Use of a LiF colour centre laser for pumping an Yb:YAG active medium

Journal Article · Fri Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1070/QE2004V034N12ABEH002751· OSTI ID:21470652

Basiev, Tasoltan T; Konyushkin, V A ^[1]; Bykovsky, N E; Senatsky, Yu V ^[2]

---

1. Laser Materials and Technology Research Center, A. M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)
2. P.N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

An Yb:YAG laser crystal containing 20% of Yb was pumped by a F{sub 2}{sup +}:LiF colour centre laser emitting in the spectral range from 0.89 to 0.95 {mu}m. We managed to pump 10% of a total amount of Yb ions to the {sup 2}F{sub 5/2} metastable level of ytterbium in small volumes of the optically dense Yb:YAG laser crystal, which corresponds to the energy density stored in the crystal equal to 30 J cm{sup -3}. Nanosecond pulses were generated at transitions between the Stark components of the {sup 2}F{sub 5/2} and {sup 2}F{sub 7/2} levels of Yb{sup 3+} ions at the wavelengths near 1.03 and 1.05 {mu}m. The possibility of using Yb:YAG crystals and ceramics in high-power laser drivers in laser fusion experiments is discussed. (lasers)

• OSTI ID: 21470652
• Journal Information: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.), Journal Name: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.) Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 34; ISSN 1063-7818
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CERAMICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLOR CENTERS
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY DENSITY
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IONS
LASERS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM FLUORIDES
LITHIUM HALIDES
METALS
NEODYMIUM LASERS
OPTICAL PUMPING
POINT DEFECTS
PULSES
PUMPING
RARE EARTHS
SOLID STATE LASERS
VACANCIES
WAVELENGTHS
YTTERBIUM
YTTERBIUM IONS