Generation of yellow laser light based on Nd3+: aperiodically poled lithium niobate

We report generation of continuous-wave yellow laser radiation in an aperiodically poled crystal of lithium niobate doped with Nd³⁺ laser-active ions. A linear cavity which exploits longitudinal hole burning allows for simultaneous oscillation of the two infrared laser channels ⁴F₃2/→⁴I¹¹2/ and ⁴F₃2/→⁴I₁₁2/ of Nd³⁺, otherwise prevented by a "winner takes all the gain" dynamics. Yellow laser radiation at 605 nm results from intracavity self-sum-frequency-mixing of fundamental laser waves at 1084 and 1372 nm generated simultaneously in both channels.