Tunable Cr4+:YSO Q-switched Cr:LiCAF laser

Tunable passive Q-switching (781 nm to 806 nm at 300 K) of a flash-lamp pumped Cr³⁺:LiCaAlF₆ (Cr:LiCAF) laser with a Cr⁴⁺:Y₂SiO₅ (Cr⁴⁺:YSO) broad-band solid-state saturable absorber has been realized. Typical pulse widths of the Q-switched laser output ranged from 40 ns to 80 ns, depending on the lasing wavelength. Spectral narrowing and reduced beam diameter with the use of the saturable absorber were observed. The ground state and the excited state absorption cross sections of the Cr⁴⁺:YSO absorber were found by bleaching experiments to be (7.0±1.4)×10^-19 cm² and (2.3±0.5)×10^-19 cm² at 694 nm, respectively. Numerical simulation was utilized to simulate the Cr:LiCAF passive Q-switching with Cr⁴⁺ :YSO solid-state saturable absorber     

Cr2+-doped zinc chalcogenides as efficient, widelytunable mid-infrared lasers

Transition-metal-doped zinc chalcogenide crystals have recently been investigated as potential mid-infrared lasers. Tetrahedrally coordinated Cr²⁺ ions are especially attractive as lasants on account of high luminescence quantum yields for emission in the 2000-3000-nm range. Radiative lifetimes and emission cross sections of the upper ⁵E state are respectively ~10 μs and ~10^-18 cm². The associated absorption band peaked at ~1800 mm enables laser-diode pumping of the Cr²⁺ systems. Laser demonstrations with ZnS:Cr and ZnSe:Cr (using a MgF₂:Co²⁺ laser pump source) gave slope efficiencies up to 30%. Excited-state-absorption losses appear small, and passive losses dominate at present. Tuning experiments with a diffraction grating produce a tuning range covering at least 2150-2800 nm. Laser crystals can be produced by Bridgman growth, seeded physical vapor transport, or diffusion doping. Zinc chalcogenide thermomechanical properties of interest for medium-to-high-power operation compare favorably with those of other host materials, except for the larger refractive-index derivative dn/dT     

Cr4+:YAG as passive Q-switch and Brewster plate in apulsed Nd:YAG laser

We demonstrate the performance of a Nd:YAG laser, passively Q-switched with a Cr⁴⁺:YAG plate, which plays the double role of a passive Q-switch and a Brewster plate. The Brewster plate configuration contributes an intracavity loss of approximately 3.2-10 ^-3 cm^-1 along the cavity length. Losses contributed by the active Cr⁴⁺ ions in the plate relate to their excited state absorption. A freshly measured transmission saturation curve of Cr⁴⁺:YAG suggests a ground state absorption cross section σ_gs=(8.7±0.8)-10^-19 cm², and an excited state absorption cross section σ_es=(2.2±0.2)-10^-19 cm² of the Cr⁴⁺ ions at λ=1064 nm     

Measurement of thermal lensing in Cr3+-dopedcolquiriites

The first direct measurements of thermally induced lensing in end-pumped Cr³⁺-doped LiSrAlF₆, LiSrGaAlF₆ , LiSrCaAlF₆, and LiCaAlF₆ are reported. Using a sensitive measurement technique, focal lengths as long as 40 m were measured. A thermal model has been created to determine the temperature rise as a function of position inside the laser crystal. This new model calculates the temperature distribution by considering quantum defect, upconversion, and upper state lifetime quenching as heating sources. Thermal lensing in the colquiriites is significantly reduced because of compensation of the temperature-dependent refractive index by the induced photoelastic stress inside the colquiriite crystal     

Diode-pumped ytterbium-doped Sr5(PO4)3F laser performance

The performance of the first diode-pumped Yb³⁺-doped Sr ₅(PO₄)₃F (Yb:S-FAP) solid-state laser is discussed. An InGaAs diode array has been fabricated that has suitable specifications for pumping a 3×3×30 mm Yb:S-FAP rod. The saturation fluence for diode pumping was deduced to be 5.5 J/cm ² for the particular 2.8 kW peak power diode array utilized in our studies. This is 2.5× higher than the intrinsic 2.2 J/cm ² saturation fluence as is attributed to the 6.5 nm bandwidth of our diode pump array. The small signal gain is consistent with the previously measured emission cross section of 6.0×10^-20 cm², obtained from a narrowband-laser pumped gain experiment. Up to 1.7 J/cm³ of stored energy density was achieved in a 6×6×44 mm Yb:S-FAP amplifier rod. In a free running configuration, diode-pumped slope efficiencies up to 43% (laser output energy/absorbed pump energy) were observed with output energies up to ~0.5 J per 1 ms pulse. When the rod was mounted in a copper block for cooling, 13 W of average power was produced with power supply limited operation at 70 Hz with 500 μs pulses     

Transition metal-doped zinc chalcogenides: spectroscopy and laserdemonstration of a new class of gain media

The absorption and emission properties of transition metal (TM)-doped zinc chalcogenides have been investigated to understand their potential application as room-temperature, mid-infrared tunable laser media. Crystals of ZnS, ZnSe, and ZnTe, individually doped with Cr²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, or Fe²⁺ have been evaluated. The absorption and emission properties are presented and discussed in terms of the energy levels from which they arise. The absorption spectra of the crystals studied exhibit strong bands between 1.4 and 2.0 μm which overlap with the output of strained-layer InGaAs diodes. The room-temperature emission spectra reveal wide-band emissions from 2-3 μm for Cr and from 2.8-4.0 μm for Co, Cr luminesces strongly at room temperature; Co exhibits significant losses from nonradiative decay at temperatures above 200 K, and Ni and Fe only luminesce at low temperatures, Cr²⁺ is estimated to have the highest quantum yield at room temperature among the media investigated with values of ~75-100%. Laser demonstrations of Cr:ZnS and Cr:ZnSe have been performed in a laser-pumped laser cavity with a Co:MgF₂ pump laser. The output of both lasers were determined to peak at wavelengths near 2.35 μm, and both lasers demonstrated a maximum slope efficiency of approximately 20%. Based on these initial results, the Cr²⁺ ion is predicted to be a highly favorable laser ion for the mid-IR when doped into the zinc chalcogenides; Co²⁺ may also serve usefully, but laser demonstrations yet remain to be performed     

Spectroscopic Properties and Laser Performance of Er3+ and Yb3+ Co-Doped GdAl3(BO3)4 Crystal

An Er:Yb:GdAl₃(BO₃)₄ crystal was grown and room-temperature polarized absorption, emission, and gain spectra were investigated. Fluorescence decay curves of Er³⁺ at 1530 nm and Yb³⁺ at 1040 nm in the crystal were measured. Efficient laser operation of Er:Yb:GdAl₃(BO₃)₄ crystal at 1.5-1.6 mum was realized. Quasi-continuous-wave output powers of 1.8 W with slope efficiency of 19% and 0.78 W with slope efficiency of 14% were achieved in diode-pumped c-cut and c-cut and a-cut crystals, respectively. The output spectrum and polarization of Er:Yb:GdAl₃(BO₃)₄ laser were also investigated.     

Excited-state absorption studies of Cr4+ ions in severalgarnet host crystals

An experimental study of saturable absorption and excited-state absorption (ESA) in several inorganic saturable absorbers, Cr⁴⁺ :YAG, Cr⁴⁺:GGG, and Cr⁴⁺:YSGG, is presented. We provide the theoretical background of absorption characteristics in saturable absorbers that exhibit ESA, with some new results: approximate analytical solutions are proposed for the optical transmission in the case of a slow absorber, and for various light intensity conditions of spatially or temporally Gaussian beams in fast and slow absorbers. Experimentally, partial bleaching of the first excited state itself could be observed in Cr⁴⁺:YAG at λ=1064 nm, yielding the higher excited-state lifetime as τ*=(0.55±0.1) ns. The regular transmission bleaching curve was measured in Cr⁴⁺:GGG, for the first time in this material, yielding σ_ga=(58±5)×10^-1 cm², and σe_s=(13±2)×10^-19 cm² at λ=1064 nm, ESA spectra were measured for the three materials between ~700 and 900 nm. All three exhibit crossing between saturable absorption at longer wavelengths and inverse saturable absorption at shorter wavelengths     

Investigation of the laser properties of Cr3+:LiSrGaF6

A boule of Cr:LiSGAF (Cr³⁺:LiSrGaF₆), the Ga analog of Cr:LiSAF, was grown, a laser sample was fabricated, and its efficiency was measured using a laser-pumped laser configuration. The laser performance near 820 nm and related properties of Cr:LiSGAF are reported. The use of Sr instead of Ca results in a red shift of the absorption and emission band (along with an increase in the emission cross section). Insight into the effect of a change in the identity of the substitutional site on the properties of the laser is provided     

Continuous-wave laser action in Er3+:YLF at 3.41 μm

Continuous-wave laser emission at 3.41 μm from an erbium-doped LiYF₄ crystal (Er³⁺:YLF) at 77 K is demonstrated. Operation of this four-level laser is based on the Er^{3+ 4}F_9/2-⁴I_9/2 transition. An output power of 12 mW and a slope efficiency of 2% have been achieved     

On the dynamics of population inversion for 3 μm Er3+lasers

A generalized model for 3-μm (⁴I_11/2 →⁴I_13/2)Er lasers is proposed. The essential energy transfer processes present in the single-doped Er ³⁺ systems (up-conversion from ⁴I_13/2, up-conversion from ⁴ I_11/2, cross-relaxation from ⁴S _3/2), as well as those present in Cr³⁺ codoped Er ³⁺ systems, are taken into account. In the frame of this model, the main features of 3 μm Er³⁺ lasers, such as long pulse or CW operation, the change of emission wavelength as a function of pumping conditions, and the effects of codoping with Ho³⁺ or Tm³⁺ ions, are explained     

Tuning of a Tm3+:Ho3+: silica fiber laser at2 μm

Thermal tuning of a Tm³⁺:Ho³⁺:SiO₂ glass fiber laser was investigated. As a function of fiber length and temperature, the emission wavelength can be varied between 1960 and 2032 nm. The bandwidth of the laser emission is about 2 mm. Besides the wavelength also the change of threshold and slope efficiency with temperature and fiber length and the fiber absorption were measured     

Flashlamp-pumped Cr3+:GSAG laser

Flashlamp-pumped vibronic lasing has been demonstrated at room temperature with the garnet Cr³⁺: GSAG. Continuous wavelength tuning was observed from 765 to 801 nm in preliminary experiments. An energy output of 110 mJ/pulse was obtained at 784 nm with a slope efficiency of 0.12 percent. Wavelength dependent gain and loss data are presented and are discussed with reference to Cr³⁺: GSGG measurements.     

End-pumped Nd:LaF3 and Nd:LaMgAl11O19 lasers

Nd:LaF₃ and Nd:LaMgAl₁₁O₁₉ (LMA) are promising candidates for pulsed diode-laser-pumped lasers because they have relatively long upper state lifetimes and large absorption bandwidths compared to other Nd³⁺ doped materials. Crystal growth of LMA and the spectroscopic properties of both materials are described. Continuous-wave (CW) end-pumped lasers have been demonstrated in these materials using a Ti:Al₂O₃ laser to simulate the diode-laser pump source. Slope efficiencies of 47% for Nd:LaF₃ and 32% for Nd:LMA were obtained. The results for Nd:LaF₃ are typical for end-pumped, CW, Nd³⁺ lasers; the lower slope efficiency for Nd:LMA is attributed to excited-state absorption     

Laser demonstration of Yb3Al5O12(YbAG) and materials properties of highly doped Yb:YAG

We have demonstrated the first stoichiometric Yb³⁺ laser based on Yb₃A₅O₁₂ (YbAG). The laser operated in pulsed mode with a highest possible duty cycle of 85%. A slope efficiency of 27%, with respect to absorbed energy, was measured and the free-running lasing wavelength was 1048 nm for a 10% duty cycle. In a systematic analysis, measurements of spectroscopic and materials properties of (Yb_xY_1-x)₃Al₅O ₁₂ for nominal x values of 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.18, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 are reported. We also present a formalism to calculate the intrinsic fluorescence quantum efficiency (free of radiation trapping) and the fraction of reabsorbed light, based on measurements of the bulk and intrinsic emission lifetimes and the fractional thermal loading. Our best YbAG sample has an intrinsic lifetime of 0.664 ms at 94% quantum efficiency and a thermal conductivity at room temperature of 0.072 W/(cm-K)     

Cr3+→Nd3+ energy transfer and Nd3+ laser action studies of La3Ga5SiO14:Cr3+,Nd3+ co-doped crystal

Energy transfer between Cr³⁺ and Nd³⁺ ions has been investigated in the 4.2-300-K temperature range by using steady-state and site-selective time-resolved laser spectroscopy. Radiative and nonradiative energy transfer has been studied from the time-resolved emission spectra and the donor fluorescence decays. The transfer efficiency was calculated as a function of temperature by using the Cr³⁺ lifetimes of the single doped and co-doped samples. Laser experiments were carried out in a diffusive cavity by pumping a co-doped rod 54 mm long and 5 mm in diameter with xenon flashlamps. The laser spectral emission shows a complex structure which varies as a function of pump energy. The temporal evolution of the laser spectrum is discussed in terms of a simple four-level spectral rate-equation laser model which takes into account the existence of two main broad Nd³⁺ site distributions with a large spectral overlap     

Cr:LiSAF slab laser performance

The performance of a flash-lamp pumped Cr³⁺: LiSrAlF ₆ multi-bounce slab laser is reported. The slab was conductively-cooled by a sapphire window which also transmitted the pump light. Laser output of 9 mJ and a slope efficiency of 0.061% were obtained although less than 15% of the total pump aperture was used     

Fluorescence analysis of chromium-doped forsterite(Mg2SiO4)

The polarized absorption spectra, emission spectra, and fluorescence dynamics of Cr:forsterite are presented and analyzed in detail. At least three different kinds of emitting centers are identified by time-resolved spectroscopy. These correspond to two sorts of octahedrally coordinated Cr³⁺ ions and one Cr⁴⁺ with various possible environments. The infrared laser active center is identified with the latter species, and its infrared absorption and emission properties are attributed to excited state-ground state optical transitions without any thermalization process into the excited state     

Crystal growth, frequency doubling, and infrared laser performanceof Yb3+:BaCaBO3F

Yb:BaCaBO₃F(Yb:BCBF) has been investigated as a new laser crystal with potential for self-frequency doubling, Yb³⁺ in BCBF exhibits a maximum absorption cross section at 912 nm of 1.1×10^-20 cm² with a bandwidth (FWHM) of 19 nm. The maximum emission cross section at 1034 nm is 1.3×10^-20 cm² with a transition bandwidth of 24 nm. The measured emission lifetime of Yb³⁺ is 1.17 ms. An Yb:BCBF laser has been demonstrated with a Ti:sapphire pump source, and a measured slope efficiency of 38% has been obtained for the fundamental laser output. Single crystal powders of BCBF have been compared with KD ⁺P for a relative measure of the second-harmonic generating potential, yielding d_eff(BCBF)~0.26 pm/V. The phasematching angle has been estimated from the refractive index data for type I second-harmonic generation of 0.517 μm light; the predicted angle is 37° from the c-axis. The growth, spectroscopy, laser performance, and linear and nonlinear optical properties of Yb:BCBF are reported     

Saturation of 1047- and 1064-nm Absorption in Cr4+:YAG Crystals

To investigate the physical mechanism of the saturation process in Cr⁴⁺:YAG crystals we solved the three coupled rate equations which describe the saturable absorber. We experimentally verified this model using two lasers with nanosecond pulses and continuous-wave radiation. We used crystalline and ceramic Cr⁴⁺-doped YAG saturable absorbers with various initial transmissions. The ratio between the ground and the excited-state absorption cross section at 1064 nm was measured to be between 3.8 plusmn 0.2 and 4.7 plusmn 0.2 for crystalline and 3.6 plusmn 0.1 for ceramic Cr⁴⁺:YAG. The ratio between the above named cross sections at 1047 nm was found to be 6.2 plusmn 0.2 for both crystalline and ceramic Cr⁴⁺:YAG. With these results the ground-state and the excited-state absorption cross sections at 1047 nm were calculated to be (9.55plusmn0.01)times10^-19 cm² and (1.54plusmn0.03)times10^-19 cm², respectively