(Pθ4)3F" by X.X. Zhang et al. Proc. SPIE, 2897, 370 (1996), a neodymh i doped strontium fluorophosphate (Nd:SFAP) laser is disclosed that produces 50 milliwatts (mW) of output power at 564,5 nm by intracavity frequency-doubling of the- 1129 nm line of Nd.SFAP. However, scaling such a laser to produce a higher output power could be difficult due to the poor thermal properties of the Nd:SFAP gain-medium. In a paper "Efficient all-solid-state yellow laser source producing 1.2-W average power", by Pask and Piper, Opt. Lett 24, 1490, (1999) a Q-switched laser producing 1.2 W of average power at 577 nm is disclosed. In the laser of Pask and Piper, the 1064 mn-line of Nd:YAG is Raman shifted to 1155 nm, and the 1155 nm radiation is frequency-doubled to produce 577 nm output radiation. One drawback of this laser is that a Q-switch and a Raman active crystal are required which increases the cost and complexity of the laser. Further, the laser does not provide CW output which is generally preferred for retinal treatments.
