Efficient laser performance of Nd:GdVO4 crystals grown by the floating zone method.
Efficient laser performance is demonstrated with Nd:GdVO4 crystals grown by the floating zone method. With a 2-at. % Nd-doped crystal a slope efficiency of 67% is achieved with pumping at 808 nm. We also find that pumping at 879 nm with a bandwidth of 1.8 nm is practical for laser diode pumping. With this pumping level the slope efficiency reaches 78%. High-quality Nd:GdVO4 crystals are successfully grown with as much as 15-at.% Nd concentration by the floating zone method without inclusions or macroscopic defects. Homogeneity and high reproducibility of crystal growth are confirmed.
Ogawa
Takayo
T
The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan. pogawa@postman.riken.go.jp
Urata
Yoshiharu
Y
Wada
Satoshi
S
Onodera
Koichi
K
Machida
Hiroshi
H
Sagae
Hideaki
H
Higuchi
Mikio
M
Kodaira
Kohei
K