Further development of a diode-pumped Nd:YVO4/Nd:YAG hybrid oscillator

A hybrid diode-pumped laser, incorporating an end-pumped Nd:YAG rod and a side-pumped slab of Nd:YVO4 used at grazing incidence, has been operated at a repetition rate of 1000 pps. With an average power of 5 W deposited in the Nd:YAG, the output power of 1.8 W was twice that obtained when only the Nd:YVO4 was pumped. With a pulse duration of 4.5 ns, this system provides a peak power of 400 kW in a near diffraction limited beam.