Abstract

The development of efficient nonlinear optical techniques for converting the output wavelengths of cw-pumped lasers has been limited by the lower gains available from these lasers compared with their pulsed counterparts. Even when repetitively Q— switched, the outputs of these cw-devices typically have low pulse energies and gain- dominated pulselengths in the 50- to 100- ns regime; too long for efficiently pumping nonlinear processes. We describe cw-diode- pumped Nd:YLF lasers whose outputs are efficiently converted to the eyesafe, using parametric oscillators, to produce up to 2.5W of 1.54-μm radiation.

© 1993 Optical Society of America