Efficient diode-end-pumped Yb:CaNb2O6 thin-disk laser at 1003 nm and second-harmonic generation for an emission at 501.5 nm

Thanks to its high emission cross section around 1 mu m, Yb:CaNb2O6 is a good candidate for laser operation near 1 mu m as shown in our figure of merit. We demonstrated, for the first time to our knowledge, laser operation of Yb:CaNb2O6 at 1003 nm. More than 2.23 W at 1003 nm and 577 mW at 501.5 nm were produced simultaneously. This visible wave length corresponds to an iodine transition previously studied with argon ionized lasers for metrological applications. ((c) 2012 by Astro Ltd., Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA) ((c) 2011 by Astro Ltd., Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA)