Characterization of diode-pumped laser operation of a novel Yb : GSO crystal

We report what is believed to be the first demonstration of the laser action of Yb3+ -doped Gd2SiO5 (Yb:GSO) crystal pumped by a 940-nm laser diode at room temperature. The threshold of laser generation is only 0.85 kW/cm(2), which is smaller than the theoretic threshold of Yb:YAG (1.54 kW/cm(2)). The laser wavelength is 1090 mn. With a 2.5% output coupler, the maximum output power is 415 mW under a pump power of 5 W. By using the SESAM, the Q-switched mode locking and CW mode-locked operations are demonstrated.

Color centers and charge state change in Ce : YAG crystals grown by temperature gradient techniques

Color centers and impurity defects of Ce:YAG crystals grown in reduction atmosphere by temperature gradient techniques have been investigated by means of gamma irradiation and thermal treatments. Four absorption bands associated with color centers or impurity defects at 235, 255, 294 and 370 nm were observed in as-grown crystals. Changes in optical intensity of the 235 and 370 nm bands after gamma irradiation indicate that they are associated with F+-type color center. Charge state change processes of Fe3+ impurity and Ce3+ ions take place in the irradiation process. The variations of Ce3+ ions concentration clearly indicate that Ce4+ ions exist in Ce:YAG crystals and gamma irradiations could increase the concentration of Ce3+ ions. Annealing treatments and the changes in optical density suggest that a heterovalent impurity ion associated with the 294 nm band seems to be present in the crystals. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Color centers in Yb : YAG crystals grown by temperature-gradient techniques

Yb: YAG (Yb: Y3Al5O12) crystals have been grown by temperature-gradient techniques (TGT) and their color centers and impurity defects were investigated by means of gamma irradiations and thermal treatment. Two color centers located at 255 and 290 nm were observed in the as-grown TGT-Yb: YAG. Analysis shows that the 255 nm band may be associated with Fe3+ ions. Absorption intensity changes of the 290 nm band after gamma irradiation and thermal treatment indicate that this band may be associated with oxygen-vacancy defects. (c) 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cr,Yb:YAG晶体的自调Q激光性能

用光纤耦合激光二极管抽运Cr,Yb:YAG晶体获得了1.03 μm的自调Q激光输出,输出的调Q脉冲非常稳定,抽运阈值功率为680 mW,脉冲宽度为3.3 ns,获得的平均功率为156 mW,斜率效率为18.5%。随着抽运功率的增大,重复频率成线性增长,而脉宽略有减少,单脉冲能量和峰值功率都始终呈增大趋势。光束质量因子M2为1.17。

铬、钕双掺钆镓石榴石（Cr^4＋，Nd^3＋）：Gd3Ga5O12激光晶体光学性能的研究

用提拉法生长了掺铬、钕的钆镓石榴石(Cr^4+，Nd^3+：GGG)自调Q激光品体。报道了室温下的吸收光谱和荧光光谱特性。分析了Cr离子浓度对光谱性质的影响。比较了Cr^4+：GGG，Nd^3+：GGG和(Cr^4+，Nd^3+)：GGG晶体吸收光谱的关系。测量了(Cr^4+，Nd^3+)：GGG晶体和Nd^3+：GGG晶体的荧光寿命，它们分别是33μs和250μs。实验表明，(Cr^4+，Nd^3+)：GGG晶体是一种非常有潜力的自调Q激光晶体，可以实现大功率激光器的小型化和全固态化。

Cr^4＋，Nd3＋共掺的钆镓石榴石（Cr，Nd：GGG）的光谱性能与光谱参数的研究

用提拉法生长了掺铬、钕的钆镓石榴石(Cr^4+，Nd^3+:GGG)晶体，研究了室温下的吸收光谱和荧光光谱性质，以及晶体中Cr离子浓度对Nd离子光谱性质的影响。应用Judd—ofelt理论计算了强度参数Ωt(t=2，4，6)，自发辐射跃迁几率、荧光分支比和辐射辱命等光谱参数。应用McCumber理论计算^4F3/2→^4I11/2能级跃迁的受激发射截面。结果表明：Cr^3+在300～900nm之间较强地增加了吸收截面，尤其是伴随Cr^3+→Nd^3+有效的能量转移。Cr^4+在1．06μm附近的吸收减弱了

提拉法Tm：YAG晶体的生长缺陷研究

采用提拉法(CZ)生长了质量优异的Tm：YAG晶体．部分晶片在1000℃的空气气氛中退火25h．借助光学显微镜、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)，结合化学腐蚀法，对Tm：YAG晶体退火前后(111)面的缺陷特征进行了研究．Tm：YAG晶体(111)面的位错腐蚀坑呈三角形．在偏光显微镜下观察了退火前后Tm：YAG晶体(111)面的应力双折射．同时应用高分辨X射线衍射法测定了晶体的完整性．实验结果表明，长时间空气气氛下高温退火有效降低了晶体中总的位错密度，提高了晶体质量．

Rare-earth-doped silica microchip laser fabricated by sintering nanoporous glass

We report a new method for fabricating rare-earth-doped silica glasses for laser materials obtained by sintering nanoporous silica glasses impregnated with rare-earth-doped ions. The fabricated materials have no residual pores and show good optical and mechanical properties. Good performance from a Nd3+-doped silica microchip laser operating at 1.064 mum is successfully demonstrated, suggesting that the fabricated silica glasses have potential for use as active materials for high-power solid-state lasers. (C) 2005 Optical Society of America.

Yb：YAG晶体的闪烁特性

通过不同Yb^3＋掺杂浓度（5％-30％，原子数分数）的Yb：YAG晶体的阴极射线发光谱、衰减时间、光输出及其温度依赖关系的测量，研究了Yb：YAG晶体的闪烁性能。不同Yh^3＋掺杂浓度的Yb：YAG晶体具有不同的光输出和猝灭温度，光输出随Yb^3＋掺杂浓度的增大而降低，猝灭温度则随掺杂浓度的增大而升高。室温下Yb：YAG晶体的发光衰减时间较短，均小于50ns。Yb^3＋掺杂浓度为5％的Yb：YAG晶体具有较高的光输出和较低的猝灭温度。

579．62nm波长处Y2SiO5：Eu^3＋晶体永久性光谱烧孔

分别利用氩离子激光，二倍频YAG：Nd激光泵浦的诺明6G可调谐窄线宽（0．5cm^-1）染料激光和899-21可调谐染料激光作为光源，以单色仪-锁相放大器-光电倍增管-计算机数据采集系统记录光谱，对Y2SiO5：Eu^3＋晶体进行了光谱和光谱烧孔研究。在常温和液氮温度下测量了晶体的激发光谱、荧光光谱等。在16K温度下对晶体进行了光谱烧孔研究，得到了孔宽约80MHz并能保存10h的永久性光谱孔。

Yb：YAG及Cr，Yb：YAG晶体的发光特性

研究了室温下Yb：YAG的上转换荧光光谱，此荧光归因于Yb^3＋离子的“合作”发光和Yb抖离子到稀土杂质离子的能量转移。测试了Yb；YAG晶体的X射线荧光，发光峰对应于电荷迁移态到Yb^3＋离子的基态、激光态间的跃迁。研究了Cr，Yb：YAG晶体的荧光光谱。讨论了Cr^4＋激光输出的可能性。

Tm：YAG晶体的研究进展

Tm：YAG晶体是性能优异的LD泵浦激光晶体。本文总结了Tm：YAG晶体的生长、光谱性质以及激光性能的研究和发展，并指出了Tm：YAG晶体发展中需要解决的问题。

Diode-pumped Yb : YAG ceramic laser

Transparent polycrystalline Yb:YAG ceramics were fabricated by solid-state reactive sintering a mixture of commercial Al2O3, Y2O3, and Yb2O3 powders. The powders were mixed in ethanol and doped with 0.5 wt% tetraethoxysilane, dried, and pressed. Pressed samples were sintered at 1730 degrees C in vacuum. Transparent fully dense samples with grain sizes of several micrometers were obtained. The phase from 1500 degrees to 1700 degrees C was important for the grain growth, in which the grains grew quickly and a mass of pores were eliminated from the body of the sample. Annealing was an important step to remove the vacancies of oxygen and transform Yb2+ to Yb3+. The 1 at.% Yb:YAG ceramic sample was pumped by a diode laser to study the laser properties. The maximum output power of 1.02 W was obtained with a slope efficiency of 25% at 1030 nm. The size of the lasering sample was 4 mm x 4 mm x 3 mm.

Infrared to visible upconversion fluorescence in Yb,Tm : YAG single crystal

Absorption spectrum from 400 to 2000 run and upconversion fluorescence spectra under 940 nm pumping of YAG single crystal codoped with 5 at.% Yb3+ and 4 at.% Tm3+ were studied at room temperature. The blue upconversion emission centered at 483 nm corresponds to the transition (1)G(4) -> H-3(6), the emission band around 646 nm corresponds to the transition (1)G(4) -> F-3(4) of Tm3+. Energy transfer from Yb3+ to Tm3+ is mainly nonradiative and the transfer efficiency was experimentally assessed. The line strengths, transition probabilities and radiative lifetimes of (1)G(4) level were calculated by using Judd-Ofelt theory. Gain coefficient calculated from spectra shows that the upconversion corresponding with transitions (1)G(4) -> H-3(6) in YAG doped with Yb3+ and Tm3+ is potentially useful for blue light Output. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.