Diode-pumped Yb:GGG laser: comparison with Yb:YAG

Abstract A diode-pumped ytterbium-doped Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 (Yb:GGG) laser is reported for the first time. We report up to 4.2 W of CW laser power when pumping on the 971 nm absorption band with a 14 W fiber-coupled diode. The easy growth and the high thermal conductivity of Yb:GGG make it a challenger of Yb:YAG for high power applications. The efficiencies of these two crystals have been compared under the same pumping conditions, and turn out to be comparable.

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