Ytterbium-doped apatite-structure crystals: A new class of laser materials

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of Applied Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.357101· OSTI ID:7043747

Payne, S A; DeLoach, L D; Smith, L K; Kway, W L; Tassano, J B; Krupke, W F ^[1]; Chai, B H.T.; Loutts, G ^[2]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, P. O. Box 5508, Livermore, California 94550 (United States)
2. Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826 (United States)

A new class of Yb-lasers is summarized in this article. The apatite family of crystals, based on the hexagonal structure of the mineral fluorapatite, has been found to impose favorable spectroscopic and laser properties on the Yb[sup 3+] activator ion. Crystals of Yb-doped Ca[sub 5](PO[sub 4])[sub 3]F, Sr[sub 5](PO[sub 4])[sub 3]F, Ca[sub [ital x]]Sr[sub 5[minus][ital x]](PO[sub 4])[sub 3]F, and Sr[sub 5](VO[sub 4])[sub 3]F have been grown and investigated. Several useful laser crystals have been identified which offer a variety of fundamental laser parameters for designing diode-pumped systems. In general, this class of materials is characterized by high emission cross sections (3.6--13.1[times]10[sup [minus]20] cm[sup 2]), useful emission lifetimes (0.59--1.26 ms), a strong pump band ([sigma][sub abs]=2.0--10.0[times]10[sup [minus]20] cm[sup 2]), and pump and extraction wavelengths near 900 and 1045 nm, respectively. Efficient lasing has been demonstrated for several of the members of this class of materials, and high optical quality crystals have been grown by the Czochralski method. A summary of the laser parameters and a discussion of the Yb:apatite class of lasers is presented.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7043747
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States) Vol. 76:1; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
ALLOYS
APATITES
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
CZOCHRALSKI METHOD
DOPED MATERIALS
EMISSION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
LASER MATERIALS
LASERS
MATERIALS
MINERALS
PHOSPHATE MINERALS
RARE EARTH ADDITIONS
RARE EARTH ALLOYS
SOLID STATE LASERS
STIMULATED EMISSION
YTTERBIUM ADDITIONS
YTTERBIUM ALLOYS