Efficient 1.94-/spl mu/m Tm:YALO laser

Laser emission from Tm:YALO is observed over the range 1.93-2.00 /spl mu/m. A model including reabsorption loss and polarization effects, predicting the output wavelength as a function of laser parameters, is used to design a Tm:YALO laser with output restricted to 1.94 /spl mu/m, without employing a tuning element. This laser is potentially useful for medical applications, offing to the strong absorption coefficient at 1.94 /spl mu/m in liquid water (twice that of the 2.02-/spl mu/m Tm:YAG laser and four times that of the 2.09-/spl mu/m Ho:YAG laser).<
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