Efficient continuous-wave 908 nm Nd:YLF laser emission under direct 880 nm pumping

The quasi-three-level 908-nm continuous-wave laser emission under direct diode laser pumping at 880 nm into emitting level ⁴ F _3/2 of Nd:YLF have been demonstrated. An end-pumped Nd:YLF crystal yielded 4.7 W of output power for 11.8 W of absorbed pump power. The slope efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power was 43.3%. Comparative results obtained for the pump with diode laser at 808 nm, into the highly-absorbing ⁴ F _5/2 level, are given in order to prove the advantages of the 880-nm wavelength pumping.     

Nd:GdVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> slab laser with line-shaped end-pumping profile operating at 912 nm

A continuous-wave laser with line-shaped end-pumping profile operating at 912 nm is presented. The maximum output power of 7.82 W is obtained, with a slop efficiency of 24.7% and beam quality factors of M _x ² ∼ 20, M _y ² ∼ 1.3. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first laser diode bar directly pumped Nd:GdVO₄ slab laser based on the quasi-three-level ⁴ F _3/2 → ⁴ F _9/2 transition in neodymium. Furthermore, we disclose that the experimental setups can be improved by inserting a plano-concave cylindrical lens in the cavity to form a new quasi-concentric resonator to improve die mode-matching in x-direction.     

Quasi-three-level Nd:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser operation at 914 nm under 879 nm diode laser pumping

We present experimental investigation on quasi-three-level Nd:YVO₄ laser operation at 914 nm under 879 nm diode pumping directly into emitting level. A maximal output power of 3.0 W under an absorbed pump power of 13.4 W was got, corresponding to an optical conversion efficiency of 22.4% and a slope efficiency of 40.3%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on a Nd:YVO₄ laser at 914 nm using rod-type single crystal as the gain medium and end pumped by diode directly into the emitting level.     

Continuous-wave and Q-switched laser operation of Nd:Gd0.18Y0.82VO4 mixed crystal

Efficient continuous-wave (cw), passively Q-switched, and actively Q-switched laser operations are demonstrated with a mixed vanadate crystal of Nd:Gd_0.18Y_0.82VO₄ under diode pumping. In a cw operation, an output power of 8.25 W is obtained at a maximum available incident pump power (P_in) of 15 W, with a slope efficiency of 56%. Using a Cr⁴⁺:YAG crystal of initial transmission of 62% as the saturable absorber for Q-switching, an average output power of 3.05 W is generated at pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 16.7 kHz when the laser is pumped with the same maximum P_in. The pulse energy, pulse duration, and peak power are 183.3 μJ, 6.0 ns, and 30.6 kW, respectively. When actively Q-switched by an acousto-optic modulator, the laser produces an average output power of 5.5 W at PRF of 30 kHz with 16.2 W of pump power incident upon the laser crystal. The pulse energy, duration, and peak power are measured to be 183 μJ, 10.5 ns, and 17.5 kW, respectively.     

Performance of a diode-pumped 5 W Nd3+:GdVO4 microchip laser at 1.06 μm

4 as a host for neodymium has several advantages for diode pumping in comparison with other crystals. The absorption cross section of neodymium in GdVO₄ is considerably stronger and broader than in YAG. This allows for the construction of very compact monolithical microchip lasers. In our paper, we report for the first time on a diode-pumped monolithical Nd³⁺([%at.]1.3):GdVO₄ microchip laser at 1.06 μm. A maximum output power of 5 W is achieved. The temporal and the spectral emission properties are described. The beam propagation properties are studied in detail. Received: 23 July 1998 / Revised version: 9 November 1998 / Published online: 24 February 1999     

Continuous-wave Nd:YVO4/KTiOPO4 green laser at 542 nm under diode pumping into the emitting level

We report a green laser at 542 nm generation by intracavity frequency doubling of a continuous wave (CW) laser operation of a 1086 nm Nd:YVO₄ laser under 880 nm diode pumping into the emitting level ⁴ F _3/2. A KTiOPO₄ (KTP) crystal, cut for critical type I phase matching at room temperature is used for second harmonic generation of the laser. At an incident pump power of 14.5 W, as high as 1.33 W of CW output power at 542 nm is achieved. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is up to 9.2%, and the fluctuation of the green output power was better than 3.8% in the given 30 min.     

High-power, high-efficiency cw diode-pumped Tm:YAP laser emitting at 1.99?μm

We elaborate a high-power, high-efficiency cw Tm:YAP laser dual-end-pumped by the laser diode. With 41.9?W pumping power, we obtain a maximum cw output power of 14.7?W at 1988?nm with a slope efficiency of 43.8%, corresponding to an optical conversion efficiency of 35.1%. At the maximum laser output, we measure a beam quality of M ²?~?1.9.     

Continuous-wave high-power multi-pass pumped thin-disc Nd:GdVO4 laser

A thin-disc Nd:GdVO₄ laser in multi-pass pumping scheme was developed. Continuous-wave output power of 13.9 W at 1.06 μm for an absorbed power at 808 nm of 22 W was demonstrated from a 250-μm thick, 0.5-at.% Nd:GdVO₄ in a 4-pass pumping; the slope efficiency in absorbed power was 0.65, or 0.47 in input power. Output performances were also investigated under diode laser pumping at 879 nm, directly into the emitting ⁴F_3/2 level: maximum power of 3.6 W was obtained at 6.2 W of absorbed power with 0.69 slope efficiency. Compared with pumping at 808 nm, into the highly absorbing ⁴F_5/2 level, improvements of laser parameter in absorbed power (increase of slope efficiency, decrease of threshold) were obtained, showing the advantages of the pumping into the emitting level. However, the laser performances expressed vs. the incident power were modest owing to the low absorption efficiency at 879 nm. Thus, increased number of passes of the medium would be necessary in order to match the performances in input power obtained under 808-nm pumping.     

Diode-pumped quasi-three-level Nd:CLNGG laser at 928 nm

We describe the output performances of the 928 nm ⁴ F _3/2 → ⁴ I _9/2 transition in Nd:CLNGG under diode-laser pumping. An end-pumped Nd:CLNGG crystal yielded 1.3 W of continuous-wave output power for 17.8 W of absorbed pump power. The slope efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power was 11.2%. Furthermore, with 17.8 W of diode pump power and the frequency-doubling crystal LiB₃O₅ (LBO), a maximum output power of 260 mW in the blue spectral range at 464 nm has been achieved. The blue output power stability over 4 h is better than 3.2%.     

Quasi-three-level Nd:YAG laser under diode pumping directly into the emitting level

We present theoretical and experimental investigations on ground-state direct pumping at 869 nm into the emitting level ⁴F_3/2 of end-pumped quasi-three-level Nd:YAG lasers operating at 946 nm. We have demonstrated, what we believe is for the first time, a Nd:YAG laser at 946 nm directly pumped by diodes and obtained 1.6 W of output power.     

Linearly-polarized Tm-doped double-clad fiber laser

We report a linearly polarized Tm doped fiber laser. The fiber laser was set up by using a piece of polarization maintaining Tm doped double clad fiber of 5 m length as gain medium and a polarization beam splitter as a polarization selector. The fiber laser was pumped by a fiber pigtailed laser diode working at 790 nm with a maximum output power of 90 W. The linearly polarized Tm laser operated at wavelength around 2030 nm. A maximum output power up to 21.9 W was achieved when the pump power was 63.27 W with a threshold of 11.92 W, a slope efficiency of about 43.7%, and a polarization extinction ratio of 92.7% (11.37 dB). In addition to the blue fluorescence, we also observed the violet fluorescence under high pump power level. The up-conversion fluorescence was considered to be attributed to the ¹ G ₄ → ³ H ₆, and ¹ D ₂ → ³ F ₄ transitions of Tm ions, respectively.     

All solid-state continuous-wave Nd:YAG laser at 1319 and 659.5 nm under direct 885 nm pumping

The continuous-wave high efficiency laser emission of Nd:YAG at the fundamental wavelength of 1319 nm and its 659.5-nm second harmonic obtained by intracavity frequency doubling with an LBO nonlinear crystal is investigated under pumping by diode laser at 885 nm (on the ⁴ F _3/2 → ⁴ I _13/2 transition). An end-pumped Nd:YAG crystal yielded 9.1 W at 1319 nm of continuous-wave output power for 18.2 W of absorbed pump power. The slope efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power is 0.55. Furthermore, 5.2 W 659.5 nm red light is acquired by frequency doubling, resulting in an optical-to-optical efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power of 0.286. Comparative results obtained for the pump with diode laser at 808 nm (on the ⁴ F _5/2 → ⁴ I _13/2 transition) are given in order to prove the advantages of the 885 nm wavelength pumping.     

Highly efficient continuous-wave intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YVO4-LBO laser at 457 nm under diode pumping into the emitting level 4F3/2

The continuous-wave high efficiency laser emission of Nd:YVO₄ at the fundamental wavelength of 914 nm and its 457 nm second harmonic obtained by intracavity frequency doubling with an LBO nonlinear crystal is investigated under pumping by diode laser at 880 nm into emitting level ⁴F_3/2. 6.5 W at 457 nm with M ²=1.8 was obtained from a 5-mm-thick 0.4 at.% Nd:YVO₄ laser medium and a 15-mm-long LBO nonlinear crystal in a Z-type cavity for 18.6 W absorbed pump power. An optical-to-optical efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power was 0.35. Comparative results obtained for the pump with diode laser at 808 nm, into the highly-absorbing level ⁴F_5/2, are given in order to prove the advantages of the 880 nm wavelength pumping.     

High-efficiency direct-pumped Nd:YVO4-LBO laser operating at 671 nm

The continuous-wave high-efficiency laser emission from Nd:YVO₄ at the fundamental wavelength of 1342 nm and its 671 nm second harmonic obtained by intra-cavity frequency doubling in an LBO nonlinear crystal are investigated under pumping by diode laser at 880 nm (on the ⁴F_3/2→⁴I_13/2 transition). The end-pumped Nd:YVO₄ crystal yielded a continuous-wave output power of 9.6 W at 1342 nm for 18.9 W of absorbed pump power. The slope efficiency measured with respect to the absorbed pump power is 60%. An output of 5.5 W at 671 nm was obtained by frequency doubling, resulting in an optical-to-optical efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power of 29%. Comparative results obtained for the pump with a diode laser at 808 nm (on the ⁴F_5/2→⁴I_13/2 transition) are given in order to prove the advantages of the 880 nm wavelength pumping.     

Diode-pumped Yb:Y<Subscript>2</Subscript>SiO<Subscript>5</Subscript>-LiB<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> cyan laser at 501.7 nm

We describe the output performances of the 928 nm ⁴ F _3/2 → ⁴ I _9/2 transition in Nd:CLNGG under diode-laser pumping. An end-pumped Nd:CLNGG crystal yielded 1.3 W of continuous-wave output power for 17.8 W of absorbed pump power. The slope efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power was 11.2%. Furthermore, with 17.8 W of diode pump power and the frequency-doubling crystal LiB₃O₅ (LBO), a maximum output power of 260 mW in the blue spectral range at 464 nm has been achieved. The blue output power stability over 4 h is better than 3.2%.     

High-efficiency direct-pumped Nd:YLF laser operating at 1321 nm

We present a high-efficiency Nd: LiYF₄ (Nd:YLF) laser operating at 1321 nm pumped directly into the emitting level, ⁴F_3/2. The linear polarization of the pump diode laser was maintained by a short fiber. At the absorbed pump power of 7.3 W, as high as 3.6 W of continuous-wave output power at 1321 nm is achieved. The slope efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power was 0.52. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of such a laser system. Comparative results obtained for the pump with a diode laser at 806 nm, into the highly absorbing ⁴F_5/2 level, are given in order to prove the advantages of 880 nm wavelength pumping.     

Quasi-three-level laser operation of Nd:Y<Subscript>0.53</Subscript>Gd<Subscript>0.47</Subscript>VO<Subscript>4</Subscript> mixed vanadate crystal oscillating at 913 nm

Efficient continuous-wave (CW) laser operation on the ⁴ F _3/2 → ⁴ I _9/2 transition of Nd:Y_0.53Gd_0.47VO₄, a mixed vanadate crystal, is demonstrated at room temperature employing a compact plano-concave resonator, generating a polarized output power of 0.39 W at 913.2 nm with 2.85 W of pump power absorbed, the optical-to-optical and slope efficiencies being 14 and 25%, respectively.     

Highly efficient intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:GdVO4-LBO red laser at 670 nm under direct 880 nm pumping

We report the efficient compact red laser at 670 nm generation by intracavity frequency doubling of a continuous wave laser operation of a diode direct pumped Nd:GdVO₄ laser on the ⁴ F _3/2 → ⁴ I _13/2 transition at 1340 nm. An LBO crystal, cut for critical type I phase matching at room temperature is used for second harmonic generation of the laser. At an absorbed pump power of 16.2 W, as high as 5.1 W of continuous wave output power at 670 nm is achieved with 15-mm-long LBO. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is up to 0.31, and the fluctuation of the red output power was better than 3.0% in the given 30 min. Comparative results obtained for the pump with diode laser at 808 nm, into the highly-absorbing ⁴ F _5/2 level, are given in order to prove the advantages of the 880 nm wavelength pumping.     

Efficiency intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:Y<Subscript>0.36</Subscript>Gd<Subscript>0.64</Subscript>VO<Subscript>4</Subscript>-LBO green laser at 532 nm with direct pumping

We report an efficient laser emission on the 1064 nm ⁴ F _3/2 to ⁴ I _11/2 transition in mixed vanadate crystal Nd:Y_0.36Gd_0.64VO₄ under the pump with diode laser at 880 nm. Continuous wave (CW) 10.7 W output power at 1064 nm is obtained under 17.8 W of incident pump power; the slope efficiency with respect to the incident pump power was 71.2%. Moreover, intracavity frequency doubling with LiB₃O₅ (LBO) nonlinear crystal yielded 4.6 W of green light at 532 nm. An optical-to-optical efficiency with respect to the incident pump power was 25.8%.     

All solid-state continuous-wave intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:LuVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>-LBO red laser at 671.5 nm

We report for the first time a efficient compact red laser at 671.5 nm generation by intracavity frequency doubling of a continuous wave laser operation of a diode direct pumped Nd:LuVO₄ laser on the ⁴ F _3/2 → ⁴ I _13/2 transition at 1343 nm. An LBO crystal, cut for critical type I phase matching at room temperature is used for second harmonic generation of the laser. At an absorbed pump power of 16.2 W, as high as 4.3 W of continuous wave output power at 671.5 nm is achieved with 10-mm-long LBO. Comparative results obtained for the pump with diode laser at 808 nm, into the highly-absorbing ⁴ F _5/2 level, are given in order to prove the advantages of the 880 nm wavelength pumping.