Continuous-wave, all-solid-state, yellow laser source at 588 nm

We report continuous-wave powers up to 704 mW and quasi-cw powers up to 1574 mW (50% duty cycle) at 588 nm from a diode-pumped Nd:GdVO₄ laser with intracavity Raman-shifting (in KGd(WO₄)₂) and intracavity frequencydoubling (in LBO), with diode-to-588 nm conversion efficiencies of up to 7%. We also present a rate-equation model of the laser which is used to outline the key design issues for cw intracavity doubled Raman lasers, in particular the roles played by thermal loading in the Nd:GdVO₄ laser crystal, resonator mode sizes in the gain and nonlinear media and passive resonator losses.4 page(s