Title :
Measurement of gain and evaluation of photon avalanche efficiency in 10%Tm:KY(WO4)2 crystal pumped by free-running Nd:YAG laser
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Laser Phys., Russian Acad. of Sci., Novosibirsk, Russia
Abstract :
Potassium yttrium tungstate crystals (KYW) with 10% thulium content were grown by the modified Czochralski technique from solution in K2W2O7 melt. For gain measurements the facets of a 10%Tm:KYW plate were AR coated at both pump and probe beam wavelengths. The output of free-running Nd:YAG laser was focused by lens at the aperture (309 μm in diameter) which was transmitting 85% of the pump, and the sample was maintained just behind the aperture. The photon avalanche efficiency is proven to be rather high (η>0.7) up to the population of 3F4 manifold N2∼2N which allows lasing at ∼1.9 μm. Due to a low threshold of photon avalanche, Tm:KYW and Tm:Yb:KYW crystals can be excited heavily with emission of high power laser diodes at ∼1.06 μm.
Keywords :
antireflection coatings; crystal growth from melt; neodymium; optical focusing; optical materials; optical pumping; potassium compounds; solid lasers; thulium; yttrium compounds; 10%Tm:KY(WO4)2 crystal; AR coating; K2W2O7 melt; KY(WO4)2:Tm; KYW:Tm,Yb; Nd:YAG laser; Tm:Yb:KYW crystal; gain measurement; modified Czochralski technique; optical focusing; optical pumping; photon avalanche efficiency; potassium yttrium tungstate crystals; Apertures; Gain measurement; Laser beams; Laser excitation; Lenses; Photonic crystals; Probes; Pump lasers; Time of arrival estimation; Yttrium;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics, 2003. CLEO/Pacific Rim 2003. The 5th Pacific Rim Conference on
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7766-4
DOI :
10.1109/CLEOPR.2003.1277300
