Continuous wave laser radiation at 1314 and 1386 nm and infrared to red self-frequency doubling in nonlinear LaBGeO5Nd3+ crystal

Abstract

We report efficient generation of continuous wave laser radiation in the nonlinear LaBGeO5:Nd3+ crystal around 1.3 μm. The F43/2→I413/2 laser channel of Nd3+ ions in this crystal leads to efficient generation of laser radiation at 1314 nm (π polarization) and at 1386 nm (σ polarization). Under resonant pumping with a Ti:sapphire laser at 800 nm in the GaAlAs laser diode emission spectral region, an absorbed power threshold of 26 mW is obtained for 1% output coupling. A slope efficiency of 40% is obtained for an output coupling of 3%. Visible red laser radiation at 657 nm is obtained by self-frequency doubling in a type I phase matched crystal.