Abstract

Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) in solid state materials is a new extensively growing area in laser physics. SRS allows to change laser radiation frequency with the certain energy shift that is determined by the crystal structure of Raman material. The advantage of solid state Raman material is their high concentration of Raman active centers and their favorable thermal and mechanical properties. There is a limited number of solids that have been identified to possess the narrow, isolated and intense Raman active vibronic modes which are necessary for efficient SRS scattering. Intense modes in solids can be attributed to internal symmetrical vibrations within molecular ionic complexes, such as [CO₃], [NO₃], [SO₄], [WO₄] and similar. In spite of a large number of solids which exhibit SRS properties, nitrates of alkaline and alkali-halide metals attract attention as the most promising class of Raman laser media.

© 1998 IEEE