Simultaneous three-photon-excited violet upconversion luminescence of Ce3+: Lu2Si2O7 single crystals by femtosecond laser irradiation

We found that Ce3+:Lu2Si2O7 single crystals could be excited at 800 nm by using a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. The emission spectra of Ce3+:Lu2Si2O7 crystals were the same for one-photon excitation at 267 nm as for excitation at 800 nm. The emission intensity of Ce3+: Lu2Si2O7 crystals was found to depend on the cube of the laser power at 800 nm, consistent with simultaneous absorption of three 800 nm photons. The measured value of the three-photon absorption cross section is sigma'(3) = 2.44 x 10(-77) cm(6) s(2). (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

Thermal, spectroscopic and laser properties of Yb3+Na+: CaF2 single crystals

The effects of Na+ doping level on the thermal conductivities, absorption and emission spectra, and fluorescence lifetimes of Yb3+ ,Na+ :CaF2 crystals were systematically studied. Sites structure, covalent force, and crystal field strength of Yb3+ :CaF2 crystals were markedly varied by codoping Na+ as charge compensator. The 2.0at% Yb3+ and 3.0at% Na+-codoped CaF2 crystal was demonstrated to operate in diode-pumped passively mode-locking scheme. Transform-limited 1 ps laser pulses were obtained, showing the crystal capable of producing ultra-short laser pulses. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

gamma-LiAlO2 single crystal grown by Czochralski technique and modified by vapor transport equilibration (VTE) technique

Large-sized (similar to 2 inch, 50.8 mm) gamma-UA102 single crystal has been grown by conventional Czochralski (Cz) method, but the crystal ha's a milky, dendriform center. The samples taken from transparent and milky parts were ground and examined by X-ray diffraction. All diffraction peaks could be indexed in gamma-LiAlO2. The crystal quality was characterized by X-ray rocking curve. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) values are 116.9 and 132.0 arcsec for transparent and milky parts, respectively. The vapor transport equilibrium (VTE) technique was introduced to modify the crystal quality. After 1000 degrees C/48 h, 1100 degrees C/48 h, 1200 degrees C/48 h VTE processes, the FWHM values dropped to 44.2 and 55.2 arcsec for transparent and milky part, respectively. The optical transmission of transparent part was greatly enhanced from 85% to 90%, and transmission of milky part from 75% to 80% in the range of 190 similar to 1900 nm at room temperature. When the VTE temperature was raised to 1300 degrees C, the sample cracked and FWHM values of transparent and milky parts were increased to 55.2 and 80.9 arcsec, respectively. By combining Cz technique with VTE technique, large-sized and high quality gamma-LiAlO2 crystal can be obtained.

Effect of annealing and gamma irradiation on undoped and Eu3+-doped Y2SiO5 single crystals

The absorption spectra of the undoped Y2SiO5 and Eu3+-doped Y2SiO5 crystals grown by the Czochralski technique were compared before and after annealing and, similarly, the unannealed and annealed crystals after gamma-ray irradiation. The absorption bands of Eu2+ ions with peaks at 300 and 390 nm were observed in the as-grown Y2SiO5:Eu3+ crystal. These peaks were more intense in H-2-annealed and irradiated Y2SiO5:Eu3+ crystals. The additional absorption peaks at 260 and 320-330 nm which were attributed to F color centers and O- hole centers were observed in irradiated undoped Y2SiO5 and Y2SiO5:Eu3+ crystals, respectively. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectra analysis of a novel Ti-doped LiAlO2 single crystal

LiAlO2 single crystals doped with Ti at concentration 0.2 at.% are grown by the Czochralskl technique with dimensions Phi 42 x 55 mm. Ti ions in the crystal are quadrivalence proven by comparing the absorption and fluorescence spectra of pure LiAlO2 and Ti: LiAlO2. After air and Li-rich atmosphere annealing, the absorption peaks in the range of 600-800nm disappear. We conclude that 682 and 756nm absorption peaks are attributed to the V-Li and V-O absorptions, respectively. The peaks at 716nm and 798nm may stem from the V-Li(+) and F+ absorptions. The colour-centre model can be applied to explain the experimental phenomena. Ti4+-doping produces more lithium vacancies in the LiAlO2 crystal. The intensities of [LiO4] and the associated bonds remain unchanged, which improves the anti-hydrolyzation and thermal stability of LiAlO2 crystals.

Nano-modification inside transparent materials by femtosecond laser single beam

Periodic nanostructures along the polarization direction of light are observed inside silica glasses and tellurium dioxide single crystal after irradiation by a focused single femtosecond laser beam. Backscattering electron images of the irradiated spot inside silica glass reveal a periodic structure of stripe-like regions of similar to 20 nm width with a low oxygen concentration. In the case of the tellurium dioxide single crystal, secondary electron images within the focal spot show the formation of a periodic structure of voids with 30 nm width. Oxygen defects in a silica glass and voids in a tellurium dioxide single crystal are aligned perpendicular to the laser polarization direction. These are the smallest nanostructures below the diffraction limit of light, which are formed inside transparent materials. The phenomenon is interpreted in terms of interference between the incident light field and the electric field of electron plasma wave generated in the bulk of material.

Spectral properties of Ho : GdVO4 single crystal

Absorption and emission spectral properties of GdVO4 single crystal doped with Ho3+ ions were investigated at room temperature. Polarized absorption cross section is calculated in the range of 400-2200nm. Results were analyzed and parameters were calculated based on Judd-Ofelt theory, the emission spectrum shows that the emission intensity around the wavelength of 546 nm associated with transition S-5(2) -> I-5(8) is much stronger than other bands in the observed range and potentially enable the green light output around this emission band in this crystal. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth and spectroscopic characteristics of Yb : LPS single crystal

For the first time, a high optical quality Yb3+-doped lutetium pyrosilicate laser crystal Lu2Si2O7 (LPS) was grown by the Czochralski (Cz) method. The segregation coefficient of ytterbium ion in Yb:LPS crystal detected by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (TCP-AES) method is equal to 0.847. X-ray powder diffraction result confirms the C2/m phase monoclinic space group of the grown crystal and the peaks corresponding to different phases were indexed. The absorption and fluorescence spectra, as well as fluorescence decay lifetime of Yb3+ ion in LPS have been investigated. The absorption and fluorescence cross-sections of the transitions F-2(7/2) <-> F-2(5/2) of Yb3+ ion in LPS crystal have been determined. The advantages of the Yb:LPS crystal including high crystal quality, quasi-four-level laser operating scheme, high absorption cross-sections (1.33 x 10(-2) cm(2)) and particularly broad emission bandwidth (similar to 62 nm) indicated that the Yb:LPS crystal seemed to be a promising candidate used as compact, efficient thin chip lasers when LD is pumped at 940 and 980 nm due to its low-symmetry monoclinic structure and single crystallographic site. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

Growth and spectral properties of Yb : FAP single crystal

In this paper, single crystal of ytterbium (Yb) doped Ca-5(PO4)(3)F (FAP) has been grown along the c-axis by using the Czochralski method. The segregation coefficients of Yb3+ in the Yb:FAP crystal has been determined by ICP-AES method. The absorption spectrum, fluorescence spectrum and fluorescence lifetime of the Yb:FAP crystal has been also measured at room temperature. In the absorption spectra, there are two absorption bands at 904 and 982 nm, respectively, which are suitable for InGaAs diode laser pumping. The absorption cross-section (sigma(abs)) is 5.117 x 10(-20) cm(2) with an FWHM of 4 nm at 982 nm. The emission cross-section is (sigma(em)) 3.678 x 10(-20) cm(2) at 1042 nm. Favorable values of the absorption cross-section at about 982 nm are promising candidates for laser diode (LD) pumping. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of fluorescence spectra of Yb : Y3Al5O12 and Yb : YALO(3) single crystals

Yb:Y3Al5O12 (Yb:YAG) single crystals with Yb doping concentration 0.5 at.%, 5 at.%, 15 at.%, 25 at.%, 50 at.%, 100 at.% and Yb:YAlO3 (Yb:YAP) single crystals with Yb doping concentration 0.5 at.%, 5 at.%, 15 at.%, 30 at.% were grown by the Czochralski process. The fluorescence spectra of these crystals and the effects of self-absorption on the shape of the fluorescence spectra were studied. Through comparing the fluorescence spectra of Yb:YAG and Yb:YAP, all results indicate that the effects of self-absorption on the fluorescence spectra of Yb:YAP are remarkably stronger than that of Yb:YAG at the same Yb concentration. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single crystal beta-Ga2O3: Cr grown by floating zone technique and its optical properties

beta-Ga2O3: Cr single crystals were grown by floating zone technique. Absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra were measured at room temperature. The values of field splitting parameter Dq and Racah parameter B were obtained by the peak values of absorption spectra. The value 10Dq/B=23.14 manifests that in beta-Ga2O3 crystals Cr3+ ions are influenced by low energy crystal field. After high temperature annealing in air, the Cr3+ intrinsic emission was enhanced and the green luminescence disappeared. The strong and broad 691 nm emission was obtained at 420 nm excitation due to the electron transition occurred from T-4(2) to (4)A(2). The studies manifest that the beta-Ga2O3 crystals have the potential application for tunable laser.

7.3 W of single-frequency output power at 2.09 μm from an Ho:YAG monolithic nonplanar ring laser

Single-frequency output power of 7.3 W at 2.09 mu m from a monolithic Ho:YAG nonplanar ring oscillator (NPRO) is demonstrated. Resonantly pumped by a Tm-doped fiber laser at 1.91 mu m, the Ho:YAG NPRO produces 71% of slope efficiency with respect to absorbed pump power and nearly diffraction-limited output with a beam quality parameter of M-2 approximate to 1.1. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America

Effects of gamma-irradiation and air annealing on Yb-doped Y3Al5O12 single crystal

The effects of gamma-irradiation on the air-annealed 10 at.% Yb:Y3Al5O12 (YAG) and air annealing on the gamma-irradiated 10at.% Yb:YAG have been studied by the difference absorption spectra before and after treatment. The gamma-irradiation and air annealing led to opposite changes of the absorption properties of the Yb:YAG crystal. After air annealing, the gamma-irradiation induced centers were totally removed and the concentration of Fe3+ and Yb3+ were lightly increased. For the first time, the gamma-irradiation induced valence changes between Yb3+ and Yb2+ ions in Yb:YAG crystals have been observed. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth and characterization of high-quality LiAlO2 single crystal

g-LiAlO2 single crystal is a promising substrate for GaN heteroepitaxy. In this paper, we present the growth of large-sized LiAlO2 crystal by modified Czochralski method. The crystal quality was characterized by high-resolution X-ray diffraction and chemical etching. The results show that the as-grown crystal has perfect quality with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 17.7-22.6 arcsec and etch pits density of (0.3-2.2) x 10(4) cm(-2) throughout the crystal boule. The bottom of the crystal boule shows the best quality. The optical transmission spectra from UV to IR exhibits that the crystal is transparent from 0.2 to 5.5 mu m and becomes completely absorbing around 6.7 mu m wavelength. The optical absorption edge in near UV region is about 191 nm.