This work reports continuous laser action at room temperature in LiNbO3:Nd3+ channel waveguides, fabricated by Zn diffusion. The absorbed pump power at the threshold was 1.25 mW and a slope efficiency of 20% was obtained. With our available pump power the laser could emit up to 0.14 mW without exhibiting any photorefractive damage. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.