Continuous-wave laser operation of chromium-doped forsterite

Abstract

Room-temperature continuous-wave laser action in chromium-activated forsterite (Cr:Mg(2)SiO(4)) has been achieved for longitudinal pumping in a nearly concentric cavity by the 1064-nm radiation from a cw Nd:YAG laser. The laser emission is centered at 1244 nm and has a spectral bandwidth of 12 nm. An output-power slope efficiency of 6.8% is measured. The effective emission cross section is estimated to be ~1.1 x 10(-19) cm(2).