Abstract
A pulsed Nd:YVO
mini disc laser pumped by a laser diode array is reported in this paper based on the end-pumping configuration with the linear plane-parallel cavity and the V- folded cavities respectively. The input-output properties and the output beam are characterized, analyzed and compared. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is about 51% for the plane-parallel cavity, 48% for the V-folded plane-plane cavity and high up to 68% for the V-folded concave-plane cavity. The V-folded cavities offer good TEM
mode while the linear plane-parallel cavity operates in a multi-mode statue.