cw laser action in Nd(Al,Cr)3(BO3)4

Abstract

Room-temperature cw lasing at 1.063 μm was obtained in Nd(Al,Cr)3(BO3)4 crystals. Cross pumping via Cr3+ is as efficient as direct pumping via Nd3+. Thresholds around 20 mW and slope efficiencies up to 13% have been measured. The internal losses were high, around 15%, which we ascribed to imperfect crystal quality. Improvement of crystal quality should lead to thresholds in the mW range.