Room-temperature diode-pumped Yb3+-doped LiYF4 and KYF4 lasers

We present a comparative analysis on the growth, the spectroscopic features, and the cw laser action of room-temperature Yb(5%):LiYF4 (YLF) and Yb(10%):KYF4 (KYF) crystals. Optical slope efficiencies of 33% and 52% have been demonstrated for Yb:YLF and Yb:KYF crystals, respectively. A remarkable wide wavelength tunability from 1.01 to 1.07 mu m has been obtained for both laser crystals.