Abstract

Nd: YAG and Nd: YVO₄ are reportedly very efficient materials for diode-laser pumped lasers, with quantum efficiencies close to unity and with high absorption at the peak located at about 808 nm, a convenient wavelength for diode laser pumping. However, Nd-YAG suffers from having too narrow absorption bands in the diode emission region of the spectrum (full width at half maximum is about 1 nm for the Nd:YAG absorption peak at 808 nm) and Nd:YVO₄, having a fluorescence relaxation time of about 90 µS, is not a good material for pulsed mode operation because of its limited storage capability. Therefore, the search for new materials with broad absorption bands and high storage capability, and better than Nd- glass thermal performance is still required.

© 1989 Optical Society of America