A scientifically valid test process to measure polycrystalline birefringence was proposed and confirmed as an effective method for screening anisotropic microcrystals.

We reported an efficient, continuous-wave, diode-pumped, orthogonally polarized dual-wavelength laser working at 1051.8 and 1081.4 nm in a new neodymium-doped borate crystal, Nd:LaMgB5O10, which was grown by the top-seeded solution growth method. A maximum output power of 5.1 W was obtained with an absorbed pump power of 14.8 W, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 34.5% and a slope efficiency of 42.5%. By slightly tilting the laser cavity output mirror, the balanced dual-wavelength emissions were obtained with the total output power as high as 4.2 W. This new efficient dual-wavelength laser may be a promising light source for terahertz generation with a rarely large frequency difference of 7.8 THz through difference frequency generation.