Diode-pumped miniature lasers using microstructured transparent carriers

We present a significant extension of the above design concept for compact diode-pumped solid-state lasers. The deliberate use of transparent materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) or diamond for the carrier enables side-pumping and allows thus the use of cheap pump sources such as linear diode arrays. Both materials, SiC (in particular as semiinsulating substrate) and diamond, are transparent in the visible and well beyond 1 μm. An additional side effect is the much higher thermal conductivity of the suggested materials. This results in an improved thermal management and enhanced laser performance while maintaining the benefits of compact integration and effective passive alignment.