Spectroscopic properties of newly flux grown and highly Yb super(3+)-doped cubic RE sub(2)O sub(3) (RE = Y, Gd, Lu) laser crystals

• Published in: Optical materials Vol. 39; pp. 258 - 264
• Main Authors: Velazquez, Matias, Veber, Philippe, Buse, Gabriel, Petit, Yannick, Goldner, Philippe, Jubera, Veronique, Rytz, Daniel, Jaffres, Anaeel, Peltz, Mark, Wesemann, Volker, Aschehough, Patrick, Aka, Gerard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2015
• Subjects: Cross sections; Crystals; Decay; Emission spectroscopy; Lasers; Rare earth metals; Single crystals; Solidification; Spectroscopy
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2014.11.037
• ISSN: 0925-3467

We have developed laser grade and highly Yb super(3+)-doped cubic rare-earth sesquioxides (RE sub(2)O sub(3), RE = Y, Gd, Lu) single crystals by means of a newly designed high-temperature solution growth method which gives them spectroscopic properties different from those obtained by high-temperature solidification methods. Absorption and emission cross sections, visible anti-Stokes emission, fluorescence decays of the new cubic Gd sub(2)O sub(3):Yb super(3+) single crystals are presented and compared to those of Y sub(2)O sub(3):Yb super(3+) and Lu sub(2)O sub(3):Yb super(3+) crystals. The case of cubic Gd sub(2)O sub(3):Yb super(3+) is particularly interesting since its basic spectroscopic properties have never been detailed and we were capable of achieving Yb-doping level as high as 20%.