Fluorescent glasses for use in fluorescently pumping Nd-3(+) doped laser glass

In certain cases it may be desirable to fluorescently pump a neodymium doped laser glass rather than directly excite the laser glass with the light from a flashlamp. That is, the flashlamp energy is first absorbed in a fluorescent material which then reemits to fluorescently pump the Nd3+ laser glass. This fluorescent pumping could be beneficial in two ways; first, the short wavelength radiation which is not efficiently absorbed by the neodymium can be converted to wavelengths which are strongly absorbed; and, second, the conversion of short wavelength pump light to longer wavelengths will minimize the amount of heat generated in the laser rod. However, if the fluorescent material is to efficiently pump the neodymium, and not simply absorb and waste the short wavelength radiation from the flashlamp, it must display several characteristics.