Abstract

Because of the strong electron-phonon coupling of the emitting 3d orbitals in transition-metal (TM) 3d systems exhibit luminescence with typically several hundred nm of spectral bandwidth. TM-ion-doped materials are, therefore, of high interest for applications as tunable and short- pulse lasers. Whereas many TM-ion-doped systems suffer from excited-state absorption (ESA), systems with a d¹ electron configuration possess only one excited 3d level and ESA into higher-lying 3d levels is impossible (however, ESA can occur owing to transitions into the conduction band and conduction-band-related energy levels). One of these d¹ systems, Tirsapphire has become the most successful tunable and short-pulse laser system to date.

© 2002 Optical Society of America