Continuous Wave, 30 W Laser-Diode Bar With 10 Ghz Linewidth For Rb Laser Pumping

A laser-diode bar incorporated into an external cavity with a volume Bragg mirror produced 30 W of cw out-put power within a 20 pm (10 GHz) spectral linewidth (FWHM) centered at 780 nm. The device output power exceeded 90% of that for the free-running laser-diode bar. The emission wavelength was tuned over a 400 pm range without broadening laser spectrum width. Absorption of 90% of the laser radiation by a 25 mm vapor cell containing Rb that has been pressure broadened with 300 torr of ethane was demonstrated. © 2008 Optical Society of America