Compact, longitudinal KD*P Q-switch for a 40-W average power solid-state laser

Although diode-pumped solid-state laser oscillators can deliver very high average powers in free-running mode, operation in a storage (i.e., electro-optically Q-switched) mode has been constrained by the limited power handling capability' of commercial Q- switching technology. At average powers above 20 W, laser designers have resorted either to multiplexing several lower power oscillators or to utilizing a low-power master oscillator followed by one or more power amplifiers, although this greatly increases system size and complexity.