7.25 W LD side-pumped Er:YGG CW laser operated at 2.8 μm

An Er:Y 3 Ga 5 O 12 crystal doped with 30 at% Er 3+ was grown by the Czochralski method. The crystal structure and component, thermal and spectroscopic properties are studied systematically. The laser performance of a Φ 3 mm × 66 mm Er:YGG crystal was investigated with LD side-pumped method in the CW mode. The maximum output power of 7.25 W is much higher than that has been realized in the LD end-pumped Er:YGG crystal. The results indicate that the Er:YGG crystal is an ideal material to realize 3 μm laser and the LD side-pumping is a preferred approach to achieve high-power CW laser.