High-power/high-brightness diode-pumped 1.9-mum thulium and resonantly pumped 2.1-mum holmium lasers

• Published in: IEEE journal of selected topics in quantum electronics Vol. 6; no. 4; pp. 629 - 635
• Main Authors: Budni, P A, Lemons, M L, Mosto, J R, Chicklis, E P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.07.2000
• ISSN: 1077-260X
• DOI: 10.1109/2944.883377

We report high power ( > 36 W) with beam propagation factor M(2)~2 in a diode end-pumped Tm:LiYF(4) (Tm:YLF) laser generating output near the 1.91-mum region. Using the 1.91-mum emission and high brightness achieved with the Tm:YLF laser we resonantly end-pump the Holmium (5)I(7) manifold in Ho:YAG and demonstrate ~19 W of continuous-wave (CW) output. The diode-to-Holmium optical to-optical conversion efficiency achieved is ~18%. Using a CW pumped and repetitively Q-switched configuration, the Tm:YLF pumped Ho:YAG laser achieves > 16 W of output power with an M(2)~1.48 at 15 kHz. A Q-switched frequency range of 9 to > 50 kHz is also achieved.