Diode laser in-band pumped, efficient 1645 nm continuous-wave and Q-switched Er:YLuAG lasers with near-diffraction-limited beam quality

Fiber-like Er:YLuAG laser rods were tested for continuous-wave (CW) and Q-switched operation. Two narrow-band laser diodes emitting at 1532 nm were used as pump sources. The pump power was confined in the laser rods via total internal reflection. In CW mode, a maximum output power of 7.2 W was measured from a 30 mm long Er:YLuAG laser rod, corresponding to an optical-optical efficiency of 26% and a slope efficiency of 78%. Er:YLuAG and Er:YAG lasers were compared experimentally and exhibited comparable performance, while the measured central wavelength of the Er:YLuAG laser was 1644.75 nm, slightly longer than the central wavelength of the Er:YAG laser in the same experimental circumstances. In Q-switched mode, an output energy of 3.5 mJ was obtained from a 25 mm Er:YLuAG laser rod with a pulse duration of 100 ns and a pulse repetition frequency of 100 Hz. The pulsed output had near-diffraction-limited beam quality with M² values of 1.13 and 1.11 in the x and y directions, respectively.