Cr:forsterite laser pumped by broad-area laser diodes

We report the demonstration of a Cr:forsterite laser pumped by broad-area laser diodes producing non-diffraction-limited beams. The use of a thin crystal to reduce losses at the lasing wavelength and of short-wavelength pump diodes reduces the lasing threshold to <500 mW .Relatively low output powers (5 mW) are obtained, but prospects for increasing the power and achieving mode-locked operation of this laser are good and are discussed.