Efficient single-mode (TEM00) Nd : YVO4 laser with longitudinal 808-nm diode pumping

A single-mode Nd : YVO₄ laser with unidirectional longitudinal pumping by laser diodes with λ = 808 nm and a power of 40 W is studied. In the TEM₀₀ mode, the output laser power is 24 W with the optical efficiency η_opt = 57.1 % (slope efficiency 63.3 %), which, as far as we know, is the best result for Nd³⁺ : YVO₄ lasers with longitudinal pumping at λ = 808 nm from one face of the active crystal. Estimates of thermal effects show that, using a Nd : YVO₄ crystal (length 20 mm, diameter 3 mm, dopant concentration 0.27 at%) with two undoped ends and bidirectional diode pumping with a total power of 170 W, one can obtain an output power of ~100 W in the TEM₀₀ mode from one active element.