High-efficiency and high-output pulse energy performance of a diode-pumped Er:Yb:glass 1.54-μm laser

A pulsed diode-pumped Er:Yb:glass laser at lambda = 1.54 mu m combining high optical efficiency, high pulse energy, high efficiency electro-optic Q-switching, small size, and simple optical setup is reported. The laser operates in a transverse diode-pumped configuration using three conductively-cooled diode-laser arrays directly optically coupled to the laser-rod. In free-running operation, optical output energies up to 360 mJ, optical slope efficiencies of 20.5%-23%, and absolute efficiencies of 13.6% were measured with respect to the incident pump power on the laser crystal. In Q-switched operation with an electro-optic LiNbO3 Pockels cell, the optical slope efficiency reached 3.7%.