Monocrystalline Yb(3+):(Gd,Lu)(2)O(3) channel waveguide laser at 976.8 nm.

We report on a Yb(3+)-doped sesquioxide waveguide laser based on a lattice-matched Yb(3+)(3%):(Gd,Lu)(2)O(3) film that has been epitaxially grown on Y(2)O(3) using pulsed laser deposition. Rib-channel waveguides have been structured by reactive ion etching. Laser emission at 976.8 nm was observed under pumping with a Ti(3+):Al(2)O(3) laser at 905 nm. A laser threshold of 17 mW and a slope efficiency of 6.7% have been achieved with respect to input power. For an incident pump power of 200 mW, a maximum output power of 12 mW could be realized.