Passively Q-switched side pumped monolithic ring laser

A system for generating a laser beam, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• a module configured to control the processor to introduce a laser into an optical cavity of a crystal, the cavity having a round-trip path formed by an initial reflection at a dielectrically coated front surface of the crystal, a first internal reflection at a first side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front surface, a second internal reflection at a top surface of the crystal, and a third internal reflection at a second side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front surface;
• a module configured to control the processor to side pump the crystal at the top surface with a side pump diode array beam with an end pump serving as mode control when the crystal is side pumped with high intensity, enabling a high power output with a single transverse mode;
• and a module configured to control the processor to generate an output laser emanating from the front surface generating an output laser emanating from the front surface;
• wherein the side pumped, passively q-switched monolithic ring laser reduces the laser pulses timing jitter by injecting an auxiliary low energy, very short pulse laser at a lasing wavelength into the crystal.

A tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program having instructions for controlling a processor to generate a laser beam, the instructions causing a processor to perform the steps:

• introducing a laser into an optical cavity of a crystal, the cavity having a round-trip path formed by an initial reflection at a dielectrically coated front surface of the crystal, a first internal reflection at a first side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front surface, a second internal reflection at a top surface of the crystal, and a third internal reflection at a second side surface of the crystal at a non-orthogonal angle with the front surface;
• side pumping the crystal at the top surface with a side pump diode array beam with an end pump serving as mode control when the crystal is side pumped with high intensity, enabling a high power output with a single transverse mode;
• and
• generating an output laser emanating from the front surface generating an output laser emanating from the front surface;
• wherein the side pumped, passively q-switched monolithic ring laser reduces the laser pulses timing jitter by injecting an auxiliary low energy, very short pulse laser at a lasing wavelength into the crystal.