Laser material

Details Laser material Laser material

1997-10-10

1999-10-19

Scott, Jr., Leon

Coherent light generators

Particular active media

Insulating crystal

372 39, H01S 316

Patent

active

059700793

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to quantum electronics, namely to materials for laser techniques and is appropriated for an application in solid state lasers having a wavelength of a stimulated emission radiation in spectral range from 2.8 microns to 3.1 microns.
2. The Prior Art.
It is known a laser material on the halogen alkali metal crystals basis. These crystals may be used as active media for the lasers with a continuously tunable emission wavelength in three micron spectral range. [O.Zvelto, `Principles of lasers, M., Mir (1990) 560 p] On the Cl:KCl and Li:RbCl crystals with F.sub.A centers work lasers emitting in 2.5.div.2.9 microns and 2.7.div.3.3 microns wavelength intervals, respectively.
The limitations of the halogen alkali metals crystals are a high solubility of these crystals in water and also a decay of F.sub.A --centers at temperatures above 200 K. These factors cumber a practical application of this crystals in lasers with a continuously tunable emission wavelength.
It is known a material on the garnet structure crystals basis having composition which is described by chemical formula: V. A. Smirnov, I. A. Shcherbakov, A. F. Umyskov, "Spectral-luminescence and lasing properties of the chromium and erbium doped yttrium-scandium-gallium garnet", Kvantovay electronika, 1986, v.13, N5, pp. 975-979]. The specified material is used in lasers emitting at 2.8 microns wavelength. On this material the following laser parameters were presented: the lasing threshold is 50 J and the differential slope efficiency of lasing is 1% for free running mode laser operation, at 300 microseconds pumping pulse duration and at 30% of reflection of an output mirror (R=30%). In a cavity containing a dispersive element the lasing was achieved on the separate Stark's transitions on six wavelengths: 2.64 microns, 2.70 microns, 2.80 microns, 2.83 microns, 2.86 microns, 2.92 microns [L. A. Kulevskii, A. V. Lukashev, P. P. Pashinin, "Many-wavelength lasing at Cr:Er:YSGG crystal in the dispersion cavity", In Proceedings of All union conference "Physics and applications of solid state lasers", Apr. 16-17, 1990, M., FIAN, p.40-41].
The deficiency of the known laser material is a principled impossibility to achieve on the garnet structure containing Er.sup.3+ ions crystals a stimulated radiation with a continuously tunable laser wavelength. The explanation of this is that the Er.sup.3+ ions luminescence spectra consists of the separate pikes and Er.sup.3 + ions have a small cross section value of the .sup.4 I.sub.11/2 .fwdarw..sup.4 I.sub.13/2 lasing transition in the intervals between the luminescence pikes.
Also are known the aluminum garnet crystals doped with holmium ions {Lu,Yb,Ho}.sub.3 [Al,Cr].sub.2 (Al).sub.3 O.sub.12 [A. A.Kaminskii, A. G. Petrosyan, "Sensibilized stimulated radiation on the three microns self-saturation transitions of Ho.sup.3+ and Er.sup.3+ ions in Lu.sub.3 A .sub.5 O.sub.12 crystals", I AN SSSR, seria Neorganicheskie Materialy, v.15, N 3 (1979) p.543-544]. Stimulated emission of radiation on the self-saturated three microns .sup.5 I.sub.6 .fwdarw..sup.5 I.sub.7 transition of holmium ions was realized for the next aluminum garnet crystals containing the Ho.sup.3+ ions: Ho.sup.3+ ions is from 0.15 f.u. to 0.3 f.u.; of Ho.sup.3+ and Yb.sup.3+ ions is 0.3 f.u. and 0.3 f.u., respectively; of Ho.sup.3+, Yb.sup.3+ and Cr.sup.3+ ions is 0.3 f.u f.u. and 0.006 f.u., respectively. Xe-lamp ISP-250 in confocal (600 mm) optical cavity combined by dielectric mirrors. Lasing threshold was 40-60 J for (1)-crystal and 10-11 J for (2) and (3) crystals. A decreasing of a threshold was achieved as a result of addition of the Yb.sup.3+ and Cr.sup.3+ ions in crystal. One of the essential limitations of that laser material is that the stimulated emission of radiation was achieved at alone 2.946 microns wavelength only.
Laser material of garnet structure having the chemical formula: {Y,Sc,Yb,Ho}.sub.3 [Sc,Yb,Ga,Cr].sub.2 (Ga).sub.3 O.sub.12 and containing Ho ions in t

REFERENCES:
patent: 5420878 (1995-05-01), Kane et al.
patent: 5677921 (1997-10-01), Schaffers et al.

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