Power amplifier for a Q-switched solid-state diode pumped laser operating at 0.946 μm

With the goal of obtaining high energy at 0.946 mum, we have built and characterized a power amplifier that will be used in conjunction with our Three Module Oscillator and PreAmplifier to further increase the available laser energy. Previously we obtained >75 mJ Q-switched energy in TEM00 mode at 0.946 mum in an all solid state diode pumped system using Nd:YAG.(1) This transition is extremely useful to the remote sensing community, considering the presence of strong atmospheric water vapor absorption lines in this region. In order to obtain the higher energies that are necessary for such measurements, we have built a power amplifier. Gain was measured for varying input probe energies and the experimental results compared well with model predictions.