Continuous-wave yellow - green laser at 0.56 mu m based on frequency doubling of a diode-end-pumped ceramic Nd:YAG laser

We present what is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report on yellow - green laser generation based on the frequency doubling of the 1.1 mu m transitions in Nd:YAG ceramics. By employing an 885 nm diode laser as the end-pumping source and a lithium triborate crystal as the frequency doubler, the highest continuous wave output powers of 1.4, 0.5, and 1.1 W at 556, 558, and 561 nm are achieved, respectively. These result in optical-to-optical efficiencies of 6.9%, 2.5%, and 5.4% with respect to the absorbed pump power, respectively. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America