Multiple folded resonator for LD pulse end pumped Q-switched Yb:YAG slab laser

In this paper, a multiple folded resonator is presented which consists of a multiple optical folding setup, a flat total reflector, a flat output coupler, a Q-switch crystal and a polarizer. By this technique, the output energy of 32.6mJ and pulse width of 13.4ns with a repetition rate of 5Hz was obtained, which is three times higher than that reported in the past publications by the use of the currently existing technique of the Q-switched slab gain lasers with the unstable resonator. The output beam with a quality of M² = 1.55 in the slow axis and M² = 1.40 in the fast axis was also obtained.