Abstract

Gain media with long upper-state lifetimes and large absorption bandwidths are desired for Q-switched, diode-laser-pumped solid-state lasers. Long upper-state lifetimes allow greater energy storage for a given value of pump power,¹ and large absorption bandwidths reduce the sensitivity of the Nd laser operation to wavelength differences from diode to diode and to thermally induced wavelength chirp of the diode lasers. Three Nd-doped materials that may offer advantages over Nd:YAG are Nd:LaF₃, Nd:LaM_gAl₁₁O₁₉ (LMA), and Nd:BaY₂F₈. The low concentration upper-state lifetimes in these materials are 735 μs, 320 μs, and 660 μs all of which are longer than the 240 μs value for Nd:YAG. In addition, the first two materials have broad absorption features compared to Nd:YAG.

© 1989 Optical Society of America