CHANNEL WAVE-GUIDE LASER AT 1 MU-M IN YB-INDIFFUSED LINBO3

We report laser action in a Ti-diffused LiNbO3 waveguide doped with tr ivalent Yb ions by thermal indiffusion. Lasing was observed at 1008, 1 030, and 1060 nm with thresholds as low as 15-mW launched pump power. We reduced photorefractivity, which initially permitted only intermitt ent lasing, by annealing the sample in wet O-2. The annealed sample la sed continuously in a cavity formed by high-reflectivity mirrors; howe ver, with a 7% output coupler the output power exhibited instabilities . The greatest value of the output power observed under these conditio ns was consistent with a slope efficiency of similar to 16% with respe ct to absorbed power.