Low threshold channel waveguide laser in a monocrystalline Nd: (Gd, Lu)2O3 film

We report the first waveguide laser based on rare-earth sesquioxides. A structured Nd(0.5%):(Gd, Lu)2O3 film pumped at 820 nm showed lasing at 1.08 mm. The laser threshold was 0.8 mW, the preliminary slope efficiency 0.5 % and the maximum output power 1.8 mW. © 2009 Optical Society of America.