289 nm Ultraviolet Raman Laser Based on Nd:YVO4 and Nd:KGW Crystals

Abstract

Combining Nd:YVO4 with Nd:KGW is a practical way to build compact ultraviolet Raman laser systems.

Nd:YVO4 provides an efficient linearly polarized 1064 nm fundamental source, while Nd:KGW acts as the Raman medium to shift the wavelength before ultraviolet conversion.

This strategy is attractive when short-wavelength output is needed from a compact solid-state architecture.

Performance characteristics

The reported configuration uses Nd:YVO4 as the gain crystal and an Np-cut Nd:KGW crystal as the Raman medium to obtain ultraviolet output at 289 nm.

The Raman output reaches 1.01 W with a conversion efficiency of 23.1%, showing that KGW-family Raman crystals remain highly relevant in compact frequency-shifted laser systems.

The polarization relationship between the fundamental beam and the KGW axes is a key part of efficient Raman conversion.

Application value

289 nm ultraviolet lasers are useful in fluorescence excitation, spectroscopy, analytical instrumentation, and compact ultraviolet source development.

This design also highlights KGW as more than a gain crystal host: it is a practical Raman medium for wavelength-engineered outputs.