Dielectric cavity raises YAG efficiency

The benefits of using dielectric coated quartz cavities instead of metal-coated cavities are discussed. In range finder application, advantages include high efficiency, long term reliability and operation, light weight and compactness, durability in extreme environments, and the possibility of operating without liquid cooling. For laser-fusion research using yttrium-aluminum garnet/neodymium: glass rods, there would be no solarization, very low loss due to depumping and lateral lasing, and rejection of distortion-causing heat. In flash lamp pumped HF, DF and iodine lasers, narrow-band pumping makes it possible to reject unwanted radiation such as UV, IR, and the lasing wavelength itself, thereby making such lasers more feasible and efficient.