Growth, spectroscopy and first laser operation of monoclinic Ho3+:MgWO4 crystal

• Published in: Journal of luminescence Vol. 213; pp. 316 - 325
• Main Authors: Zhang, Lizhen, Loiko, Pavel, Serres, Josep Maria, Kifle, Esrom, Lin, Haifeng, Zhang, Ge, Vilejshikova, Elena, Dunina, Elena, Kornienko, Alexey, Fomicheva, Liudmila, Griebner, Uwe, Petrov, Valentin, Lin, Zhoubin, Chen, Weidong, Subbotin, Kirill, Aguiló, Magdalena, Díaz, Francesc, Mateos, Xavier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2019
• Subjects: Double tungstates; Holmium ions; Judd-Ofelt theory; Laser operation; Luminescence; Judd-Ofelt theory; Holmium ions; Double tungstates; Laser operation; Luminescence
• ISSN: 0022-2313; 1872-7883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jlumin.2019.04.035

A monoclinic 0.86 at.% Ho3+:MgWO4 crystal is grown by the Top-Seeded-Solution Growth method. Its spectroscopic properties are studied with polarized light for E || a, b, c. The Ho3+ ion transition probabilities are determined within the modified Judd-Ofelt theory (mJ-O) accounting for the configuration interaction. The intensity parameters are Ω2 = 21.09, Ω4 = 4.42, Ω6 = 2.28 [10–20 cm2] and α = 0.053 [10-4 cm]. The calculated radiative lifetime of the 5I7 state is 6.18 ms. The Stark splitting of the 5I7 and 5I8 multiplets is determined with low-temperature spectroscopy. The absorption, stimulated-emission (SE) and gain cross-sections for the 5I8 ↔ 5I7 transition are derived. Ho3+:MgWO4 features a large Stark splitting of the ground-state (380 cm-1), high maximum σSE of 1.82 × 10–20 cm2 at 2.083 μm, broad gain spectra and high luminescence quantum yield making it suitable for efficient continuous-wave and mode-locked lasers at ∼2.1 μm. First laser operation of Ho3+:MgWO4 crystal is demonstrated at 2.104 μm reaching a slope efficiency of 72%.