High-efficiency, high-power, diode-pumped continuous-wave Tm:YAlO_3 slab lasers

摘要

We report diode end-pumped continuous-wave Tm:YAlO_3 slab lasers with high power and high efficiency. At room temperature, b-cut Tm:YAlO_3 slabs with doping concentrations of 1, 4 and 5 at.% pumped by fiber-coupled and fast-axis collimated laser diodes with different wavelengths are compared. Tm:YAlO_3 slab lasers of 4 at.% doping concentrations have the highest optical-to-optical efficiency. When pumped with fiber-coupled and fast-axis collimated laser diodes, the maximum output powers are 11 W and 15 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 52% and 40%, respectively.