Investigations on the slope efficiency of a pulsed 2.8-{mu}m {bold Er}{sup 3+}:{bold LiYF}{sub 4} laser

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part B: Optical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.14.000974· OSTI ID:490185

Pollnau, M; Spring, R; Wittwer, S; Luethy, W; Weber, H P ^[1]

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1. Institute of Applied Physics, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern (Switzerland)

A slope efficiency of 40{percent} from an Er{sup 3+}:LiYF{sub 4} laser is demonstrated under pulsed Ti:sapphire pumping at 973 nm. With reduction of the pump-pulse duration a significant decrease of the slope efficiency and an increase of the threshold is observed in the experiment and confirmed with high accuracy in a computer simulation. This behavior is due to interionic upconversion from the lower laser level, which leads to energy recycling into the upper laser level. The upconversion rate is negative at threshold but increases strongly with rising pump-pulse energy, thus enhancing the slope efficiency. The conditions are derived that are necessary for achieving the high slope efficiency of the energy-recycling regime. {copyright} 1997 Optical Society of America

• OSTI ID: 490185
• Journal Information: Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part B: Optical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part B: Optical Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 14; ISSN JOBPDE; ISSN 0740-3224
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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PERFORMANCE
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