Zigzag slabs for solid-state laser amplifiers: batch fabrication and parasitic oscillation suppression

We have developed a 100 W class Nd:YAG master oscillator power amplifier system based in part on an end-pumped zigzag slab power amplifier. This amplifier incorporates parasitic oscillation suppression by using roughened edges and achieves a small-signal gain coefficient (g(0)l) of 8.06. We describe a novel technique for suppression of parasitic oscillations using claddings on slab edges that significantly increases g(0)l to 11.63 and increases the single-pass extracted power in a power amplifier by 50%. Commercial use of these zigzag slab amplifiers has been limited by the time and cost of production. We describe a new batch fabrication technique that improves the quality and significantly reduces the cost of zigzag slabs. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.