Upconversion properties of Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ co-doped TeO2-Nb2O5-Li2O glasses

The Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ co-doped TeO2-Nb2O5-Li2O glass is prepared by conventional melting method, and its upconversion spectra are measured. The intense green upconversion luminescence upon excitation with a 976 nm laser diode is observed with the naked eyes. The dependence of luminescence intensity on the ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ is discussed in detail, and the relationship between the ratio of green luminescence intensity to red luminescence intensity and the ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ is also studied, The luminescence intensity increases with the ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ increasing. The ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ plays a more important role than the concentration of Er^3＋ in determining the upconversion luminescence intensity. The ratio of green luminescence intensity to red luminescence intensity reaches a maximum when ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ is 3. Thus the glass could be one of the potential candidates for LD pumping solid-state lasers.     

Self-Starting Passively Mode-Locked Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ Codoped Phosphate Glass All-Fibre Ring Laser

A self-starting, passively mode-locked all-fibre ring laser based on the homemade Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ codoped phosphate glass fibre is reported. Dual-pump sources were used to achieve the mode-locked operation in the experiment. The fundamental mode-locked pulse repetition rate is 10.67MHz. The pulse duration, assumed as the fit of hyperbolic secant pulse shape, is 5.82ps. We also observe the multi-pulse output of the fibre laser.     

Determination of energy constants for Yb3＋/Er3＋ transfer and upconversion codoped phosphate glass

The energy transfer and cooperation upconversion processes are investigated in Yb3＋/Er3＋ codoped phos- phate glass. Based on the measured curves of output power versus incident power, the laser and spectroscopic parameters of the glass are fitted and analyzed. We focus on the resonant energy transfer constant k from Yb3＋ to Er3＋ as well as the cooperation upconversion coefficient Cup from 4113/2 of Era＋. The fitted k and Cup can give almost the same results for different thicknesses of glass disk with the same dop- ing concentrations. The determination of these parameters is helpful for the development of Yb3＋/Er3＋ codoped laser glass.     

Emission enhancement in Er^3＋/Pr^3＋-codoped germanate glasses and their use as a 2.7-μm laser material

Emission enhancement at 2.7 μm is observed in Er^3＋/Pr^3＋--codoped germanate glasses when pumped by a 980-nm laser diode. Significant reductions in 1.5-μm emission and upeonversion intensity indicate efficient energy transfer between Er^3＋ and Pr^3＋; the energy transfer efficiency is as high as 77.4%. The mechanisms of energy transfer are discussed in detail. The calculated emission cross-section of Er^3＋/Pr^3＋- codoped germanate glass is 8.44× 10 ^-21 cm^2, which suggests that Er^3＋/Pr^3＋-codoped germanate glass can be used to achieve efficient 2.7-μm emission.     

Compact, Low Threshold Nd^3＋：YVO4 Self-Raman Laser at 1178 nm

A compact low-threshold Raman laser at 1178 nm is experimentally realized by using a diode-end-pumped actively Q-switched Nd^3＋ ：YVO4 self-Raman laser. The threshold is 370mW at a pulse repetition frequency of S kHz. The maximum Raman laser output is 182 m W with the pulse duration smaller than 20 ns at a pulse repetition frequency of 30kHz with 1.8 W incident power. The optical efficiency from the incident power to the Raman laser is 10% and the slope efficiency is 13.5%.     

Optically pumped terahertz lasers with high pulse repetition frequency: theory and design

Optically pumped terahertz （THz） lasers with high pulse repetition frequency are designed. Such a laser includes two parts： the optically pumping laser and the THz laser. The structures of the laser are described and analyzed. The rate equations for the pulsed THz laser are given. The kinetic process and laser pulse waveform for this kind of laser are numerically calculated based on the theory of rate equations. The theoretical results give a helpful guide to the research of such lasers.     

Er^3＋-doped phosphor-tellurite glass for broadband short-length Er^3＋-doped fiber amplifier

Er^3＋-doped phosphor-tellurite glass for broadband short-length Er^3＋-doped fiber amplifier （EDFA） is fabricated and characterized. The differential value （AT） of onset crystalline temperature （Tx） and glass transition temperature （Tg） is 206 ℃. The stimulated emission cross section of Er^3＋ is calculated from absorption spectrum by McCumber theory and is 0.87 × 10 ^-20 cm^2 at 1532 nm. A broad 1.5-μm fluorescence spectrum with 54-nm full-width at half maximum （FWHM） is demonstrated. Especially, the maximum phonon energy of undoped phosphor-tellurite glass is 1100 cm^- 1, which restricts the upconversion luminescence. It is possible to pump efficiently at 980 nm. These results indicate Er^3＋-doped phosphor-tellurite glass is suitable for fabricating broadband short-length EDFA.     

589-nm yellow laser generation by intra-cavity sum-frequency mixing in a T-shaped Nd:YAG laser cavity

To obtain high power 589-nm yellow laser, a T-shaped thermal-insensitive cavity is designed. The optimal power ratio of 1064- and 1319-nm beams is considered and the fundamental spot size distribution from the output mirror to the two laser rods are calculated and simulated, respectively. As a result, a 589-nm yellow laser with the average output power of 5.7 W is obtained in the experiment when the total pumping power is 695 W. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency from the fundamental waves to the sum frequency generation is about 15.2% and the pulse width is 150 ns at the repetition rate of 18 kHz. The instability of the yellow laser is also measured, which is less than 2% within 3 h. The beam quality factors are Mx^2 = 4.96 and My^2 = 5.08.     

1. 32μm Nd~(3 ): YAG Pulse Laser

Using specially coated mirrors, an output energy of 0.97 J at 1.32 μm from a Nd3 : YAG pulse laser is obtained with pumping energy of 66 J. The repetition rate is 1 pulse/sec and the slope efficiency is 1.7%. The repetition rate can be changed from 1 pulse/sec to 10 pulses/sec.     

High Efficiency Infrared to Visible Upconversion in Er3＋／yb3＋—Doped Lead Halide Tellurite Glass

Strong upconversion luminescence of Er3 /Yb3 -doped lead halide tellurite glass under 976nm excitation is demonstrated. Three emission bands centred at 525 nm, 545 nm, and 655 nm resulting from the transitionsfrom the excited states 2H11/2, 4S3/2, and 4F9/2 to the ground state 4I15/2, respectively, are observed evenat 60mW pumping power. The power dependent intensity and the upconversion mechanisms responsible forthe luminescence are evaluated and discussed. The obtained results might provide useful information for thedevelopments of upconversion lasers.     

Luminescence Spectra of YGG：RE^3＋, Bi^3＋ （RE = Eu and Tb） and Energy Transfer from Bi^3＋ to RE^3＋

We investigate the luminescence properties of Bi^3＋ and RE^3＋ （RE = Tb or Eu） in a Y3Ga5O12 （YGG） host system. The additional doping of Bi^3＋ can enhance the luminescence of Th^3＋ or Eu^3＋ in this host. Energy transfer from Bi^3＋ to Tb^3＋ and Eu^3＋ is observed and the mechanism of energy transfer is investigated. Mechanism of energy transfer can be explained as electric multipole interaction since the Bi^3＋ emission band and Tb^3＋ or Eu^3＋ excitation band overlaps and the Bi^3＋ emission intensity decreases while the intensity of Tb^3＋ or Eu^3＋ increases with the increase of Tb^3＋ or Eu^3＋ concentration. Therefore, Bi^3＋ ion is a kind of efficient sensitizer to the Tb^3＋ and Eu^3＋ activators in the Y3Ga5O12 host.     

Effects of Yb^3＋ in Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ Codoped Fluorophosphate Glasses

For the Er^3＋ /Yb^3＋ codoped fluorophosphate glasses, Judd-Ofelt theory is used to analyse the influence of YbF3 as not a sensitizer but an average component on the spectroscopic properties around 1530nm emission. The double roles of Yb^3＋, as a sensitizer and as an average component, are discussed. It is found that Yb^3＋ as an average component contributes to the increase of fluorescence lifetime, and Yb^3＋ as a sensitizer has the best sensitization when its concentration is 2.4 mol%.     

Efficient Fibre Amplifiers Based on a Highly Er3＋/Yb3＋ Codoped Phosphate Glass-Fibre

Highly Er3＋ /yb3＋-codoped single-mode phosphate glass fibre is fabricated by the rod-in-tube technique. The performances of high-concentration Er3＋ /yb3＋-codoped phosphate glass fibre amplifiers are investigated and discussed. An efficient optical fibre amplifier with a gain of 12.6 dB based on a 3.0 cm long Era＋ /ybe＋-codoped phosphate glass fibre is demonstrated under a dual-pump configuration with two 976 nm fibre-pigtail laser diodes, which make it attractive for compact Er3＋-doped fibre amplifiers. The obtedned noise figures of signal wavelength from 1525 to 1565nm are less than 6.0dB. Gain saturation behaviour at 1535nm is also investigated, and the obtained saturation output power is larger than 10 dBm.     

Characteristics of Cladding-Pumped Short Er3+/Yb3+ Codoped Single Mode Phosphate Glass Fibre

We experimentally investigate the laser characteristics of a series of short pieces of newly-developed Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ codoped single mode phosphate glass fibres via the cladding pump of a 976nm multimode laser diode. A stablecontinuous-wave single transverse mode laser with over 85mW at 1553nm is generated from a 5.5-cm-long active fibre. Single mode laser output power per unit length is up to 15mW/cm. Moreover, the slope efficiency is 11.8% when the pump power is below 940mW and the 3dB linewidth is 0.06nm at the maximum pump power. The numerical simulation results show that the laser emission slope efficiency can exceed 20% by means of increasing the coupling efficiency of the pump to the fibre core further.     

Cooperative Quantum Cutting of Nano-Crystalline BaF2：Tb^3＋, Yb^3＋ in Oxyfluoride Glass Ceramics

We report on cooperative quantum cutting in Tb^3＋- Yb^3＋ codoped glass ceramics. Precipitation of BaF2 nanocrystals is confirmed by XRD and HRTEM analysis. Near-infrared emission due to transition of Yb^3＋ ions under 485 nm excitation indicates cooperative energy transfer from Tb^3＋ to Yb^3＋. The quantum efficiency of this process reaches 145%. The realization of quantum cutting in glass ceramics may have promising applications in solar cells.     

Intrinsic Bistability and Critical Slowing in Tm^3＋/Yb^3＋ Codoped Laser Crystal with the Photon Avalanche Mechanism

We present theoretically a novel intrinsic optical bistability （IOB） in the Tm^3＋ /Yb^3＋ codoped system with a photon avalanche mechanism. Numerical simulations based on the rate equation model demonstrate distinct 10B hysteresis and critical slowing dynamics around the avalanche thresholds. Such an 10B characteristic in Tm^3＋ /Yb^3＋ eodoped crystal has potential applications in solid-state bistable optical displays and luminescence switchers in visible-infrared spectra.     

Er3+/Yb3+ Codoped Phosphate Glass Fibre with Gain per Unit Length Greater Than 3.0dB/cm

We experimentally study a novel fibre with high gain per unit length based on the homemade erbium--ytterbium codoped phosphate glass. The gain and noise characterizations with different pump powers at different wavelengths are investigated. The 1.8-cm-long fibre, dual-pumped by two single mode 980-nm fibre-pigtailed laser diodes, provides a gain per unit length greater than 3.0dB/cm and a noise figure less than 6.5dB. The gain saturation behaviour at 1535nm is obtained and the saturation output power (3dB compression) is greater than 5dBm.     

Interaction of O3+ Ions with Al2O3 Nanocapillaries

We investigate angular distributions of the transmitted 60 keV and 120 keV O^3＋ ions through nanocapillaries with 50hm diameter and 10μm length. The experimental results are in agreement with the ＇guiding effect＇ found by Stolterfoht et al. For different tilted angles of the nanocapillary membrane with respect to the beam, the angular distributions of the transmitted ions are measured by a one-dimensional micro-channel plate （MCP） detector. Moreover, the dependence of this guiding effect on the projectile energy is studied.     

Photoassociation Reactions H＋D^＋ and H^＋ ＋D in Ultrashort Pulse Laser Fields

The photoassociation reactions H＋D^＋ and H＋ ＋D induced by the one- and two-colour laser pulses are theoretically studied. The reactions occur through two channels： （i） H（1S）＋D^＋ →HD^＋, and （ii） H^＋ ＋D（1S）→HD^＋. The reaction probability through channel （ii） is higher than through channel （i）. The populations of the products H^＋ ＋D and HD＋ and the ratio of H^＋ ＋D to HD＋ can be controlled by laser pulses. The two-colour laser pulses can more efficiently lower the dissociation probability and therefore enhance the yield ratio of the product HD＋.