Pulse-pumped operation of divalent transition-metal lasers
Abstract
The pulse-pumped operating characteristics of liquid-nitrogen-cooled Ni:MgF2, Co:MgF2, and Ni:CaY2Mg2Ge3O12 (CAMGAR) solid-state lasers have been studied. The internal quantum efficiency of the Ni:MgF2 laser was found to be limited to approximately 40 percent, presumably because of excited-state absorption. The Co:MgF2 laser operated with near-unity quantum efficiency, and generated 150 mJ of diffraction-limited output at repetition rates up to 50 Hz. A continuous tuning range from 1.6 to 2.3 microns was observed along with Q-switched peak output powers of 80 kW. Laser operation from the garnet-structured crystal Ni:CAMGAR was obtained at a wavelength of 1.46 microns.
- Publication:
-
IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics
- Pub Date:
- August 1982
- DOI:
- 10.1109/JQE.1982.1071695
- Bibcode:
- 1982IJQE...18.1185M
- Keywords:
-
- Laser Outputs;
- Laser Pumping;
- Lasing;
- Solid State Lasers;
- Transition Metals;
- Infrared Lasers;
- Laser Materials;
- Magnesium Fluorides;
- Nitrogen;
- Pulsed Lasers;
- Tunable Lasers;
- Lasers and Masers