Diode pumped cw ruby laser

Abstract

Cw laser oscillation of ruby at 694 nm in linear and ring resonators is reported for the first time, pumped with a 1 W laser diode at 405 nm as well as 445 nm. The ruby laser operates at room temperature with a threshold of 200 mW at 405 nm and 400 mW at 445 nm. So far output powers up to 36 mW have been achieved pumped at 405 nm. With the ruby ring laser highly coherent single frequency operation will be possible.