Abstract
We present what is to our knowledge the first demonstration of a 4.7-W cw Tm:YAG laser operating at room temperature by utilizing the extremely low absorption in Tm:YAG. This proof-of-principle experiment clearly demonstrates the possibility of using a pump absorption that is 2 orders of magnitude less than that of the conventional pump absorption (typically ). This Tm:YAG laser is pumped intracavity within a Nd:YAG laser for multiple-pass absorption. The maximum conversion efficiency of is 20%, with a slope efficiency of 35% with respect to the absorbed power.
© 2000 Optical Society of America
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