“A unique all solid-state, intracavity Raman laser operating at 1.56 μm has been developed. The optical layout is based on an innovative coupled cavity design using a Nd:YAG laser operating at 1.3 μm and a crystal that uses the breathing mode vibration of the nitrate molecular ion at 1047 cm–1 to shift the operation wavelength through stimulated Raman scattering to the desired output wavelength. The high Raman scattering cross section and narrow linewidth of the first Stokes emission leads to a high Raman gain for Ba(NO3)2. The importance of this laser is associated with the operating characteristics of the output beam that have not been achievable at 1.5 μm.”