Intracavity and resonant Raman crystal fiber laser

We demonstrated an efficient, compact, and continuous-wave Raman crystal fiber laser (RCFL) using an intracavity and resonant chi((3)) approach. The gain and nonlinear medium was Cr4+:Y3Al5O12 double-clad crystal fiber grown using the codrawing laser-heated pedestal growth technique. The RCFL threshold was only 50 mW, and the slope efficiency reached 14.3% above a pump power of 350 mW. The result is in good agreement with theory, which indicates a near-100% quantum efficiency of resonant stimulated Raman scattering. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4730949]