Effects of the excitation density on the laser output of two differently doped Yb:YAG ceramics

Year: 2010

Authors: Pirri A., Toci G., Alderighi D., Vannini M.

Autors Affiliation: Istituto di Fisica Applicata Nello Carrara, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IFAC-CNR, Via Madonna del Piano 10C, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy

Abstract: We report the behavior of two Yb3+ doped ceramics (i.e. 10% at. and 20% at.) under quasi-continuous wave laser pumping. Two different behaviors are found depending on the density of Yb3+ in the excited level. Experimental results show that at low population inversion density, the maximum output power and the efficiency are almost independent on the doping concentration. In particular, an output power as high as 8.9 W with a corresponding slope efficiency of 52% with respect to the injected pump power was reached with the 20% at. sample. Conversely, at high population inversion densities, the 20% doped sample shows a sudden decrease of the laser output for increasing pump power, due to the onset of a nonlinear loss mechanism. Finally, we report a comparison of the experimental results with numerical simulations for the evaluation of the inversion density and of the temperature distribution.

Journal/Review: OPTICS EXPRESS

Volume: 18 (16)      Pages from: 17262  to: 17272

More Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge the help of Mr. Andrea Nofri and Dr. Federico Tommasi in the measurements of the fluorescence decay times. This research has been partially supported by the following projects funded by Regione Toscana: ICT-ONE: Sistema integrato su piattaforma ICT per l’alta formazione, la ricerca e l’innovazione industriale nei settori Ottica, Nanotecnologie ed Energia (under the program P.O.R. Ob. 3 Toscana 2000/2006), and CTOTUS – Progetto integrato per lo sviluppo della Capacita Tecnologica e Operativa della Toscana per l’Utilizzo dello Spazio (under the program POR FESR 2007 – 2013 Attivita 1.1 Linee d’intervento D). It was also supported by the project Ricerca Spontanea a Tema Libero (RSTL) ID 959 CNR.
KeyWords: Ceramic materials; Continuous wave lasers; Doping (additives); Laser excitation; Pumps; Ytterbium, Doped ceramics; Doped sample; Doping concentration; Excitation density; Excited levels; Laser output; Maximum output power; Nonlinear loss; Numerical simulation; Output power; Population inversions; Pump power; Slope efficiencies; YAG, Pumping (laser), article; ceramics; cold; light; solid state laser, Ceramics; Cold Temperature; Lasers, Solid-State; Light
DOI: 10.1364/OE.18.017262

Citations: 29
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