Highly efficient dual head 100 mJ TEM00 Nd:YAG Oscillator

A diode-pumped, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser employing a dual-pump zig-zag slab head scheme in an unstable resonator configuration for use in space-based planetary altimetry or atmospheric LIDAR is described. The pump heads are aligned orthogonally to each other, producing a symmetric overall thermal lens that eliminates the need for an intracavity cylindrical lens and aperture. This laser has demonstrated over 100 mJ in Q-switched operation with high optical efficiency (24%), good beam quality, high pointing stability, and large operational margins for multi-billion shot lifetimes.