A polarized brightness-enhanced Nd:Y3Al5O/sub l2/ planar waveguide laser

A simple method for the production of a polarized Nd:Y
₃
Al
₅
0/sub 12/ on Y
₃
Al
₅
O/sub 12/ planar waveguide laser is reported. A 50-nm layer of Au deposited on the surface of an unclad, 8.3-μm thick core region has produced an improvement in the TE/TM polarization extinction ratio from 7 to 27 dB. The M
²
of the beam in the guided plane has been reduced from 1.53/spl plusmn/0.01 in an uncoated region of the waveguide to 1.17/spl plusmn/0.01 in the Au-coated region using optimum pump launch conditions.