PERFORMANCE OF A 2.3-KW ND-YAG SLAB LASER SYSTEM

A slab laser system consisting of three Nd:YAG slabs with dimensions 7 mm x 26 mm x 191 mm was operated with different resonators in an osci llator-amplifier-amplifier arrangement. In single-shot operation the s ystem provided a maximum output energy of 148 J with a pulse duration of 4 ms and an overall efficiency of 4.3%. A stable resonator provided a maximum steady output power of 2260 W, and we measured beam paramet er products of 8 mm mrad in the x direction and 100 mm mrad in the y d irection. An output power of 1460 W and beam parameter products of les s than 4 mm mrad in both directions were obtained with an unstable res onator with a graded-reflectivity mirror.