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Abstract: We report on the generation of high average power linearly p-polarized beam in long pulse operation of dual rod Nd:YAG laser. A z-fold resonator configuration has been designed using simple optical scheme to provide effective birefringence compensation, compactness, and reduction of alignment criticality. Using this geometry, a maximum linearly p-polarized average output power of 415W and a pulse energy of 150J was achieved with a slope efficiency of 4.3%, which is on higher side for typical lamp pumped long pulse Nd:YAG lasers. For effective birefringence compensation, an intra-cavity concave mirror based imaging system, a 90° quartz rotator, and a re-entrant feedback mirror has been used. This scheme resulted in an enhancement of p-polarized output power of more than 80% as compared to the p-polarized output power without birefringence compensation. Depolarization loss in the resonator has also been reduced significantly from a value of 35% to a value of ~1.8% after birefringence compensation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We report the performance study of a 2% atomic doped ceramic Nd:YAG rod for long pulse laser operation in the millisecond regime with pulse duration in the range of 0.5–20ms. A maximum average output power of 520W with 180J maximum pulse energy has been achieved with a slope efficiency of 5.4% using a dual rod configuration, which is the highest for typical lamp pumped ceramic Nd:YAG lasers. The laser output characteristics of the ceramic Nd:YAG rod were revealed to be nearly equivalent or superior to those of high-quality single crystal Nd:YAG rod. The laser pump chamber and resonator were designed and optimized to achieve a high efficiency and good beam quality with a beam parameter product of 16mmmrad (M 2∼47). The laser output beam was efficiently coupled through a 400μm core diameter optical fiber with 90% overall transmission efficiency. This ceramic Nd:YAG laser will be useful for various material processing applications in industry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]