Near infrared and visible tunability from a diode pumped Nd3+ activated strontium barium niobate laser crystal

Tunable laser action from a diode pumped Nd3+ activated SrxBa1-x(NbO3)(2) crystal has been obtained. A wide continuous tuning range of 43 nm in the near infrared region (1050-1093 nm) has been demonstrated due to the broad F-4(3/2) -> I-4(11/2) emission band present in this system. Simultaneously, 20 nm of tunability in the green region (525-545 nm), as well as 7 nm in the blue one (455-462 nm) have been achieved by tunable self-frequency conversion processes using the quasiphase matching technique, without any angle or thermal tuning of the laser crystal. The results evidence that the system is a reliable candidate for compact tunable coherent devices based on diode pumped Nd3+ active ions, which are of interest in many technological and scientific applications.