Vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasers in the 700 to 800 nm region for nonlinear frequency generation

There is significant interest in developing laser wavelengths between 700 and 800 nm that may then be frequency doubled to the UV for applications in spectroscopy and atomic physics. We present our most recent results on both a 739 nm AlGaAs/AlGaInP VECSEL, where we demonstrate 150 mW of CW power suitable for frequency doubling to the Yb+ cooling transition at 369.5 nm, and a 780nm AlGaAs/AlGaInP VECSEL which was utilised in a novel demonstration of second harmonic generation in a Zinc-indiffused MgO:PPLN waveguide. In the latter we have generated 1 mW of power at 390 nm.