title: Highly efficient Nd:YVO4 laser by direct in-band diode pumping at 914 nm.
abstract: A Nd:YVO4 crystal was pumped directly into the emitting level by a laser diode at 914 nm for the first time to our knowledge. We achieved an output power of 11.5 W at 1064 nm for an absorbed pump power of 14.6 W, corresponding to an optical efficiency of 78.7%. We demonstrated that thermal effects are very weak, in agreement with the low quantum defect of only 14.1%.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France.
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sangla
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castaing
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Balembois
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Georges