Study of a Nd3+:KGW crystal laser transversely pumped by laser diode bars

A Nd³⁺:KGW crystal laser transversely pumped by laser diode bars is studied experimentally. The optimisation of the laser parameters provided the maximum slope efficiency of ~50 % at 1.067 μm in the free running regime. Using the SRS self-conversion in a Nd³⁺: KWG laser, lasing was obtained in the eye-safe spectral region at 1.538 nm with the energy up to 5 mJ and a pulse repetition rate up to 20 Hz.