Solid-State Laser Engineering, written from an industrial perspective, discusses in detail the characteristics, design, construction, and performance of solid-state lasers. Emphasis is placed on engineering and practical considerations; phenomenological aspects using models are preferred to abstract mathematical derivations. This new edition has extensively been updated to account for recent developments in the areas of diode-laser pumping, mode locking, ultrashort-pulse generation etc. Walter Koechner received a doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Technology in Vienna, Austria, in 1965. He has published numerous papers in the fields of solid-state physics, optics, and lasers. Dr. Koechner is founder and president of Fibertek, Inc., a research firm specializing in the design, development, and production of advanced solid-state lasers, optical radars, and remote-sensing systems.

This book, written from an industrial vantage point, provides a detailed discussion of solid-state Iasers, tbeir characteristics, design and construction, and practical problems. The title Solid-State Laser Engineering has been chosen because tbe emphasis is placed on engineering and practical considerations of solid-state Iasers. I have tried to enhance tbe description of the engineering aspects of Iaser construction and operation by including numerical and technical data, tables, and curves. The book is mainly intended for tbe practicing scientist or engineer who is interested in tbe design or use of solid-state Iasers, but tbe response from readers has shown tbat tbe comprehensive treatment of the subject makes tbe work useful also to students of Iaser physics who want to supplement tbeir tbeoretical knowledge witb tbe engineering aspects of Iasers. Although not written in the of a college textbook, tbe book might be used in an advanced college course form on Iaser technology. The aim was to present the subject as clearly as possible. Phenomenological descriptions using models were preferred to an abstract matbematical presenta­ tion, even tbough many simplifications bad tben to be accepted. Results are given in most cases witbout proof since I have tried to stress tbe application of tbe results rather than the derivation of the formulas. An extensive Iist of references is cited for each chapter to permit tbe interested reader to learn more about a particular subject.

1. Introduction.- 2. Properties of Solid-State Laser Materials.- 3. Laser Oscillator.- 4. Laser Amplifier.- 5. Optical Resonator.- 6. Optical Pump Systems.- 7. Thermo-Optic Effects and Heat Removal.- 8. Q-Switching.- 9. Mode Locking.- 10. Nonlinear Devices.- 11. Damage of Optical Elements.- Appendix A Laser Safety.- Appendix B Conversion Factors and Constants.- References.