Transverse Modes Of Microchip Solid State Lasers

Abstract

In recent years there has been much research into lasers using solid state materials such as Nd:YAG, Nd:YLF and LNP as their active media [1]. Microchip solid state lasers use a thin slab of these materials in a short cavity to ensure single longitudinal mode operation. They may be pumped by a diode laser and they produce single transverse, single longitudinal mode output over a large range of pump powers. It is useful to be able to model the spatial and temporal behaviour of these lasers with a view to design optimisation.