Ground state depleted laser experiments
Spectroscopic measurements have been performed at Livermore in various Nd doped glass and crystalline materials to extract parameters (stark resolved emission spectra, branching ratios, fluorescence lifetimes, and stimulated emission cross sections) important to the design of a GSD laser. This study has allowed us to identify several systems amenable to experimental demonstration. The results of a demonstration in one of these systems consisting of a sample of Nd doped Y/sub 2/SiO/sub 5/ which is pumped by a flash lamp pumped dye laser will be presented. Measurements are made to document the degree to which the ground state of the laser has been depleted. An important problem present in GSD lasers, illustrated by the results of our demonstration, is holding off the gain of the Nd /sup 4/F/sub 3/2/ - /sup 4/I/sub 11/2/ transition which typically has an emission cross section 5 to 10 times larger than the desired /sup 4/F/sub 3/2/ - /sup 4/I/sub 9/2/ transition cross section. Several possible techniques for holding off the /sup 4/F/sub 3/2/ - /sup 4/I/sub 11/2/ transition are discussed. These techniques include segmented laser designs, and the co-doping of laser samples with elements having a large absorption cross section in the 1.06 micron region while being relatively free of absorption in the 0.92 micron region of the spectrum. A system based on Y/sub 2/SiO/sub 5/ and co-doped with Nd and Sm will be presented as an example of the latter type GSD design along with available experimental results. Ground state depleted (GSD) lasers have been described in an earlier paper as room temperature, four-level, high energy density lasers with uniform gain when pumped either transversely or longitudinally. 15 refs., 12 figs., 5 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 6412663
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-99458; CONF-890145-2; ON: DE89006146
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: SPIE conference on optics, electro-optics and laser applications in science and engineering: OE/LASE '89, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 15 Jan 1989; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
LASERS
DESIGN
CROSS SECTIONS
ENERGY LEVELS
EXCITED STATES
GROUND STATES
LIFETIME
MATRIX ELEMENTS
REFRACTIVITY
TRANSITION RADIATION
YTTRIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
420300* - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)