5-W Yellow Laser by Intracavity Frequency Doubling of High-Power Vertical-External-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser

We report on the development of a high-power tunable yellow-orange laser. It is based on intracavity frequency doubling of a widely tunable, highly strained InGaAs-GaAs vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser operating near 1175 nm. Over 5 W of continuous-wave output power is achieved and is tunable over a 15-nm band centered at 587 nm. This compact low-cost high-power yellow-orange laser provides an innovative alternative for sodium guidestar lasers, medical and communication applications.