High-power continuous-wave Nd lasers under diode pumping directly into the 4F3/2 emitting level

Output performances of Nd-based lasers that were pumped with diode lasers directly into the F-4(3/2) emitting level has been investigated at various wavelength of emission. The end-pumping scheme was used to demonstrate efficient laser emission in the watt-range at 0.94 mu m. 1,06 mu m and 1.34 mu m in Nd:YAG pumped at 885 nm. Nd:YVO4 and Nd:GdVO4 thin-disk lasers with high power emission at 1.06 mu m were realized under multi-pass pumping at 880 nm, and for the first time laser emission at 0.91 mu m was achieved in this configuration. Intracavity frequency-doubled lasers with emission in the green and blue spectral ranges were obtained. Thus. an end-pumped Nd:GdVO4 laser with 5 W output power at 0.53 mu m, and Nd:YVO4 and Nd:GdVO4 thin-disk lasers with output power in excess of 4 W at 0.53 mu m were realized. Nd-vanadates thin-disk lasers with similar to 1 W power into 0.45 gm 'deep-blue' visible spectra were demonstrated. Comparative results with the traditional pumping at 0.81 mu m into the highly absorbing F-4(5/2) level are presented, proving the advantage of the direct F-4(3/2) pumping.