Intracavity frequency doubling of a continuous-wave, diode-laser-pumped neodymium lanthanum scandium borate laser

Neodymium-doped lanthanum scandium borate [Nd:LaSc(3)(BO(3))(4)] is a new material for efficient and compact diode-pumped solid-state lasers. A simple plane-plane 3-mm-long resonator is formed by a coated Nd(10%):LaSc(3)(BO(3))(4) crystal and a coated potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) crystal. The second-harmonic output power at 531 nm is 522 mW at 2.05-W incident pump power of the diode laser. The corresponding optical efficiency is 25%, and the conversion efficiency from the fundamental to the second harmonic is 55%. The wellknown chaotic power fluctuations of intracavity frequency-doubled lasers (green problem) are avoided by use of a short KTP crystal, between 0.5 and 2 mm in length.