Semiconductor laser pumping of continuous-wave Pr/sup 3+/-doped ZBLAN fibre laser

Blue semiconductor laser pumped continuous-wave laser oscillation of a Pr-doped ZrF/sub 4/-BaF/sub 2/-LaF/sub 3/-AlF/sub 3/-NaF fibre in the red spectral range is reported for the first time. The pump power is provided by a frequency-doubled optically pumped semiconductor laser system. When pumped with 300 mW at a wavelength of 479.7 nm, the Pr/sup 3+/-laser emitted 94 mW of output power at a wavelength of 635 nm. Threshold pump power and slope efficiency with respect to the incident pump power were determined to be 49.7 mW and 41.5%, respectively.