Abstract

Compact solid state lasers emitting in the blue-green wavelength range are expected to be the key components for optical recording and underwater communications or as spectroscopic sources. To develop such lasers, several approaches are under study at numerous laboratories around the world. Possible solutions include up-conversion lasers [1,2], green or blue diode lasers [3], sum frequency mixing techniques [4] or frequency doubled near IR sources [5] that produce blue or green light at fixed wavelengths. Compact sources generating tunable blue light could be particularly useful for spectrosopic experiments. One possibility is an optical parametric oscillator pumped by the third harmonic of a YAG laser but this solution requires high peak power from the pump laser [6].

© 1993 Optical Society of America