17.9 W continuous-wave self-frequency-doubled Nd:GdCOB laser

We demonstrated the output power scaling of a self-frequency-doubled (SFD) laser with N d : G d C a 4 O ( B O 3 ) 3 (Nd:GdCOB) crystal by employing a partially end-pumped slab structure and optimized laser-diode (LD) pump wavelength. Associated with the theoretical calculation about the thermal distribution in the SFD Nd:GdCOB crystal, the maximum SFD output power was achieved to be 17.91 W at the wavelength of 545.5 nm, which represents the highest output power in SFD lasers, and the optical conversion efficiency from the LD to SFD laser power reached up to 20%. Since the wavelength at 545.5 nm is located at the eye-sensitive spectral region and the SFD lasers have the advantages in the compact structure, the demonstrated SFD laser should have promising applications in some regimes such as laser display, medical, military, and scientific research.