Abstract

In this work we examined fluoride crystals doped by Tm ions which have recently attracted great interest as laser media applicable in medicine and biology. To estimate promises of lasing in these crystals under laser diode pumping, we have studied both theoretically and experimentally the intraionic transition probabilities and interionic energy transfer processes, leading to luminescence selfquenching, sensitization, and non-linear coupling, appeared in laser crystals under high pump power. The studied objects were rare-earth doped double fluoride crystals, LiYF₄:TR³⁺ (TR=Tm, Ho, Yb) with TR concentration 0-100 at %. The experimental studies were provided by absorption and emission spectroscopic methods, including the kinetic spectroscopy with selective laser excitation. For theoretical estimation of the energy transfer microparameters and macrorates we have used the model quantum-mechanical calculation method.

© 1996 IEEE