Channel waveguide lasers in Nd:LGS crystals

Abstract

Optical channel waveguides have been produced in Nd:LGS laser crystals by using ultrafast laser inscription with a depressed cladding configuration. The cross sectional shape of the cladding waveguides is circular, surrounded by low refractive index tracks, which makes the channel waveguides as three-dimensional tubular structures. Under optical pump of 810 nm light, continuous-wave waveguide lasers at 1068 nm have been achieved at room temperature, with minimum lasing threshold of 54 mW, a maximum slope efficiency of 24% and a maximum output power of 16 mW.