Patent ID: 7724800

Claim:
A laser, comprising: an optical gain medium consisting of a thin disk of a crystalline host material doped with a laser gain material and having opposite first and second surfaces, wherein: at least one of the two surfaces of the thin disk is non-planar; the first surface has a planar, a concave or a convex shape and is coated with a high reflectivity (HR) coating; the second surface is coated with an anti-reflection (AR) coating; the laser gain material is selected from the group consisting of ytterbium (Yb), neodymium (Nd), thulium (Tm), holmium (Ho), and chromium (Cr); the first surface of the disk is spaced apart from the second surface is connected to the second surface of the disk by a vertical side wall; a border is disposed on the outer surface of the vertical side wall; and, the border comprises a light scattering surface of the vertical side wall.