Ultraviolet laser emission properties of Ce[sup 3+]-doped LiSrAlF[sub 6] and LiCaAlF[sub 6]

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part B: Optical Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.11.002054· OSTI ID:7074417

Marshall, C D; Speth, J A; Payne, S A; Krupke, W F ^[1]; Quarles, G J; Castillo, V ^[2]; Chai, B H.T. ^[3]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551 (United States)
2. Lightning Optical Corporation, Tarpon Springs, Florida 34689 (United States)
3. Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32826 (United States)

The UV laser properties of trivalent cerium-doped LiSrAlF[sub 6] (Ce:LiSAF) and LiCaAlF[sub 6] (Ce:LiCAF) are reported. The polarized absorption, emission, and excited-state absorption cross sections for both Ce:LiSAF and Ce:LiCAF were determined for the 266-nm pump and 290-nm laser emission wavelengths. The single-exponential emission lifetime was measured to be 28 [plus minus] 2 and 25 [plus minus] 2 ns for Ce:LiSAF and Ce:LiCAF, respectively. The gain was found to be highest when the probe was polarized parallel to the optical axis of the crystal, owing to the anisotropic nature of the excited-state absorption. The excited-state absorption was ascribed to a transition from the 5[ital d] orbital of Ce[sup 3+] to the conduction band of the host. Laser slope efficiencies as high as 29% and 21%, respectively, were measured for Ce:LiSAF and Ce:LiCAF when the 266-nm pulsed pump beam was polarized parallel to the optical or the [ital c] axis. These are the highest laser slope efficiencies yet observed to our knowledge for any known solid-state UV laser material. When the pump beam was polarized perpendicular to the optical axis of the crystals, the gain and the laser efficiencies dropped by as much as an order of magnitude. The magnitude of pump-induced solarization was found to be highly variable for different crystals and to have an insignificant effect on the laser performance when favorable crystals were used.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7074417
• Journal Information: Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part B: Optical Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part B: Optical Physics; (United States) Vol. 11:10; ISSN JOBPDE; ISSN 0740-3224
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426002* -- Engineering-- Lasers & Masers-- (1990-)
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CERIUM ADDITIONS
CERIUM ALLOYS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
EFFICIENCY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
LASER MATERIALS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
RADIATIONS
RARE EARTH ADDITIONS
RARE EARTH ALLOYS
STIMULATED EMISSION
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION