IN-LINE ND-YAG RESONATOR USING SELF-PUMPED PHASE-CONJUGATION IN CR4-YAG()

We report the operation of an in-line Nd:YAG resonator using self-pump ed phase conjugation in Cr4+:YAG at lambda = 1.064 mu m in the nanosec ond regime. The output beam has a high-quality diffraction-limited TEM 00 mode and a pulse shape of similar to 15 ns, showing the self-Q-swit ching ability of the resonator. A maximum extraction of 18 mJ and a ma ximum reflectivity of 2.0 are measured. A transient model provides ins ight into the energy characteristics and the dynamics of such an in-li ne resonator. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.