Abstract

Improvements in nonlinear doubling crystals have permitted high efficiency frequency doubling of diode lasers and diode pumped solid state lasers to the green, blue, and violet regions of the visible spectrum. Direct doubling of single frequency laser diodes using external buildup cavities has recently been used to demonstrate several milliwatts of power at 420 nm with an electrical efficiency of ~2%. Frequency doubled diode pumped Nd:YAG lasers have also been reported with efficiencies of several percent at 532 nm. I review recent experimental results and outline theoretical models used to predict the performance of these instruments.

© 1989 Optical Society of America