Efficient blue cw Nd:YAG microchip laser with two intracavity frequency doublers

Abstract

A microchip cavity including a half-monolithic Nd:YAG- KNbO(3) chip and a second KNbO(3) crystal is presented. An output power of up to 30 mW at 473 nm pumped by a single stripe 1-W at 808-nm diode is achieved. The laser can be operated in either single-longitudinal or multilongitudinal mode by rotation of the second frequency-doubling crystal to 0 degrees or 90 degrees from the first one. The cw output noise is less than 2% for both cases.