Abstract

The planar waveguide geometry is an attractive one for lasers [1] and amplifiers [2] since it offers some confinement of the pump and signal fields together with good power handling characteristics. We have demonstrated laser oscillation and amplification in a Nd:YAG waveguide, fabricated from bulk material by a thermal bonding technique. The waveguide, manufactured by Onyx Optics, California, consisted of a 5mm long, 20μm thick, lat.% Nd YAG layer sandwiched between two undoped YAG slabs. A feature of this guide fabrication technique is that it does not decrease peak cross section values by introducing additional line broadening.

© 1996 IEEE