Improved High Power, Eye Safe, Solid State Laser"

The objective of the proposed effort is to design an all solid-state, eye-safe (1.5 um) laser that will abe superior to existing eye-safe lasers in terms of power, efficiency, cost, and beam quality. The proposed laser system is based on solid-state Raman shifting of Nd:YAG laser radiation using barium nitrate. Several designs will be presented and performance characteristics (based on properties determined in this investigation as well as previously published data) for each design will be given. This will allow for the selection of the design(s) that hold the greatest potential further development based on their respective commercial and technological impact. In addition, this effort will provide the foundation for further exploitation of solid-state Raman shifting to produce additional sources of coherent radiation at currently unavailable wavelengths.