Diode-pumped Ba(NO3)2 and NaBrO3 Raman lasers

A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser transversely pumped with a 300-W quasi-cw diode generated pulses at 1.06 mu m with intracavity energies of up to 10 mJ, Intracavity Raman shifting in a 60-mm-long Ba(NO3)(2) crystal led to pulses with energies of 2.5 mJ at 1197 nm, The output pulse duration was reduced to 8.5 ns compared to 50 ns at the fundamental wavelength, Beam quality improvement was observed. A NaBrO3 Raman laser generated pulse energies of 0.4 mJ at 1163 nm with a crystal of only 18 mm length. The Raman radiation was frequency doubled into the yellow spectral region from 580 nm to 599 nm, which is difficult to reach with other solid-state lasers.