Diode-pumped CW lasing of Yb:KYW and Yb:KGW

Abstract Room temperature CW laser action of Yb 3+ -doped KY(WO 4 ) 2 and KGd(WO 4 ) 2 crystals at 1026–1044 nm has been demonstrated under pumping by 980 nm fiber-coupled InGaAs laser diode. A slope efficiency of Yb lasers up to 53% has been obtained.