Frequency doubling and sum-frequency mixing operation at 4692, 471, and 473 nm in Nd:YAG

We report CW blue laser operation at 469.2, 471, and 473 nm by efficient intracavity second-harmonic generation and sum-frequency generation of the R2→Z5 (938.5 nm) and R1→Z5 (946 nm) F43/2→I49/2 intermultiplet transitions in Nd:YAG with an LiB3O5 nonlinear crystal. Single-wavelength laser operation at 469.2 nm and multiwavelength operation at 469.2, 471, and 473 nm are obtained with maximum output powers of 1.4 and 0.15 W, respectively, by using a glass etalon as frequency selector. The 469 nm blue laser is an efficient pumping source of Pr3+-doped materials.