Title :
A diode-pumped 1.4-W Tm3+:GdVO4 microchip laser at 1.9 μm
Author :
Wyss, C.P. ; Lüthy, W. ; Weber, Heinz P. ; Vlasov, V.I. ; Zavartsev, Y.D. ; Studenikin, P.A. ; Zagumennyui, A.I. ; Shcherbakov, I.A.
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Appl. Phys., Bern Univ., Switzerland
fDate :
12/1/1998 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
GdVO4 as a host for thulium has several advantages for diode pumping in comparison with other crystals. The absorption cross section of thulium in GdVO4 is considerably stronger and broader than in YAG and YLF, and the spectrum is shifted closer to the emission wavelength of commercially available AlGaAs laser diodes. In our paper, we report on a diode-pumped monolithic Tm3+(6.9 at.%):GdVO4 microchip laser at 1.9 μm. A maximum output power of 1.4 W is achieved. Two different arrangements for cooling the crystal are discussed. Furthermore, the input-output curves under Ti:sapphire pumping are compared for different pump wavelengths. Slope efficiencies of 58%, clearly exceeding the Stokes limit of 41%, are achieved
Keywords :
optical pumping; solid lasers; thulium; 1.4 W; 1.9 micron; 58 percent; GdVO4:Tm; absorption cross section; crystal cooling; diode pumping; emission spectrum; input-output curve; monolithic Tm3+:GdVO4 microchip laser; slope efficiency; Absorption; Cooling; Diode lasers; Laser excitation; Laser transitions; Laser tuning; Microchip lasers; Optical resonators; Power generation; Pump lasers;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
