Abstract

Diode-pumped solid-state lasers with emission wavelength around 1 μm are currently employed in different application fields such as remote sensing, high-resolution spectroscopy, precision optical measurements, and frequency metrology. Yb-based solid-state lasers show several advantages compared with Nd oscillators for efficient generation of l-μm widely-tunable cw radiation. The main advantage is the presence of only two electronic multiplets in the near infrared spectral region leading to a relatively small quantum defect, low thermal loading, and reduced up-conversion losses [1]. In addition, the stronger electron-phonon interaction provides wide wavelength tunability, which is a fundamental laser property needed in spectroscopy and frequency metrology applications.

© 2007 IEEE