High-power, continuous-wave, Nd : LuVO4 microchip lasers

Nd:LuVO4 crystal was used for the most compact and the simplest laser, i.e. the microchip construction. LD (laser diode)-pumped, continuous-wave output property was detected on several Nd:LuVO4 microchips with different Nd3+ doping level, crystal length, and transmittance of output surface. With a 0.5 at.%, 1.5 mm, T = 1% crystal, 9.7 W maximum output was achieved, corresponding an optical-optical conversion efficiency of 32.0%. With a 1 at.%, 1.5 mm, T = 1% crystal, 9.1 W maximum output was achieved at a pump power of 20.5 W, which had the highest optical-optical conversion efficiency of 44.4%. [GRAPHICS] Schematic of Nd:LuVo(4) microchip laser (C) 2008 by Astro Ltd. Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.