Diode-pumped 1 kW Q-switched Nd:YAG rod laser with high peak power and high beam quality

We have demonstrated high-peak-power generation at 1 kW average power by applying an acousto-optic Q switch to a quasi-cw diode-pumped Nd:YAG master oscillator power amplifier. We achieved a maximum peak power of 2.3 MW by driving the Q switch in burst mode. The average repetition rate was 6 kHz. The corresponding beam quality was M2 = 9.