Violet cw neodymium upconversion laser

Abstract

We have observed cw laser action on a new transition (⁴D_3/2→⁴I_11/2) of the Nd³⁺ ion at 380 nm. This was demonstrated in Nd:LaF₃ using an upconversion pumping scheme in which near infrared (788 nm) and visible (591 nm) pump photons from cw dye lasers produce stepwise excitation of the Nd³⁺ ion. In addition, lasing was observed with a single pump source at wavelengths around 578 nm using doubly resonant, sequential absorption of two yellow photons. Single‐mode, cw operation with an output power of 12 mW was measured at 20 K with 1% output coupling and pump powers of several hundred mW. At 77 K the maximum power dropped to 4 mW.