Abstract

The use of erbium lasers for microsurgery requires a repetition rate of ~100 Hz. Such a repetition rate can only be achieved in highly doped (50%) crystals where by ⁴/_13/2 → ⁴/_15/2, ⁴/_13/2 →⁴/_9/2 cross relaxation the long-living lower laser level can be depopulated. Highly doped flashlamp-pumped YAIO₃:Er has a typical laser threshold of ≈30 J for a crystal of 75-mm length and 6.35-mm diameter. 100-Hz operation would thus lead to an average pump power exceeding 3 kW, well beyond the thermal damage threshold. Therefore, a reduction of the threshold is required.

© 1988 Optical Society of America