학술논문
Diode-pumped laser action at 1.34 µm from the Nd^3+: Ca_3Ga_2Ge_3O_12 garnet crystal: influence of Nd^3+ multicenter distribution
Document Type
Article
Source
Journal of the Optical Society of America B: Optical Physics; October 2003, Vol. 20 Issue: 10 p2075-2083, 9p
Subject
Language
ISSN
07403224; 15208540
Abstract
Diode-pumped laser action at 1.34 μm from the Nd^3+:Ca_3Ga_2Ge_3O_12 system is demonstrated and the physical parameters of relevance in laser dynamics reported. The pump-to-infrared conversion efficiency has been investigated as a function of both Nd^3+ concentration and output mirror transmittance. From the analysis of laser curves it has been demonstrated that the low laser efficiencies arise from the inhomogeneous line broadening of emission bands induced by multicenter distribution. This analysis has also been employed to determine the ratio between inhomogeneous and homogeneous line broadening (Δν_inh/Δν_h≈2.5), the result being in good agreement with that obtained from spectroscopy. Other mechanisms that could affect the extraction efficiency, such as excited-state absorption and energy-transfer upconversion, have also been evaluated, the results indicating that their influence in laser dynamics is negligible. Finally, we also report on the influence of multicenter distribution on the spectral shape of the 1.34-μm output laser radiation.