Nd:GdVO4 as a three-level laser at 879 nm.
We present what we believe to be the first true three-level laser based on a Nd-doped crystal. From the 4F3/24I9/2 laser transition, the lower laser level being the ground state, emission at 879 nm in NdGdVO4 has been obtained with diode pumping. Up to 0.8 W of power has been achieved in cw operation and 24 microJ per pulse (35 ns) in the Q-switched regime. Intracavity second-harmonic generation in the pulsed regime is also demonstrated with 17 8 mW of average output power at 439.5 nm, corresponding to an energy of 17microJ per pulse.
Herault
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Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, Centre Scientifique d'Orsay, Orsay, France.
Balembois
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Georges
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