Diode-pumped continuous-wave Nd:glass laser

We report on diode-laser pumping of monolithic Nd:glass laser oscillators. End pumping with a single-stripe diode laser, a threshold of 2.2 mW, and a slope efficiency of 42% were observed on a 2-mm-long oscillator with a mode radius of 35 microm. The oscillator generated 2.5 mW of single-ended output power in many (>20) axial modes.