Abstract

The division of duties of the active ions proved to be very fruitful in laser physics. The main feature of this approach is the incorporation into the laser host of both the lasing ions, which are usually rare-earth ions, and additional ions, so-called sensitizers. Sensitizing ions are chosen to have broad absorption bands, which are well matched with the emission spectrum of flash lamps and to transfer nearly all absorbed energy at a high rate to the upper lasing level of the lasing ions.

© 1989 Optical Society of America