报道了一种高效率激光二极管(LD)侧面抽运光胶蓝宝石的Nd:YVO4板条激光放大器。主振荡器为Nd:YAG/Cr4+:YAG被动调Q微片激光器, 在重复频率为20 kHz时, 输出平均功率为0.2 W, 脉冲宽度为2.4 ns, 光束质量因子为1.17的激光输出。采用抽运面光胶蓝宝石的Nd:YVO4掠入射板条对种子激光进行放大, 在抽运功率为45 W时, 获得了平均功率10.2 W的激光输出, 光光转化效率为22%。与未光胶蓝宝石的Nd:YVO4掠入射板条相比, 光光转换效率提高了约10%, 输出光束质量从M2x＝1.61, M2y＝1.59提高到M2x＝1.32, M2y＝1.27。该激光器结构简单、紧凑, 采用抽运面光胶蓝宝石的方法改善了Nd:YVO4板条晶体的热效应, 能够实现高效率、高光束质量放大。

A high-efficiency laser diode side-pumped Nd:YVO4 slab with optical contacted sapphire laser amplifier is reported. The main oscillator is a Nd:YAG:Cr4+:YAG passively Q-switched microchip laser, and the seed laser with average power of 0.2 W, pulse duration of 2.4 ns and M2 factor of 1.17 is obtained when the repetition rate is 20 kHz. The seed laser was amplified by the grazing incident Nd:YVO4 slab with optical contacted sapphire. When the pump power is 45 W, average output power of 10.2 W is achieved at a light-to-light conversion efficiency of 22%. Compared to the Nd:YVO4 slab without optical contacted sapphire, the optical efficiency is improved by about 10%, and the output beam quality is increased from M2x＝1.61, M2y＝1.59 to M2x＝1.32, M2y＝1.27. The structure of the laser is simple and compact, and the thermal effect of Nd:YVO4 slab is reduced by the optical contacted sapphire. The high efficiency and high beam quality amplification can be achieved.