Auto-collimated output (Ce, Nd)：YAG laser with a plane-convex resonator

The lower peak power, the large divergence angle and the low repetition frequency of the Nd:YAG laser with the parallel plane resonator, which is used as a ranging light source in most small sized handheld laser rangefinders, restrict the performances of those rangefinders to a certain extent. A plane-convex unstable resonator by which both pulse width and divergence angle can be decreased and a new high thermal efficiency Ce and Nd doped YAG crystal have been designed for a laser which a single laser pulse output with an energy of 18.6mJ, a pulse width of 5 ns,a divergence angle of 0.6 mrad and a peak power of 3.7 MW has been obtained.