Continuous-wave laser operation at 1.3 μm in Nd3+-doped Zn:LiNbO3 channel waveguides

This work reports continuous laser action around 1.3 μm at room temperature in LiNbO3:Nd3+ channel waveguides, fabricated by the two-steps Zn diffusion technique. A threshold of 64 mW and a slope efficiency of around 0.5% were obtained in an 8 μm wide channel guide. These results have been compared with laser oscillation around 1.08 μm in LiNbO3:Nd3+ waveguides in terms of the launched pump powers, taking into account the emission cross section values of the 4F3/2→4I13/2 and 4F3/2→4I11/2 transitions.