Analysis of Silicon Ion-Implanted Nd:YVO4 as a Waveguide Laser Medium Operating at 1.06 μm

The planar waveguide was formed in an x-cut Nd:YVO₄ crystal by 3.0 MeV Si⁺ ion implantation at a dose of 1times10¹⁵ ions/cm² at room temperature. The effective refractive indices of the waveguide propagation modes were measured by using a prism-coupling method after the annealing at 240degC for 60 min in air. Reflectivity calculation method (RCM) was applied to simulate the refractive index profile of the waveguide. It is found that relatively large positive change of ordinary refractive index happens in the guiding region. According to the reconstructed refractive index distribution, it is demonstrated that the fundamental mode operating at 1.06 mum can be confined in the Si⁺ ion-implanted Nd:YVO₄ waveguide. Meanwhile, the pump threshold of laser oscillation is theoretically estimated.