Abstract
Upconversion lasers need host materials with low effective phonon energies to minimize the non-radiative decay rates of the rare-earth dopant excited energy levels involved in the multi-step pumping process. Fluoride crystals like LiYF4 indeed show low effective phonon energies as compared to oxide materials and can be grown by the Czochralski method. Er3+:LiYF4 room-temperature continuous-wave upconversion lasers emittmg m the green spectral region have successfully been demonstrated for the first time in our laboratory [1]. Efficient excitation of the green emittmg 4S3/2 level was achieved by pumping at 810nm or 970nm, where semiconductor laser diodes are commercially available. Therefore, the realization of an all-solid-state erbium-doped fluoride-crystal upconversion laser can be envisaged.
© 2000 IEEE
PDF ArticleMore Like This
E. Heumann, S. Bar, H. Krctschmann, and G. Huber
CPDC7 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO:S&I) 2002
F. Heine, E. Heumann, T. Danger, T. Schweizer, J. Koetke, G. Huber, and B. H. T. Chai
VS5 Advanced Solid State Lasers (ASSL) 1994
E. Heumann, S. Bär, H. Scheife, and G. Huber
WD2 Advanced Solid State Lasers (ASSL) 2002