Abstract

Cr³⁺ ion, because of its potentially very good electronic properties, is widely used as an optical activator in solid state, tunable laser materials [1]. The emitting state, in materials with appropriate crystal field strength, combines desirable properties of both quartet (⁴T₂) and doublet (²E) states. For low field materials the emitting state is a quartet. Because of strong lattice coupling it gives broad emission band important for tunability. On the other hand, if the field is not too low, the storage effect due to the thermal interaction between the long living doublet and the short living quartet, leads to relatively long radiative lifetimes important for efficient flashlamp pumping. Long radiative lifetimes together with relatively low emission cross-sections increase the output energy of the laser.

© 1987 Optical Society of America