Infrared laser emission in a compact CW and quasi-CW diode pumped Nd3+: GdLuCOB laser

Nd³⁺: GdLuCOB laser crystals were grown by the Czochralski pulling technique. CW and quasi-CW laser emission at 1.06 μm has been achieved from an uncoated, 5-at. % Nd³⁺: GdLuCOB crystal of 4.5-mm thickness, using end pumping at 811.9 nm and 812.3 nm, respectively, with fiber-coupled diode lasers. The maximum output powers for the CW and quasi-CW operations, were 167 mW and 178 mW for 1.31 W absorbed pump power, corresponding to the optical-to-optical efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power of 0.13 and 0.24. Slope efficiency for both CW and quasi-CW operations were 0.45 and 0.31 and the absorbed pump powers at threshold 0.7 W, and 0.6 W, respectively.