Abstract
The Ho ion upper state lifetime in YLF is ~50 times that of an Nd ion in YAG crystal. This provides a highly suitable medium for Q-switching to obtain high peak power pulses. At room temperature, the Tm.Ho: YLF laser is basically a three-level laser system since the Ho lower laser level is ~1.5 kT above the ground state of the ion. Thus reabsorption losses result in a higher lasing threshold. The proper crystal should be long enough to absorb a significant amount of the pump beam while short enough to minimize reabsorption losses.
© 1989 Optical Society of America
PDF ArticleMore Like This
Mahendra G. Jani, Newton. Sims, Keith E. Murray, George E. Lockard, Norman P. Barnes, and Alfred E. Von Theumer
CThF7 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO:S&I) 1993
Upendra N. Singh, Jirong Yu, Mulugeta Petros, Norman P. Barnes, Julie A. Williams-Byrd, George E. Lockard, and Edward A. Modlin
ML1 Advanced Solid State Lasers (ASSL) 1998
Newton Sims, Marc C. Cimolino, Norman P. Barnes, and Bill G. Asbury
IL12 Advanced Solid State Lasers (ASSL) 1995