Interface and material engineering for zigzag slab lasers.

Laser damage of zigzag slab lasers occurs at interface between laser crystal and SiO2 film. Although an additional HfO2 layer could be used to manipulate electric-field on the crystal-film interface, their high absorption and polycrystalline structure were unacceptable. SiO2 was then doped in HfO2 to suppress its crystallization and to achieve low absorption by annealing. HfxSi1-xO2 nanocomposite layers were then inserted between laser crystal and SiO2 film to minimize electric-field at crystal-film interface. Laser damage resistance of this new architecture is two times higher than that of traditional zigzag slab lasers.