Planar waveguide lasers by proton implantation in Nd:YAG crystals

The performance of CW Nd:YAG waveguide lasers operating at 1.06 microm at room temperature is described. The waveguides were fabricated by proton implantation and the main differences in the process of fabrication were the angle of implantation and the total dose implanted. The characterization of the waveguide refractive index profile induced by proton implantation and the main laser characteristics i.e., slope efficiency and threshold are presented.