Yb-doped KY(WO4)(2) planar waveguide laser

High-quality monoclinic KY(WO4)(2) optical waveguides were grown by liquid-phase epitaxy, and laser operation of an Yb-doped KY(WO4)(2) waveguide was demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge. Continuous-wave laser emission near 1 mu m was achieved with both surface and buried planar waveguides. An output power of 290 mW was obtained in the fundamental mode and the slope efficiency was above 80%. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.