Continuous-wave laser oscillation at 929 nm from a Nd3+-doped LiNbO3:ZnO nonlinear laser crystal:: A powerful tool for blue laser light generation

This work reports on room-temperature continuous-wave laser action at 929 nm from a Nd3+:LiNbO3 nonlinear laser crystal co-doped with ZnO. The spectroscopic parameters of the quasi-three-level F-4(3/2)-->I-4(9/2) laser channel are discussed. In nonoptimal preliminary experiments, pump power at threshold was found to be as low as 105 mW. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.