Growth and low-threshold laser oscillation of an epitaxially grown Nd:YAG waveguide

We report 1.064-microm laser operation of an epitaxially grown Nd: YAG planar waveguide with thresholds as low as ~0.7 mW when high-reflectivity mirrors are used. The output is single mode and, when a 83% reflectivity output coupler is used, has a diode pumped slope efficiency of ~40%. Output powers in excess of 60 mW have been obtained when pumping with a Rhodamine 6G dye laser.