Q-switched NYAB laser end-pumped by a high-power diode-laser array

A diode-laser array end-pumped acousto-optically Q-switched NYAB laser operating at both 1.06 and 0.53 mum has been demonstrated. An average output power of 1.3 W at 1.06 mum at a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 60 kHz was obtained with an optical conversion efficiency of 18.1% and a slope efficiency of 21.3%. At the incident pump power of 6.1 W, the 1.06 mum shortest laser pulse was reached at PRF of 20 kHz with FWHM width measured to be 32 ns, yielding a largest pulse energy of 30 muJ, and a highest peak power of 938 W. The attainable maximum average green power was found to be 185 mW, with an optical conversion efficiency of 3%. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.