ABSTRACT
This chapter presents fundamental concepts and formulas for designing and using miniature solid-state
lasers. Diode-pumped, miniature, monolithic, solid-state lasers offer an efficient, compact, and robust
means of generating diffraction-limited, single-frequency radiation. In addition, their diminutive size
results in high-speed tuning capabilities and short-pulsed operation unmatched by larger devices.
Application areas are as diverse as communications, spectroscopy, remote sensing, nonlinear optics,
projection displays, and micromachining.
