Continuous-wave and passively Q-switched cladding-pumped planar waveguide lasers

Greater than 12 W of average output power has been generated from a diode-pumped W:YAG cladding-pumped planar waveguide laser. The laser radiation developed is linearly polarized and diffraction limited in the guiding dimension. A slope efficiency of 0.5 W/W with a peak optical-optical conversion efficiency of 0.31 W/W is achieved. In a related structure, greater than 8 W of Q-switched average output power has been generated from a Nd:YAG cladding-pumped planar waveguide laser by incorporation of a Cr(4+):YAG passive Q switch monolithically into the waveguide structure. Pulse widths of 3 ns and pulse-repetition frequencies as high as 80 kHz have been demonstrated. A slope efficiency of 0.28 W/W with a peak optical-optical conversion efficiency of 0.21 W/W is achieved. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.