Spectral properties of external-cavity, surface emitting lasers operating at 980 nm and 490 nm

Summary form only given. Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) are efficient sources of red and near IR light that often produce near-Gaussian spatial profiles. Optically-pumped vertical, external cavity surface emitting lasers (VECSELs) have been shown to be efficient sources of higher power (>100 mW) near IR light with near-Gaussian spatial profiles. VECSELs replace the upper distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) with an external, spherical mirror that is used for output coupling and for controlling the transverse mode of the laser. VECSEL output couplers, like those of VCSELs, can have very high reflectivity. The low output coupling produces high intracavity power ideal for intra-cavity frequency doubling. We have obtained blue light with a near Gaussian spatial profile from the intracavity doubled VECSEL.