Spectroscopic properties and laser emission of Er3+ in scandium silicates near 1.5 μm

Abstract We have grown Er3+- and Er3+-, Yb3+-doped scandium silicates Sc2SiO5 and Sc2Si2O7 by the Czochralski technique and analyzed the spectroscopic properties of these crystals. Crystal data of the host materials, the lifetimes and the Stark level splitting of the Er energy levels as well as laser parameters of samples pumped by a Ti:Al2O3-laser and InGaAs-laser diodes are presented. Laser oscillation of diode pumped Er,Yb:Sc2SiO5 yielded a slope efficiency of 2.4% and a maximum output power of 24 mW.

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