and 100 microsecond current pulse widths.