Laser performance and thermal lens effect of 808 nm side-pumped domestic Nd:YAG ceramic were studied compared with the Nd:YAG crystal.An average power of 21.6 W CW 1 064 nm was obtained with the pump power of 60 W.The corresponding optical-to-optical conversion efficiency was 36% and the slope efficiency was 46.9%,both of which were up to now the highest results for the side-pumped domestic Nd:YAG ceramic laser.In the same pumping condition,23.9 W output power was achieved for the crystal with the slope eff...