Pump cavities for compact pulsed Nd:YAG lasers: a comparative study

Two elliptical cavities of different dimensions and eccentricity, one close-coupled diffusive cavity and one close-coupled reflecting cavity of our design, have been studied as a function of the type and geometry of the pumping cavity. A high efficiency is obtained with the two elliptical cavities, while a more uniform beam distribution is obtained with the two close-coupled cavities. The close-coupled reflective cavity gives comparable efficiency with respect to the diffusive type but a superior beam quality.