WIDELY TUNABLE SINGLE-FREQUENCY ERBIUM-YTTERBIUM PHOSPHATE-GLASS LASER

A tunable, single-frequency, diode-pumped miniature Er:Yb:glass laser of high power is described. The laser exhibits two intervals of contin uous tuning, from 1549 to 1563 nm (Delta lambda=14 nm) and from 1531 t o 1540 nm (Delta lambda=9 nm), respectively. For an input pump power o f 140 mW, a single frequency output power of 20 mW at 1563 nm has been obtained. The tuning characteristics are found to be strictly related to the gain-loss balance of the laser cavity. (C) 1996 American Insti tute of Physics.