Growth and Initial Experiments Demonstrating Watt Level Output From Yb:YAG Planar Waveguides Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition

We report on the growth and initial characterization of pulsed laser deposited Yb:YAG. When used as a planar waveguide laser slope efficiencies of at least 34% are observed for a 45% reflectivity output coupler.