Spectroscopy and efficient laser action from diode pumping of a new broadly tunable crystal:: Yb3+:Sr3Y(BO3)3

The first demonstration of laser action in a Yb3+ :Sr3Y(BO3)(3) crystal is reported. This new material exhibits particularly broad absorption and emission bandwidths (6 and 60 nm, respectively) and hence is of particular interest for diode-pumped femtosecond and tunable laser sources. Efficient operation from diode pumping (1.4 W of cw laser power obtained with 3.6 W of diode pump power and as much as 3.4 W of peak power from high-power quasi-cw pumping) together with smooth tunability (over 50 nm FWHM) is reported. For the comparison, efficiency and thermal limitations of Yb:glass and Yb:Ca4GdO(BO3)(3) have been investigated under the same conditions. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.