Fabrication parameter optimization of a low-threshold high-efficiency proton-exchanged waveguide laser in Nd:LiTaO(3)

Knowing the correlation between the Nd(3+) excited-state lifetime in proton-exchanged waveguides and the phase diagram of the H(x)Li(1-x)TaO(3) compound permits optimized waveguide fabrication parameters to be found. These have been used to produce a Nd:LiTaO(3) waveguide laser with a threshold of 2.9 mW and a slope efficiency of 33%, in good agreement with the best predicted values. Nevertheless this component suffers from instabilities because of the photorefractive effect.