Highly efficient 1.3-μm second-Stokes PbWO4 Raman laser

A second-Stokes Raman laser based on PbWO4 with a 1.316-mum wavelength pumped by an approximate to120-ps Nd:YAG laser at 1.06415 mum scattered at (.)901 cm(-1) phonon was developed. High-reflection mirrors for the Stokes wavelength were used. The maximum output energy was 0.85 mJ. The conversion efficiency increased with crystal length of 40-100 mm up to 30%. The spatial beam profile was smooth, and the Raman laser emission lasted for similar to18 ns. New stimulated Raman scattering lines from a phonon at 323 cm(-1) were observed. (C) 2003 Optical Society of America.