Up-conversion and population of excited erbium levels in LiY1−x ErxF4 (x=0.003–1) crystals under CW InGaAs laser-diode pumping

Formation of the inverse population of working levels of 3-µm laser transition in LiY_1?x Er_xF₄ (x=0.003–1) crystals under CW InGaAs laser-diode pumping (0.967–0.982 µm) was investigated. Dependences of population of the ⁴ I _11/2 and ⁴ I _13/2 levels on the dopant concentration and pump power were studied theoretically and experimentally. Relative changes in populations of the studied levels were experimentally monitored by measuring the steady-state spectra of IR crystal luminescence in the wavelength range corresponding to ⁴ I _11/2→⁴ I _13/2 (2.7–2.8 µm), ⁴ I _11/2→⁴ I _15/2 (0.96–1.04 µm), and ⁴ I _13/2→⁴ I _15/2 (1.45–1.65 µm) transitions. Theoretical and experimental estimates of the rates of intracenter and intercenter relaxation processes (migration, self-quenching, and up-conversion) with allowance for statistics of coupling of impurity centers in the system were used to determine the energy-transfer mechanisms, elucidate the predominant mechanisms, and obtain microparameters and concentration dependences of the energy-transfer rates and nonlinear coupling. Dependences of the steady-state population of the levels of laser transition ⁴ I _11/2→⁴ I _13/2 on the dopant concentration and pumping power density were calculated within the context of rate balance equations for the scheme with the five lowest excited states of erbium. Good agreement between theory and experiment was obtained.