Single-longitudinal-mode Er:GGG microchip laser operating at 2.7  μm

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Mid-infrared lasers are crucial for spectroscopy and sensing.
• Erbium-doped Gadolinium Gallium Garnet (Er:GGG) crystals offer potential for mid-infrared emission.
• Microchip lasers provide compact and robust laser solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the performance of a diode-end-pumped Er:GGG microchip laser.
• To characterize the output power, energy, and spectral properties of the laser.
• To assess the beam quality of the developed laser source.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 600-μm-thick Er:GGG crystal in a diode-end-pumped configuration.
• Operated the microchip laser at repetition rates of 100, 200, and 300 Hz.
• Measured output power, pulsed energy, spectral characteristics (FWHM), and beam quality (M²).

Main Results:

• Achieved a maximum output power of 50.8 mW and pulsed energy of 0.306 mJ.
• Observed a maximum slope efficiency of 20.1%.
• Demonstrated single-longitudinal mode operation at ~2704 nm with a FWHM of 0.42 nm and M² of 1.46.

Conclusions:

• The Er:GGG microchip laser operates efficiently in a single longitudinal mode.
• The laser exhibits good beam quality, suitable for various applications.
• This compact Er:GGG microchip laser is a promising source for mid-infrared applications.