Laser performance study of mixed vanadate crystals Nd:YxGd1−xVO4 with direct and indirect pumping

Nils C. Fernelius; Yuanji Tang; Thomas S. Hartwick; Suning Tang

doi:10.1117/1.3041762

1 December 2008 Laser performance study of mixed vanadate crystals Nd:Y_xGd_1-xVO₄ with direct and indirect pumping

Nils C. Fernelius, Yuanji Tang, Thomas S. Hartwick, Suning Tang

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 47, Issue 12, 124201 (December 2008). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3041762

Abstract

We present, for the first time, comparative studies of laser performance in the mixed vanadate crystals Nd:Y_xGd_1-xVO₄ with direct and indirect pumping. A series of mixed vanadate crystals Nd:Y_xGd_1-xVO₄ with different yttrium and gadolinium composition ratios but the same Nd³⁺ dopant level is prepared under the same fabrication processes and their laser performance in the TEM₀₀ mode operation is studied using the same experimental configuration under direct pumping with laser diodes at 880 nm as well as indirect pumping at 808 nm. Remarkable improvement in laser efficiency and maximum achievable output power is achieved under direct 880-nm excitation over indirect 808-nm excitation. The maximum optical slope efficiency in the TEM₀₀ mode operation is 74% with direct 880-nm pumping, which also produces the maximum overall optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 59%. The maximum attainable laser power is up to 50% higher under direct 880-nm pumping over the more conventional 808-nm pumping. These achieved results provide valuable insight into crystal composition selection and pump schemes for the mixed vanadate crystals, which have the potential to tailor laser parameters through crystal composition engineering.

©(2008) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Citation Download Citation

Nils C. Fernelius, Yuanji Tang, Thomas S. Hartwick, and Suning Tang "Laser performance study of mixed vanadate crystals Nd:Y_xGd_1-xVO₄ with direct and indirect pumping," Optical Engineering 47(12), 124201 (1 December 2008). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3041762

Published: 1 December 2008

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