Infrared excited-state absorption and stimulated-emission cross sections of Er3+-doped crystals

Detailed spectra of the excited-state absorption and the stimulated-emission cross-sections of Er³⁺ -doped Y₃Al₅O₁₂, YAlO₃, LiYF₄, and KYF₄ crystals are analyzed in the infrared wavelength regions from 700 to 2100 nm. The spectra were measured with a pump and probe technique employing a double modulation scheme. For Er (2%): Y₃Al₅O₁₂ also the stimulated emission at 3 µm and the reabsorption due to excited-state absorption from the lower laser level are investigated.     

Explanation for TEM00 operation of heavily doped YAlO3:Er3+

Although pump energy is mainly absorbed at the border of a heavily doped YAlO₃:Er³⁺ rod, fundamental mode laser operation is achieved. The absorption of pumplight in the laser rod, energy transfer mechanisms and the population of the laser levels are discussed. A possible explanation of the inversion maximum in the center of the rod is given.     

Excited state absorption in Mn2+ doped phosphate glass

The possibility of obtaining laser action from Mn²⁺ doped glass has been investigated. The excited state absorption at the expected laser wavelength was measured and explains the unsuccessful attempts to obtain laser action.     

Polarized and time-resolved measurements of excited-state absorption and stimulated emission in Ti:YAlO3 and Ti:Al2O3

Pump-induced excited-state absorption (ESA) in the whole range of pump wavelengths prevents effective laser action of Ti:YAlO₃. The time-resolved measurement of this absorption allows the separation of excited-state absorption and losses due to transient colour centres. The influence of polarization on the ESA of Ti:YAlO₃ is only weak, as it is expected for a charge-transfer transition. No significant stimulated emission (SE) could be measured in the whole fluorescence region. In comparison, Ti:Al₂O₃ shows a broad SE spectrum corresponding to the tuning range of this laser material. The strongest SE was measured for Ec, which is the preferred polarization for laser action of Ti:Al₂O₃. Below 350 nm the long-wavelength edge of an ESA band was found.     

CW laser performance of Yb and Er,Yb doped tungstates

 Room temperature cw laser action of Yb³⁺-doped KY(WO₄)₂ and KGd(WO₄)₂ crystals at 1.025 μm and Er, Yb : KY(WO₄)₂ at 1.54 μm has been demonstrated under pumping by both Ti-sapphire laser and InGaAs laser diodes. A slope efficiency of Yb-lasers up to 78% has been obtained. Received: 19 June 1996     

Polarization of emission spectra from Ti3+-doped oxide crystals

The Ti³⁺ ion in YAlO₃ (YAP), Y₃Al₅O₁₂ (YAG), and Al₂O₃ crystals occupies distorted octahedral sites relative to the nearest neighbour ligand ions. Such distortions are of even-parity in YAG where the zero-phonon lines in emission occur via magnetic dipole transitions. In contrast, the zero-phonon transitions occur by electric dipole processes in Ti³⁺:YAP and Ti³⁺:Al₂O₃ where there are odd-parity distortions from octahedral symmetry. This paper reports measurements of the zero-phonon lines of Ti³⁺ ions in YAP, YAG, and Al₂O₃ at 10 K. The zero-phonon lines of Ti³⁺:YAP are strongly polarized perpendicular to the tetragonal axis and those of Ti³⁺:Al₂O₃ parallel to the trigonal axis. The experimental results are shown to be in accord with a molecular orbital model of the radiative transition according to which the transition intensities derive from odd-parity ligand wavefunctions induced into even-parity ground and excited Ti³⁺ wavefunctions by odd-parity crystal distortions.     

Spectral studies of Nd3+ and Er3+ ions in POCl3:SnCl4 laser liquid

The optical absorption spectra of triply ionized neodymium and erbium ions in POCl₃SnCl₄ laser liquid have been studied for the first time in the UV-VIS and NIR regions. Spectroscopic and Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters are evaluated from the observed band positions and their intensities. Radiative lifetimes and the luminescent branching ratios for the excited fluorescent levels of Nd³⁺ and Er³⁺ ions are theoretically estimated and the possible laser transitions are indicated. From the observed splittings of certain bands in the second-derivative spectrum of the Nd³⁺ ion, the crystal field (A ₂₀,A ₄₀) parameters are evaluated assumingC _3h symmetry for the ion.     

Time-resolved OSL studies of YAlO3:Mn2+ crystals

Time-Resolved Optically Stimulated Luminescence (TR-OSL) from single crystalline YAlO₃:Mn²⁺ samples was investigated using a green light emitting diode (λ ∼ 525 nm) as stimulation light source. The TR-OSL decay curve of the material can be described with a single exponential decay function with a lifetime about 80 ms that does not depend on irradiation dose in the range from 50 mGy to 1 kGy. This OSL decay is superposed on a photoluminescence signal with a much shorter (3.5 ms) decay lifetime. The Mn²⁺ photoluminescence decay with a lifetime of 3.5 ms can be easily eliminated by corresponding time resolution using pulsed OSL readout. Dose response and thermal stability of the OSL signal are consistent with the previous thermoluminescent (TL) studies of the material.     

Efficient Continuous Wave-laser emission of Pr3+-doped fluorides at room temperature

We report, to our knowledge for the first time, Continuous Wave (CW) laser emission at room temperature of Pr:LiYF₄ (Pr.YLF) at six wavelengths: 522, 545, 607, 639.5, 720 and 907.4 nm. The pump source was an argon-ion laser tuned to a wavelength of = 457.9 nm. The maximum output powers at 522 nm (³P_i ³H₅) and 639.5 nm (³P₀ ³F₂) were 144 and 266 mW, respectively. We also observed CW laser action of Pr:GdLiF₄ (Pr: GLF) at = 639 nm and of Pr:KYF₄ (Pr: KYF) at = 642.5 nm.     

Excited state absorption and stimulated emission of Nd3+ in crystals. Part I: Y3Al5O12, YAlO3, and Y2O3

4 F_3/2 excited state of the Nd³⁺ ion in Y₃Al₅O₁₂, YAlO₃, and Y₂O₃ were measured in a continuous wave pump- and probe experiment in a wide spectral range from 850 nm (780 nm for Y₃Al₅O₁₂) to 1500 nm. The cross sections were determined from a comparison with the emission spectra and the simultaneously measured ground state absorption bleaching. The strongest excited state absorption transitions were found in the 1220–1400 nm spectral region due to transitions to the ²G_9/2 and ⁴G_7/2 levels. The spectral positions of the measured transitions are in good agreement with the theoretically expected transitions calculated from the known Stark-level splittings. Received: 4 December 1997/Revised version: 8 May 1998     

掺Er~(3+)硼硅酸盐玻璃的吸收光谱与J-O理论分析

采用高温熔融法制备了不同Er3+掺量的硼硅酸盐玻璃。测量和分析了玻璃样品的光密度和吸收光谱,并用最小二乘法拟合了实验与理论吸收谱线。应用Judd-Ofelt理论计算了光谱参数Ωλ(λ=2,4,6)和Er3+的振子强度,计算了拟合过程中的均方根偏差(δ),并讨论了Er3+浓度对对光密度和Ωλ参数的影响。分析结果表明:当Er2O3含量为21mol%时,玻璃在达到了较高的光密度(D0.53=4.0)的同时,Ω2亦达到最大值。此时玻璃中Er3+所处环境的对称性降低而共价性增强。     

Laser-diode-pumped Yb:YAG laser as a new pump source and its application to an Er3+, Yb3+-codoped high-output-power fiber amplifier

We propose a laser-diode-pumped Yb:YAG laser as a novel practical fiber amplifier pump source, and describe its first successful application of high-output-power operation (850 mW=+29.3 dB m) of an Er³⁺,Yb³⁺-codoped fiber amplifier at 1.55 μm. We have developed both bulk and microchip Yb:YAG lasers and obtained 3.3 W and 2.7 W, respectively, in the cw mode at room temperature. Laser-diode-pumped Yb:YAG lasers are shown to have a potential applicability to such fiber amplifiers as Pr³⁺-doped amplifiers and Tm³⁺-doped amplifiers, as well as Er³⁺,Yb³⁺-codoped fiber amplifiers. Received: 12 August 1999 / Revised version: 3 September 1999 / Published online: 20 October 1999     

Dye-laser pulse shortening by transient absorption following excited-state intramolecular proton transfer

Molecules undergoing excited-state intramolecular proton transfer often show transient absorption after pulsed optical excitation, due to the tautomeric form in the singlet ground state. This absorption may be used to suppress, after a short time, the laser action of dyes emitting in the transient absorption band. The method is designed for high photochemical stability. Lasing from PBBO, pumped 10 times above threshold by an excimer pumped PTP dye laser, was suppressed after 3.3ns by the addition of 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-benzoxazole, which absorbed 30% of the pump energy. At higher concentrations, intense and stable 80ps PBBO laser pulses were obtained. The pulse evolution is simulated by model calculations. A hypothetical super-dye, consisting of chemically linked laser- and absorber-moities, is also discussed. Here Förster energy transfer should result in particularly efficient laser pulse shortening.     

Origin of athermal refractive index changes observed in Yb doped YAG and KGW

Time-resolved excited-state absorption and fluorescence measurements were performed in the Yb³⁺ doped YAG and KGW laser crystals. The results indicate that the athermal refractive index changes observed in previous transient interferometric and diffraction grating experiments can be related to polarisability changes caused by the existence of strong UV charge transfer absorption bands.     

Upconversion mechanisms and thermal effects of Er3+ in Er3+ doped yttria nanocrystals

Efficient Er³⁺:Y₂O₃ phosphor is synthesized by the sol–gel method. Rate equations for Er³⁺ energy level populations are used to investigate pump power and temperature dependences of upconversion intensity as well as the fluorescence decay profiles. Excited state absorption cross section of Er^{3+ 4}I_13/2 of 6.8×10^?27 m² and cross relaxation rate of 6200 s^?1 are determined from comparison between theoretical predictions and experimental data. In addition, it is found that effect of temperature on the phonon-assistant absorption cannot be neglected. This work provides references for the prediction of the upconversion behavior in Er³⁺ singly doped matrix.     

Spectroscopic and lasing properties of Er3+:Yb3+-doped fluoride phosphate glasses

Er³⁺ emission and lasing properties at 1.5 μm were studied in fluoride phosphate glasses (FP20) with different doping concentrations as well as in a commercial phosphate glass (Kigre QX). Emission decay behaviour at 1 μm and 1.5 μm was examined with respect to energy transfer between ytterbium and erbium. Emission cross-sections were determined using the reciprocity and Füchtbauer–Ladenburg methods. Gain spectra were calculated for the glasses and related to differences in the tuning curves and lasing properties. The temperature rise due to the quantum defect was determined via the ratios of green upconversion luminescence for different pump powers. The results from the laser and tuning experiments indicate that the FP20 glass offers good possibilities in broadband amplification and the generation of ultrashort pulses. Received: 24 August 2000 / Revised version: 27 October 2000 / Published online: 7 February 2001     

First investigations on an Er3+:YAG SSHCL

First results on a diode-pumped Er³⁺:YAG solid-state heat-capacity laser (SSHCL) are reported. The laser achieves an output power of >70 W and could be operated for >2 s, currently limited by the available pump power with respect to the temperature dependent threshold. The experimental results are in good agreement with the spectroscopically expected performance, predicting high-power kW-class operability of an Er³⁺:YAG SSHCL. The presented work is believed to be the first Er³⁺:YAG SSHCL investigated.     

Recent advances in lead-chalcogenide diode lasers

The fundamental material properties of Pb_1−xSn_xTe, PbS_1−xSe_x and Pb_1−xSn_xSe are reviewed. Expressions for the temperature and compositional dependences of the band parameters and dielectric constants based on recently published data are presented. As far as device technology is concerned, crystal growth techniques and diode fabrication procedures which are in use today are reviewed and compared. A comprehensive summary of laser properties like threshold current density, output power, efficiency, maximum operating temperature and tuning range of different diode structures are presented. Application related aspects such as long term stability are treated. Recent progress in laser theory is applied to explain experimentali _th vs.T curves. The various laser applications are reviewed briefly. A new technique for monitoring gas concentrations using pulsed lasers and an integral method for signal processing is discussed and compared with the differential absorption, derivative spectroscopy. A long-path trace-gas monitoring system incorporating this new technique is presented.