456-nm deep-blue laser generation by intracavity frequency doubling of Nd:GdVO4 under 879-nm diode pumping

We report on a simple, compact continuous-wave 456-nm laser by intracavity frequency doubling of an end-pumped Nd:GdVO4 laser on the (4) F (3/2) -> (4) I (9/2) transition. A 5-mm-long, 0.2-at % Nd:GdVO4 bulk crystal is employed as the gain medium and the Nd3+ ion is directly pumped into the emitting level ((4) F (3/2)) by a novel 879-nm laser diode. Intracavity frequency doubling with a 15-mm-long LBO crystal and a 10-mm-long BiBO crystal in a linear cavity yield 56- and 118-mW single-ended blue outputs at the absorbed pump power of 11.9 W, respectively. The corresponding values are scaled to 286 and 391 mW, respectively, in a V-type cavity, with optical conversion efficiencies of 2.4 and 3.3% versus the absorbed pump power. The fluctuations of the 456-nm output power for both cases are less than 3% at the maximum output level.