All solid-state diode-pumped Raman laser with self-frequency conversion

Operation of an all solid-state compact pulsed Raman laser pumped by a continuous-wave laser diode is demonstrated. The Stokes and anti-Stokes radiations of stimulated Raman scattering at the 1.181 and 0.973 mu m wavelengths, respectively, are generated as a result of self-frequency conversion of the 1.067 mu m laser radiation in a Nd3+:KGd(WO4)(2) crystal. With Q-switched operation, the Raman laser threshold corresponds to 230 mW of a laser diode light power. The output power of 4.8 mW is achieved at the Stokes wavelength with a kilohertz repetition rate. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)00650-6].