Growth, structure, spectroscopic, and laser properties of Ho-doped yttrium gallium garnet crystal
We report on the growth of a 2.86 at.% Ho:YGG crystal using the optical floating zone technique in an oxygen-rich environment, followed by the study of its structure, optical spectroscopy and first demonstration of continuous-wave laser operation at 2.1 µm. The crystal structure refined through the Rietveld method reaffirms the cubic symmetry (sp. gr. <i>Ia</i>3¯<i>d</i>, <i>a</i> = 12.2796(9) Å). The absorption, stimulated-emission (SE), and gain cross-sections for the <sup>5</sup>I<sub>8</sub> ↔ <sup>5</sup>I<sub>7</sub> Ho<sup>3+</sup> transition were determined from the spectroscopic studies. The SE cross-section, <i>σ</i> <sub>SE</sub>, amounts to 9.5 × 10<sup>-21</sup> cm<sup>2</sup> at 2084 nm, and the luminescence lifetime of the <sup>5</sup>I<sub>7</sub> state is 8.94 ms. Among the Ho-doped garnets, Ho:YGG is characterized by smoother gain cross sections and a long luminescence lifetime. Laser operation of the Ho:YGG crystal is showcased using a 1908 nm Tm-fiber laser as a pump source. The in-band pumped Ho:YGG laser delivers 976 mW at 2085 and 2109 nm with a slope efficiency of 50.1%.
Authors
- Sami Slimi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3803-5156)
- Christian Kränkel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3609-5825)
- Huaijin Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2118-5863)
- Uwe Griebner
- Valentin Petrov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7247-6145)
- Pavel Loiko
- Francesc Dı́az (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4581-4967)
- Haohai Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2295-1400)
- Magdalena Aguiló (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6130-9579)
- Rosa Maria Solé (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5769-4141)
- Weidong Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9802-2165)
- Xavier Mateos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1940-1990)
Institutions
- Shandong University (CN)
- Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter (CN)
- Max-Born-Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy (DE)
- State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili (ES)
- Leibniz Institute for Crystal Growth (DE)
- Université de Caen Normandie (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Optics Express
- Published
- 2024-12-30
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.540363
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Solid State Laser Technologies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.04
Funders
- Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
- Departament d'Empresa i Coneixement, Generalitat de Catalunya