The　optical　vortex　beam　carrying　an　orbital　angular　momentum　is　of　great　significance　for　many　applications.　Many　approaches　to　generate　optical　vortex　beams　have　been　demonstrated,　however　they　still　suffer　from　some　drawbacks　such　as　low　conversion　efficiency,　poor　beam　quality　and　so　on.　Thus,　how　to　produce　the　high　beam　quality　vortex　beams　with　high　topological　charges　is　still　a　challenge　for　us.　In　this　work,　a　convenient　method　for　generation　and　tunability　of　Laguerre-gaussian　(LG)　vortex　beams　by　using　an　axicon　has　been　demonstrated.　The　high　beam　quality　LG0,m　vortex　beams　with　tunable　topological　charges　up　to　18th　order　are　achieved.　An　axicon　combined　with　a　focused　lens　can　transform　the　Bessel　beam　into　an　annular　beam　efficiently,　which　can　be　employed　to　reshape　the　pump　beam.　An　effective　theoretical　model　has　been　present　to　predict　the　threshold　pump　power　of　each　LG0,m　vortex　beam　in　this　compact　LD-end-pumped　Nd:YVO4　laser.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd