Title :
Nd/sup 3+/ versus Yb/sup 3+/ solid-state lasers at 1 micron
Author_Institution :
Lincoln Lab., MIT, Lexington, MA, USA
Abstract :
Summary form only given. Yb/sup 3+/ solid-state lasers operating at 1-/spl mu/m wavelength offer some significant advantages relative to 1.06-/spl mu/m Nd/sup 3+/ solid-state lasers. These advantages include smaller quantum defect for lower heat dissipation and greater slope efficiency, simpler energy level structure for reduced parasitic effects, and longer upper state lifetimes for better utilization of diode pump sources. However, these advantages are offset by a significant disadvantage, which is quasi-three-level operation at room temperature compared with the four-level operation in Nd/sup 3+/ lasers. Additionally, Yb/sup 3+/ lasers generally have lower gain cross section than Nd/sup 3+/ lasers, which may be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the application, and generally have broader absorption features so as to relax spectral requirements of diode pump sources.
Keywords :
laser beams; laser cooling; neodymium; optical pumping; solid lasers; ytterbium; 1 mum; 1.06 mum; 298 K; Nd/sup 3+/ solid-state lasers; Yb/sup 3+/ solid-state lasers; absorption features; diode pump sources; energy level structure; four-level operation; gain cross section; heat dissipation; parasitic effects; quantum defect; quasi-three-level operation; room temperature; slope efficiency; spectral requirements; upper state lifetimes; Face detection; Laser modes; Neodymium; Optical pulses; Power lasers; Pulse measurements; Pump lasers; Quantum cascade lasers; Solid lasers; Temperature;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics, 1999. CLEO '99. Summaries of Papers Presented at the Conference on
Conference_Location :
Baltimore, MD, USA
Print_ISBN :
1-55752-595-1
DOI :
10.1109/CLEO.1999.833833
