Room-temperature 1.3 μm c.w. operation of a glass-clad Nd:y.a.g. single-crystal fibre laser end pumped with a single l.e.d.

Abstract
Room-temperature c.w. laser action at 1.3 μm wavelength has been obtained using single-crystal glass-clad Nd:y.a.g. fibres end pumped with a single high-radiance l.e.d. The fibres were 0.5 cm long, 50 μm in diameter and had a cladding 3 μm thick. Threshold in a nonoptimum configuration was less than twice that at 1.06 μm. Application of a transparent, adherent glass cladding to the crystalline fibre is described.