cw and pulsed 2.8 μm laser emission from diode-pumped Er3+:LiYF4 at room temperature

Abstract

Laser emission at 2.8 μm from an Er3+:LiYF4 sample longitudinally pumped with a multiple stripe laser diode array is observed for the first time. The threshold for pulsed laser emission is 33 μJ and for cw laser emission 147 mW. cw laser action in this normally self-terminating laser transition is attributed to a cooperative up-conversion process.