Diode-double-face-pumped Nd:YAG ceramic slab laser amplifier with low depolarization loss

Abstract A diode-double-face-pumped Nd:YAG ceramic slab laser amplifier with uniform gain distribution and low depolarization loss was presented. Energy storage of 2.6 J was achieved at 1064 nm with a repetition rate of 200 Hz and a pulse width of 200 us from a 140 mm × 40 mm × 7 mm ceramic slab at a total pump power of 1215 W, corresponding to an optical-to-optical efficiency of 42.8%. An average small signal gain of 5.45 was achieved with a standard deviation of only 0.09 in the cross section, which shown good concentration uniformity. An average depolarization loss of 2.6% at different positions of the slab was obtained due to small thermal gradient of the zigzag configuration.