Yb:Lu2SiO5 crystal: characterization of the laser emission along the three dielectric axes
Year: 2015
Authors: Toci G., Pirri A., Beitlerova A., Shoji Y., Yoshikawa A., Hybler J., Nikl M., Vannini M.
Autors Affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Ottica – CNR, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy;
Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara” – CNR, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy;
Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Cukrovarnicka 10, Prague 162 53, Czech Republic;
Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577 Japan;
New Industry Creation Hatchery Center (NICHe), Tohoku University, Japan
Abstract: Yb:doped Lu2SiO5 (Lutetium orthosilicate, LSO) is an optically biaxial crystal with laser emission in the range 1000-1100 nm. It features different absorption and emission spectra for polarization along its three dielectric axes. In this work we have characterized the laser emission properties of Yb:LSO along all the three dielectric axis, evidencing differences that can be exploited in the design of ultrafast laser sources. The material was tested in a longitudinally pumped laser cavity. The laser emission efficiency was found similar along all the three dielectric axes, with slope efficiencies around 90% in most cases. Regarding the tuning range, for the most favourable polarization direction we obtained a continuously tunable emission between 993 and 1088 nm (i. e. 95 nm) peaked at 1040 nm. The tuning curves along the three dielectric axes spanned similar ranges but with relevant differences in the shape.
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KeyWords: Tunable lasers; Yb:LSO; Characterization; Emission spectroscopy; Laser tuning; Polarization; Solid state lasers; Ultrafast lasers; Ytterbium, Absorption and emission spectra; Biaxial crystal; Laser materials; Lutetium orthosilicate; Polarization direction; Slope efficiencies; Tunable emissions; Ytterbium lasers, Pumping (laser)Connecting to view paper tab on IsiWeb: Click here