Side diode pumped ultra-compact Er:glass laser

We demonstrate side pumped ultra-compact Q-switched Er:glass laser for rangefinding with 1.4 mJ energy at 1.54 um. Laser diode with 75 W power and 5 ms pulse duration was used. Active medium was enveloped with diffuse reflector. Output pulse energy in free-running mode was 27 mJ with a slope efficiency of 12%. Transparent glass-ceramics containing Co2+:MgAl2O4 nanocrystals were used as a passive gate to ensure Q-switching in an operation temperature range and transverse mode selection. The Q-switch mode had steady operation at 1 Hz repetition rate with thermal effects playing no visible role.