Crystal growth, optical spectroscopy, and continuous-wave laser operation of Ho:KLu(WO4)2 crystals

AbstractWe present the crystal growth, optical spectroscopy, and room temperature continuous-wave (CW) laser operation of monoclinic Ho:KLu(WO4)2 crystals. Macro defect-free crystals of several dopant concentrations were grown by top-seeded solution growth slow-cooling method. The evolution of unit cell parameters with holmium doping level and temperature was studied using X-ray powder diffraction. The spectroscopic properties were characterized in terms of room- and low-temperature optical absorption and photoluminescence. From low-temperature optical absorption measurements, the energy of the Stark levels was determined. Calculation of the emission and gain cross sections is presented. CW laser action was realized for 3 and 5 at. % Ho-doped KLu(WO4)2 by in-band pumping using a Tm:KLu(WO4)2 pump laser. A maximum output power of 507 mW with a slope efficiency of ~38 % with respect to the incident power was achieved at 2,080 nm with the Ho:KLu(WO4)2 laser.

[1]  J. G. Betterton,et al.  Intra-cavity side-pumped Ho:YAG laser. , 2006, Optics Express.

[2]  R. D. Shannon.  Revised effective ionic radii and systematic studies of interatomic distances in halides and chalcogenides , 1976 .

[3]  Glenn M. Preminger,et al.  Holmium laser for stone management , 2007, World Journal of Urology.

[4]  Kazuhiro Asai,et al.  Spectroscopic and diode-pumped-laser properties of TM,Ho:YLF; Tm, Ho:LuLF; and Tm,Ho:LuAG crystals: a comparative study , 2003 .

[5]  U. Griebner,et al.  CW lasing of Ho in KLu(WO4)2 in-band pumped by a diode-pumped Tm:KLu(WO4)2 laser. , 2010, Optics express.

[6]  U. Griebner,et al.  Growth, optical characterization, and laser operation of a stoichiometric crystal KYb(WO 4 ) 2 , 2002 .

[7]  Leon Esterowitz,et al.  Intracavity-pumped 209- m Ho:YAG laser , 1992 .

[8]  Lloyd L. Chase,et al.  Infrared cross-section measurements for crystals doped with Er/sup 3+/, Tm/sup 3+/, and Ho/sup 3+/ , 1992 .

[9]  Zhang Yun-jun,et al.  High Efficient Continuous-Wave Ho:YAG Laser Pumped by a Diode-pumped Tm:YLF Laser at Room Temperature , 2008 .

[10]  Xavier Mateos,et al.  Structural redetermination, thermal expansion and refractive indices of KLu(WO4)2 , 2006 .

[11]  Atsushi Sato,et al.  Lasing characteristics and optimizations of a diode-side-pumped Tm, Ho:GdVO4 laser. , 2004, Optics letters.

[12]  R. L. Bowles,et al.  Coherent lidar airborne windshear sensor: performance evaluation. , 1991, Applied optics.

[13]  Magdalena Aguiló,et al.  Growth of β-KGd1 − xNdx(WO4)2 single crystals in K2W2O7 solvents , 1996 .

[14]  Y. Zhang,et al.  Holmium laser in-band pumped by a thulium laser in the same host of YAlO3 , 2008 .

[15]  C. Zaldo,et al.  Emission cross sections and spectroscopy of Ho/sup 3+/ laser channels in KGd(WO/sub 4/)/sub 2/ single crystal , 2002 .

[16]  X. Mateos,et al.  Efficient 2-$mu$m Continuous-Wave Laser Oscillation of Tm$^3 + $:KLu(WO$_4$)$_2$ , 2006, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics.

[17]  Leonard A. Pomeranz,et al.  Efficient mid-infrared laser using 1.9-µm-pumped Ho:YAG and ZnGeP 2 optical parametric oscillators , 2000 .

[18]  W. A. Clarkson,et al.  Efficient Ho : YAG laser pumped by a cladding-pumped tunable Tm : silica-fibre laser , 2004 .

[19]  Y. Ju,et al.  Continuous-wave and Q-switched operation of a resonantly pumped Ho:YAlO3 laser. , 2008, Optics express.

[20]  Xavier Mateos,et al.  Growth and properties of KLu(WO4)2, and novel ytterbium and thulium lasers based on this monoclinic crystalline host , 2007 .

[21]  J. Gavaldà,et al.  Physical properties of the 0.12 KLu(WO4)2–0.88 K2W2O7 solution and single-crystal growth of KLu(WO4)2 , 2008 .