Continuous wave laser operation of Yb<Superscript>3+</Superscript>:YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>

We have demonstrated the continuous wave laser operation of Yb³⁺:YVO₄. For Ti:Al₂O₃ laser pumping at 985 nm, a maximum slope efficiency of 41.1% and a threshold pump power of 76 mW were obtained. The maximum output power was 433 mW at a laser wavelength of 1037 nm.Using a cw diode laser around 974 nm as a pump source, a slope efficiency of 10.9% and a maximum output power of 152 mW were achieved at a laser wavelength of 1039 nm. The laser threshold pump power was 608 mW with respect to the absorbed pump power. The effective emission cross-sections for the ²F_5/2²F_7/2 transition were determined using the Füchtbauer–Ladenburg equation. The maxima of the effective absorption and emission cross-sections were found at 984.5 nm (6.74×10^-20 cm²) in -po larization and 985.5 nm (4.28×10^-20 cm²) also in -p olarization. The upper laser level lifetime was measured with suppression of radiation trapping and is around 318 s. PACS 42.55.Rz; 42.55.Xi; 42.70.Hj     

Green,blue, red,near-infrared up-conversion luminescence of Yb<Superscript>3+</Superscript>/Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript>/Tm<Superscript>3+</Superscript> co-doped YVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles

YVO₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺; YVO₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺; and YVO₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺,Tm³⁺ were all synthesized via sol-gel method with a subsequent thermal treatment. Specifically, YVO₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺,Tm³⁺ phosphors were prepared with different annealing temperatures to study the influence of temperature. The transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and photoluminescent (PL) spectrofluorometer were used to investigate the morphology, crystal structure, and up-conversion luminescent properties of all samples. In summary, all samples were granular-like nanoparticles and well crystallized with the same tetragonal phase as YVO₄. Under the irradiation at 980 nm, YVO₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺ phosphors can generate green emission at 525 and 553 nm and red emission at 657 nm, while YVO₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺ phosphors can generate blue emission at 476 nm, red emission at 648 nm, and near-infrared emission at 800 nm. Notably, YVO₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺,Tm³⁺ samples can exhibit green emission, blue emission, red emission, and near-infrared emission at the same time, which might endow the as-prepared samples with potential applications in many fields, such as luminous paint, infrared detection, and biological label.     

2<Emphasis Type="Italic">µ</Emphasis>m Laser based on an electro-optical <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis>-switched intracavity KTP optical parametric oscillator

An 2 μm pulse laser based on an intracavity optical parameter oscillator (OPO) pumped by an electrooptical Q-switched 1.064 μm laser is realized. A type-II phase-matched (θ = 51.5° and φ = 0) KTP crystal and a limiting diaphragm with a diameter of 4 mm were used. The parameters of the KTP-OPO tuning curves as a function of the phase matching angles were analyzed for the case of 1.064 μm laser pumping. Experiments based on single and double KTPs for walk-off compensation were performed. An output energy of 26 mJ in the 2 μm wavelength region was obtained with a pump-to-signal conversion efficiency of 26%. The center wavelengths of the signal and idle lights were 2165.4 and 2088.6 nm with a FWHM of 3.8 and 4 nm, respectively.     

Growth,spectroscopic and laser properties of Yb<Superscript>3<Emphasis Type="Bold">+</Emphasis></Superscript>-doped GdAl<Subscript>3</Subscript>(BO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript> crystal: a candidate for infrared laser crystal

Yb³⁺:GdAl₃(BO₃)₄ (hereafter Yb³⁺:GAB) crystals with large sizes and good optical quality have been grown by the top-seed solution growth (TSSG) method. The polarized absorption and emission spectra have been investigated at room temperature. For the σ-polarization, the intensities of both absorption and emission spectra are stronger than those for the π-polarization, the σ-absorption cross section of Yb³⁺ in GAB being 3.43×10^-20 cm² at 977 nm, and the σ-emission cross section being 0.98×10^-20 cm² at 1045 nm. The fluorescence lifetime of the ² F _5/2→² F _7/2 transition was measured to be 800 μs in the 5% doped sample used for our laser experiments, 993 μs in a 10% doped sample and 569 μs in a 0.5% doped sample. The laser parameters were estimated as: β_min=0.022, I_sat=10.4 kW/cm² and I_min=0.23 kW/cm². About 0.4 W laseroutput at the wavelength of 1043 nm was achieved when the Yb³⁺:GAB crystal was pumped by a 974 nm laser diode, with 27.4% slope efficiency. PACS 42.55.-f; 42.70.Hj; 78.20.-e; 81.10.Dn     

Defect Structure and Up-conversion Luminescence Properties of ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>:Yb<Superscript>3+</Superscript>,Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript> Nanomaterials

The up-converting ZrO₂:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺ nanomaterials were prepared with the combustion and sol–gel methods. FT-IR spectroscopy was used for analyzing the impurities. The crystal structures were characterized with X-ray powder diffraction and the mean crystallite sizes were estimated with the Scherrer formula. Up-conversion luminescence measurements were made at room temperature with IR-laser excitation at 977 nm. The IR spectra revealed the conventional and OH⁻ impurities for the combustion synthesis products. The structure of the ZrO₂:Yb³⁺, Er³⁺ nanomaterials was cubic except for the minor monoclinic and tetragonal impurities obtained with the sol–gel method. The materials showed red (650–700 nm) and green (520–560 nm) up-conversion luminescence due to the ⁴F_9/2→⁴I_15/2 and (²H_11/2, ⁴S_3/2)→⁴I_15/2 transitions of Er³⁺, respectively. The products obtained with the combustion synthesis exhibited the most intense luminescence intensity and showed considerable afterglow.     

Fusion Rules for the Vertex Operator Algebras <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>(1)<Superscript>+</Superscript> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">V</Emphasis><Superscript>+</Superscript><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis></Subscript>

The fusion rules for the vertex operator algebras M(1)⁺ (of any rank) and V⁺_L (for any positive definite even lattice L) are determined completely.Supported by JSPS Research Fellowships for Young ScientistsPartially supported by NSF grants and a research grant from the Committee on Research, UC Santa CruzPartially supported by a NSA grant and a grant from Rutgers University Research Council     

Time and Energy Characteristics of Radiation at <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis>-switched Self-Frequency Conversion

The results of a theoretical study of quasi-phase matched processes at self-frequency conversion in the Q-switched regime are presented. A scheme containing a periodically poled active nonlinear crystal and an acousto-optical modulator inserted inside the cavity is considered. Solutions of the set of equations describing such scheme are obtained by numerical methods. The time dynamics of the self-frequency doubling, self-frequency summing, and self-parametric frequency conversion processes are studied in detail. The energy characteristics of the radiation are also calculated and compared with those in the stationary regime.     

Analysis of actively <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis>-switched intracavity frequency-doubled solid-state yellow Raman lasers

The actively Q-switched solid-state yellow Raman laser with intracavity frequency doubling has attracted extensive research due to its high efficiency, simplicity and compactness. In this paper, the normalized space-dependent rate equations of this kind of lasers are deduced and analyzed to illustrate the effects of the composite variables on the yellow-laser performance, and several general curves are generated. The optimized values of the composite parameters are analyzed for the efficient yellow-laser output. In the end, application examples are given to shown that these theoretical results can predict the performance of actively Q-switched intracavity frequency-doubled solid-state yellow Raman lasers effectively.     

Potential energy surfaces for<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> =<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>,<Superscript>20</Superscript>Ne-<Superscript>112</Superscript>Ba nuclei

We have calculated the potential energy surfaces forN = Z,²⁰Ne-¹¹²Ba nuclei in an axially deformed relativistic mean field approach. A quadratic constraint scheme is applied to determine the complete energy surface for a wide range of the quadrupole deformation. The NL3, NL-RA1 and TM1 parameter sets are used. The phenomenon of (multiple) shape coextistence is studied and the calculated ground and excited state binding energies, quadrupole deformation parameters and root mean square (rms) charge radii are compared with the available experimental data and other theoretical predictions.     

Localized vibrational modes in an <Emphasis Type="Italic">A</Emphasis><Subscript>3</Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis> two-dimensional perfect crystal

The possibility of existence of nonlinear localized vibrational modes in an A₃B two-dimensional crystal with pairwise interatomic bonds is demonstrated. Such modes are easily realized when the difference between masses of atoms A and B is significant and the spectrum of small-amplitude crystal vibrations has a sufficiently wide gap. The influence of the uniform tension/compression deformation on the small-amplitude crystal vibration spectrum and on the existence of nonlinear localized modes is investigated. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 73–79, August, 2008.     

High-power resonantly diode-pumped CW Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript>:YAG laser

Using high-spatial and -spectral brightness laser diodes, a resonantly pumped high-power continuous-wave (CW) Er³⁺:YAG laser with up to 9 W of output power could be realized. Due to the lower upconversion loss in the 0.5% Er³⁺-doped crystal, intrinsic efficiencies of up to 64.3% and an optimum outcoupling of ∼20% were found. The output power was compared to quasi-three-level theory with good agreement. In an optimized cavity design a mode fill efficiency of ∼95% was achieved.     

Generation-changing interaction of sneutrinos in <Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis><Superscript> + </Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis><Superscript>-</Superscript> collisions

The measurability of generation mixing is studied on pair production of sneutrinos in e ⁺ e ^- collisions and their subsequent decays into two different charged leptons e and μ with two lighter charginos. The analyses are made systematically in a general framework of the supersymmetric extension of the standard model. The production and decay process depends on the parameters of the chargino sector as well as those of the sneutrino sector. Although generation-changing interactions are severely constrained by radiative charged-lepton decays, sizable regions in the parameter space could still be explored at e ⁺ e ^- colliders in the near future. Received: 6 October 2004, Revised: 14 November 2004, Published online: 14 January 2005 PACS: 11.30.Hv, 12.15.Ff, 12.60.Jv, 14.80.Ly     

GaSe<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> solid solutions

The most probable parameters of the pure, doped, and mixed GaSe_1−xS_x (x ≤ 0.4) crystals (solid solutions) are presented together with the results of investigations of their crystal structure and defects, optical and mechanical properties, and damage thresholds. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 6, pp. 35–40, June, 2007.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis> kink of the nonlinear <Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>(3) <Emphasis Type="Italic">σ</Emphasis> model involving an explicitly broken symmetry

The (1 + 1)-dimensional nonlinear O(3) σ model involving an explicitly broken symmetry is considered. Sphalerons are known to exist in this model. These sphalerons are of a topological origin and are embedded kinks of the sine-Gordon model. In the case of a compact spatial manifold S ¹, sine-Gordon multikinks exist in the model. It is shown that the model admits a nonstatic generalization of the sine-Gordon kink/multikink, Q kink/multikink. Explicit expressions are obtained for the dependence of the Q kink energy and charge on the phase frequency of rotation. The Q kink is studied for stability, and expressions are obtained for the eigenfunctions and eigenfrequencies of the operator of quadratic fluctuations. It is shown that the Q kink is unstable over the entire admissible frequency range ω ∈ [−1, 1]. The one-loop quantum correction to the static-kink mass is calculated, and the Q-kink zero mode is quantized. It is shown that, in a general static case, the field equations of the model are integrable in quadratures.