Generation of 455 nm radiation by intracavity doubling of a Nd:LiLuF/sub 4/ laser

Summary form only given. Solid-state lasers in the blue spectral range have applications in the field of measurement technique and print technology. In particular the wavelength range between 450 nm and 460 nm is of great interest in the laser based display technology. Blue laser radiation in this range can be generated e.g. by intracavity doubling of the Nd- ground state transition /sup 4/F/sub 3/2//spl rarr//sup 4/I/sub 9/2/ in the oxide type crystals YVO/sub 4/ and GdVO/sub 4/. Fluoride type hosts like LiYF/sub 4/ (YLF) and LiLuF/sub 4/ (LiLuF) are also suitable for this purpose due to the weak Stark-splitting of the Nd-ground state. Moreover these materials exhibit a negative temperature gradient of the refractive index resulting in a reduced thermal lensing effect. Ground state lasing of Nd:YLF and intracavity doubling have been successful demonstrated by Kellner et al.. LiLuF is isomorphic to YLF and, in contrast, melts congruently and can be grown stoichiometrically by the Czochralski technique. Therefore, Nd-doped LiLuF crystals have been investigated with respect to their lasing potential on the ground state transition. To the best of our knowledge lasing of Nd:LiLuF is reported so far only on the transitions /sup 4/F/sub 3/2//spl rarr//sup 4/I/sub 11/2/ and /sup 4/F/sub 13/2//spl rarr//sup 4/I/sub 3/2/ under flash lamp pumping.