Abstract
In recent years, Yb3+-doped KY(WO4)2 and KGd(WO4)2 double tungstate crystals have been shown to be very promising broadband gain media for diode-pumped lasers in the spectral range near 1 pm [1], These materials demonstrate beneficial spectroscopic data: high absorption of 980-mn pump radiation from commercial InGaAs laser diodes, an amplification bandwidth which is about as broad as typical for glasses, and an extremely low quantum defect of about 4-5%. Ultrashort pulse generation with pulse durations below 100 fs and thin disk laser operation with output powers of tens of watts have been demonstrated with these crystals. One of the drawbacks for further output power scaling with these crystals is comparatively low thermal conductivity and large thermal lensing at high pump powers. However, the thermal lensing depends on thermo-optical properties that are strongly anisotropic in double tungstates and could be reduced in certain directions [2], Here we present the results of the investigation of dispersion and thermo-optical parameters of KGd(WO4)2, KY(WO4)2 and Yb(20%): KY(WO4)2 in the visible spectral range.
© 2007 IEEE
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