Abstract

In Sm²⁺ doped alkline earth halides, hole burning process is two step photoionization of Sm²⁺ following electron trapping [1]. The first step is using burning laser to excite electron of Sm²⁺ from the ground state ⁷F₀ to the excited energy level ⁵D_J. The second step is using gating laser to excite the electron from the ⁵D_J level to the conduction band, where the free electron will be captured either by trap or by the ionized Sm²⁺ ion again. The overall process depends on the factors: excitation rate, the trapping rate and the recombination rate.

© 1994 Optical Society of America