Direct generation of an optical vortex beam from a diode-pumped Yb:MgWO4 laser

Abstract

We report for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, the generation of a multi-watt optical vortex beam based on a novel monoclinic Yb3+-doped MgWO4 crystal. The robust first-order Laguerre–Gaussian doughnut beam (LG01) with high mode purity and good beam quality can be selectively excited without using any intra-cavity handedness-selective element. Our results demonstrate the potential of the Yb:MgWO4 crystal for generation of high-power optical vortex beams from compact solid-state lasers.