Continuous-wave laser performance of Nd:LuVO4 crystal operating at 1.34 μm

A laser-diode-array end-pumped Nd:LuVO4 crystal continuous-wave (cw) laser operating at 1.34 mu m has been demonstrated. The maximum cw output power of 1.85 W was obtained at the incident pump power of 17 W for a c-cut 0.5 at. % Nd-doped LuVO4, crystal sample, giving the corresponding optical conversion efficiency of 10.88% and a slope efficiency of 13.5%. Laser experiments of Nd3+ concentration of 0.5 and 0.9 at. % a-cut crystal LuVO4 samples were also investigated; due to the strong excited-state absorption of Nd:LuVO4 at 1.34 mu m, the output power was limited. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.