High power blue diode pumped Nd:GdVO/sub 4/ laser

The main purpose of our investigation is to realize high efficient blue diode pumped solid state laser. GdVO/sub 4/ is a tetragonal crystal with two a-axes and c-axis. Nd:GdVO/sub 4/ is grown by the Czochralski method. The crystal has high absorption coefficient near 808 nm, high emission cross section for the ground state transition (912nm), high thermal conductivity, the laser wavelength of the /sup 4/F/sub 3/2/- /sup 4/I/sub 9/2/ transition is shorter then other crystal. It is possible to increase efficiency of laser generation at the fundamental wavelength and frequency doubling by optimizing the parameters of laser crystal and nonlinear crystals as well as matching of parameter resonator and thermal lens in active element.