Erbium 3-um laser as an upconversion system

The possibilities to obtain efficient 3-mm lasing in erbium sys- tems on the self-saturated transition 4 I 11/2! 4 I 13/2 are analyzed. In the frame of the mathematical model based on analytical expressions for population inversion, photon flux density, and quantum efficiency, ob- tained in the stationary regime, and which explains the main character- istics of 3-mm generation, the influence of various interaction mecha- nisms such as cross-relaxations, transfer to impurities, excited-state absorption (ESA) and so on is analyzed. It is shown that, although ESA from the terminal laser level could improve the generation characteris- tics, the driving mechanism for 3-mm erbium lasers is the cooperative upconversion from the terminal laser level. © 1996 Society of Photo- Optical Instrumentation Engineers. Subject terms: solid state lasers; Er 31 .

[1]  L. Johnson,et al.  Energy Transfer Between Rare‐Earth Ions , 1966 .

[2]  V. Lupei,et al.  On the dynamics of population inversion for 3 mu m Er/sup 3+/ lasers , 1993 .

[3]  H. Weber,et al.  Comparison of YAG:Er and YAlO3:Er laser crystals emitting near 2.9 μm , 1990 .

[4]  R. Sherlock,et al.  Thermal effects on the quantum efficiency of 3 μm erbium lasers , 1995 .

[5]  G. Demirkhanyan,et al.  Investigation of absorption from the lower laser level 4I132 of the erbium ions in the lutetium garnet , 1986 .

[6]  R. Sherlock,et al.  Concentration quenching of the 4I92 level of Er3+ in laser crystals , 1994 .

[7]  Marius Micluta,et al.  Role of two- and three-ion energy transfer processes in three-micrometer generation of erbium doped crystals , 1996, Other Conferences.

[8]  P. Xie,et al.  Continuous-wave, pair-pumped laser. , 1990, Optics letters.

[9]  S. Pollack,et al.  Upconversion‐pumped infrared erbium laser , 1986 .

[10]  T. M. Murina,et al.  Concentration effects on the up-conversion from the level of Er3+ in YAG , 1991 .

[11]  R. Sherlock,et al.  Spectroscopic determination of the figures of merit for 3 μm Er3+ lasers , 1994 .

[12]  Günter Huber,et al.  Laser pumping of Ho-, Tm-, Er-doped garnet lasers at room temperature , 1988 .

[13]  H P Weber,et al.  Laser properties of selectively excited YAlO(3):Er. , 1988, Optics letters.

[14]  V. Lupei,et al.  The effect of terminal level lifetime on three-micron laser emission in Er-doped crystals , 1992 .

[15]  Milan R. Kokta,et al.  Simulatneous multiple wavelength lasing of (Ho,Nd):Y3Al5Od212 , 1987 .

[16]  Bruce H. T. Chai,et al.  Er3+:YLiF4 continuous wave cascade laser operation at 1620 and 2810 nm at room temperature , 1993 .