Efficient end-pumped Q-switched 1053 nm Nd:YLF laser with a plane-parallel resonator

In this study, a compact and efficient Nd:YLF laser at 1053 rim has been reported without inserting optical intracavity element to suppress the stronger line of 1047 nm. According to theoretical analysis and calculation, the thermal focal length of 1047 nm is negative while that of 1053 nm is positive in plane-parallel resonator. Hence 1053 nm laser was stable in this cavity. In our experiment, 7.5W laser output at a-polarized 1053 nm has been obtained with optical-optical efficiency of 38.8%. As the pulse repetition rate is 20 kHz, the pulse width is 50 ns and the peak power is calculated to be 7.5 kW. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.