High Power and Efficient Operation of Tm:YAG Ceramic Laser Resonantly Pumped at 1620 nm

We report on high power and narrow linewidth laser operation of home-developed high optical quality Tm:YAG ceramic. The Tm3+ ion is pumped directly to the upper energy level of the similar to 2 mu m laser transition (F-3(4) -> H-3(6)) using a high power 1620 nm fiber Raman laser. The laser generated 15.1 W of output at 2013 nm in free running for 27.4 W of absorbed pump power, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 64.0% with respect to absorbed pump power. Employing a reflecting volume Bragg grating (VBG) as a resonator mirror and for spectrum control, the laser generated 11.8 W of 0.1 nm narrow linewidth output at 2015 nm for similar to 24 W of absorbed pump power, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 61.5%.

Automated summary

We report on the high power and narrow linewidth laser operation of a home-developed high optical quality Tm:YAG ceramic. By directly pumping the Tm3+ ion to the upper energy level of the 2μm laser transition using a high power 1620 nm fiber Raman laser, the laser achieved high efficiency and narrow linewidth output.