Patent ID: 6891877

Claim:
An optically pumped laser module comprising: sources for optical pumping, a solid-state gain element in form of a slab having a pair of end faces with the distance between them defining the length of the slab, a pair of first opposite lateral faces adapted to deliver pump radiation through them from the pumping sources into the laser medium and which are spaced at a distance defining a width of the slab, a pair of second opposite lateral faces which are plane-parallel for direction of a laser beam to be output such so that the beam propagates along the slab length in a zigzag path, undergoing total internal reflections at the second lateral faces and with the distance between the second lateral faces defining a thickness of the slab, and heat-removing portion being in a heat contact with each of the second lateral faces for heat removal from the slab, wherein the width of the slab exceeds its thickness, the first lateral faces are transparent for pump radiation, and the location of the sources for optical pumping relative to the slab as well as the angular emission characteristics of the sources for optical pumping are so that at least a major part of pump radiation propagates inside the laser slab along the width of the slab in a zigzag path while being totally internal reflected at the second lateral faces.