AUTHOR=Zhuang Youyi , Mao Wenjie , Gong Xinghong , Jin Xinxin , Li Zhihong , Huang Yidong , Duan Yanmin 

TITLE=Diode-pumped, actively Q-switched Nd,La:CaNb2O6 self-Raman laser at 1,174 nm

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physics

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physics/articles/10.3389/fphy.2022.1012551

DOI=10.3389/fphy.2022.1012551

ISSN=2296-424X

ABSTRACT=<p>Diode end-pumped Nd,La:CaNb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>6</sub> self-Raman laser with acousto-optic Q-switching was successfully demonstrated for the first Stokes wave generation at 1,174 nm. A 1.0 at.% Nd<sup>3+</sup> and 1.0 at.% La<sup>3+</sup>-doped CaNb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>6</sub> crystal in dimensions 3 × 3 × 14.3 mm<sup>3</sup> was used as the self-Raman laser crystal. Doping 1 at.% La<sup>3+</sup> ions into this crystal could subdue the fluorescence quenching caused by cross-relaxation between Nd<sup>3+</sup> ions and finally improve the laser output performance. Under the incident pump power of 9.9 W, the first Stokes wave at 1,174 nm with a maximum output power up to 928 mW was obtained, with the diode to Stokes conversion efficiency of about 9.4%. The results show that the Nd,La:CaNb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>6</sub> is also a promising self-Raman crystal for efficient fundamental and Raman laser operation.</p>