Stokes-like emissions from laser-diode-pumped microchip neodymium-doped solid-state lasers

Stokes-like IR (1560-1600-nm) emissions, which have been observed in laser-diode- (LD-) pumped microchip Nd-doped lasers, are re-examined experimentally. Dependences of IR emissions on pump wavelengths, pump densities, and operating temperatures are studied. The response of IR emissions to coherent probe-beam injection is investigated by use of a tunable LD light source. Optical phonons emitted through Auger recombination processes that result from LD high-density pumping are proposed to induce resonant intracavity stimulated phonon-sideband emissions. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.