Power scaling of diode-pumped Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser at 2.7 μm

Abstract We report on the high-power and room temperature operation of an Er:Y 2 O 3 ceramic laser at ∼2.7 μ m based on home-developed high optical quality ceramic samples. Pumped directly into the upper laser level with a spectrally narrowed 976 nm laser diode beam shaped to have a 1D top-hat profile, the laser-generated 13.4 W of CW output power with a slope efficiency of 16.0% with respect to absorbed pump power. In a modified resonator design, a lasing slope efficiency of 23.7% has been demonstrated. To our knowledge, this represents the highest power at ∼2.7 μ m spectral region from a room temperature sesquioxide laser.