End-pumped continuous-wave alkali vapor lasers: experiment, model, and power scaling

End-pumped alkali vapor lasers excited on their D-2 transition and lased on their D-1 transition offer a pathway to high average power that potentially competes with diode-pumped solid-state lasers in many applications that require cw or quasi-cw laser operation. We report on the first experimental demonstration of an end-pumped Cs laser using a Ti:sapphire laser for pump excitation. Detailed experimental and model results are presented that indicate our understanding of the underlying physics involved in such systems is complete. Using an extrapolation of our developed model, a discussion is given on power scaling diode-pumped alkali lasers, indicating a potential efficiency advantage over power-scaled diode-pumped solid-state lasers. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.