A diode-pumped, room-temperature Tm:LuAG laser demonstrated a total optical-to-optical efficiency of 0.073 and an optical-to-optical differential efficiency as high as 0.236. Laser performance and operating wavelength were investigated as a function of the Tm concentration. The highest laser output energy was achieved with a Tm concentration of 0.04 and at a wavelength of 2.0238 μm. © 1995 Optical Society of America.