Efficient continuous-wave operation of a diode-pumped Nd : YVO4 laser at 1342 nm

The experimental study described in this paper investigates the continuous- wave power performance of an efficient diode-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser at 1342 n m by employing four different end pumping configurations. When pumped by a high-power fiber-coupled diode array at 806 nm, the compact resonator consi sting of a 9.25-mm long Nd:YVO4 crystal and a 3.6% transmitting output coup ler produced as high as 3550 mW of output power. The absorbed power slope e fficiency was measured to be 28.1%. By using the experimentally measured th reshold data, the stimulated emission cross-section of the gain medium was determined to be 13 X 10(-19) cm(2) at 1342 nm. Above absorbed pump powers of 11 W, strong thermal loading caused saturation of the output power and t he focal length of the induced thermal lens was measured as a function of t he pump power. Results further showed that the laser output was insensitive to variations in the crystal boundary temperature between 20 degrees C and 40 degrees C. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.