Intracavity frequency doubling of a cw high-power TEM_00 Nd:YLF laser

Abstract
We have developed a continuous-wave, lamp-pumped, intracavity frequency-doubled laser that provides as much as 13.5 W of power in the green, linearly polarized TEM00 output, and very low misalignment sensitivity. These results have been obtained with a Nd:YLF rod of large cross section, a lithium triborate frequency-doubling crystal, and a novel resonator design. We demonstrate that the problem of power fluctuations and chaos in this class of lasers (the green problem) can effectively be overcome and that fluctuations of less than ±1% on a millisecond time scale can be obtained.