High power, high efficient neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet laser end pumped by a laser diode array

Abstract
We report the highest electrical to optical conversion efficiency, 10.8%, at 415 mW cw, 1.06 μm, from a neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet end pumped by a monolithic, 200-μm-wide laser diode array. The highest cw output powers up to 465 mW are achieved. The beam profile is TEM00 at all power levels.