High-efficiency mode-matched transversely-pumped solid state laser amplifier

A mode-matched, diode-pumped, solid-state laser amplifier, including:

• a block of laser material having a pair of opposed sides,
• a zig-zag optical path within said block between said pair of opposed sides having a plurality of legs, pairs of which meet at vertices at a preselected fold angle,
• a plurality of laser diode pumping sources positioned adjacent to one of said opposed sides,
• a plurality of collimating lenses positioned in between said laser diode pumping sources and said block,
• means, interposed between said collimating lenses and said block, for aligning pump radiation from said laser diode pump sources with said vertices of said zig-zag optical path and with respect to said block such that the optical path of pump radiation from each of said pump sources is substantially coincident with one of said legs, and for mode matching said pump radiation with the mode volume of said optical path in said block.

A mode-matched diode pumped solid-state laser amplifier system including a plurality of amplifier stages, each of said stages including:

• a block of laser amplifier material having a pair of opposed sides,
• a zig-zag optical path within said block between said pair of opposed sides having a plurality of legs, pairs of which meet at vertices at a preselected fold angle,
• a plurality of laser diode pumping sources positioned adjacent to one of said opposed sides,
• a plurality of collimating lenses positioned in between said laser diode pumping sources and said block,
• means, interposed between said collimating lenses and said block, for aligning pump radiation from said laser diode pump sources with one of said vertices of said zig-zag optical path and with respect to said block such that the optical path of pump radiation from each of said pump sources is substantially coincident with one of said legs, and for mode matching the mode volume of said pump radiation with said optical path in said block,
• said amplifier stages being optically coupled to one another in a cascade arrangement.

A mode-matched diode pumped solid-state laser amplifier system including a plurality of amplifier stages, each of said stages including:

• a block of laser amplifier material having a pair of opposed sides,
• a zig-zag optical path within said block between said pair of opposed sides having a plurality of legs, pairs of which meet at vertices at a preselected fold angle,
• a plurality of laser diode pumping sources positioned adjacent to one of said opposed sides,
• a plurality of collimating lenses positioned in between said laser diode pumping sources and said block,
• means, interposed between said collimating lenses and said block, for aligning pump radiation from said laser diode pump sources with said vertices of said zig-zag optical path and with respect to said block such that the optical path of pump radiation from each of said pump sources is substantially coincident with at least one of said legs, and for mode matching said pump radiation with the mode volume of said optical path in said block,
• said amplifier stages being optically coupled to one another in a cascade arrangement.