Ho:YAG ceramic laser pumped by Tm:YLF lasers at room temperature

Lasers from Ho:YAG ceramic were reported in this paper. The Ho:YAG ceramic slab was end-pumped by a Tm:YLF laser whose central wavelength was 1.91 mu m. At room temperature, with doping concentrations of 1 at.% Ho:YAG ceramic slab, continuous wave output power of 1.2 W at 2.09 mu m was obtained under the absorbed pump power of 5 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 42.6% and a conversion efficiency of 24%. [GRAPHICS] Fluorescence spectrum of Ho:YAG ceramic at 3 at.% (C) 2010 by Astro Ltd Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co KGaA