Optical properties solid-state lasers

Chapter 6 is devoted to discussing the main optical properties of transition metal ions (3d" outer electronic configuration), trivalent rare earth ions (4f 5s 5p outer electronic configuration), and color centers, based on the concepts introduced in Chapter 5. These are the usual centers in solid state lasers and in various phosphors. In addition, these centers are very interesting from a didactic viewpoint. We introduce the Tanabe-Sugano and Dieke diagrams and their application to the interpretation of the main spectral features of transition metal ion and trivalent rare earth ion spectra, respectively. Color centers are also introduced in this chapter, special attention being devoted to the spectra of the simplest F centers in alkali halides. 

Lanthanides activated luminescent materials are widely used for solid-state lasers, luminescent lamps, flat displays, optical fiber communication systems, and other photonic devices. It is because of the unique solid-state electronic properties that enable lanthanide ions in solids to emit photons efficiently in visible and near IR region. Due to the pioneer work by Dieke, Judd, Wyboume, and others in theoretical and experimental studies of the... 

The first optical laser, the ruby laser, was built in 1960 by Theodore Maiman. Since that time lasers have had a profound impact on many areas of science and indeed on our everyday lives. The monochromaticity, coherence, high-intensity, and widely variable pulse-duration properties of lasers have led to dramatic improvements in optical measurements of all kinds and have proven especially valuable in spectroscopic studies in chemistry and physics. Because of their robustness and high power outputs, solid-state lasers are the workhorse devices in most of these applications, either as primary sources or, via nonlinear crystals or dye media, as frequency-shifted sources. In this experiment the 1064-mn near-infrared output from a solid-state Nd YAG laser will be frequency doubled to 532 nm to serve as a fast optical pump of a raby crystal. Ruby consists of a dilute solution of chromium 3 ions in a sapphire (AI2O3) lattice and is representative of many metal ion-doped solids that are useful as solid-state lasers, phosphors, and other luminescing materials. The radiative and nonradiative relaxation processes in such systems are important in determining their emission efficiencies, and these decay paths for the electronically excited Cr ion will be examined in this experiment. 

Another important characteristic of semiconductors is their optical absorption properties. The optical properties of semiconductors are crucial to their uses as photovoltaic energy conversion devices, photonic detectors, light-emitting diodes, solid state lasers, and optical switches see Semiconductor Interfaces). Some semiconductors absorb both visible and ultraviolet light, while others only absorb photons in the... 

Zinc selenide (yellow) and telluride (brown) have similar stractures to those of the sulfide, both existing in both wurtzite and zinc blende modifications. The selenide is used with zinc sulfide as a phosphor. It has the interesting property that it can act as a bine-green solid state laser bine-green laser action in solids is rare (most solid-state lasers function towards the red end, 635 nm or more, of the spectrum). At room temperature, laser action with the selenide at a wavelength of 525 nm (green) is observed and at -196°C at 495 nm (bine). Unfortunately the laser is relatively short-lived. Zinc telluride is a wide band gap semicondnctor whose electron transport properties in the form of thin films of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric forms have been mnch studied. Its applications in optoelectronics, for example, as an optical recording material, have been reviewed. ... 

Emerald (Cr3+ Be3Al2(Si03)6, chromium-doped beryllium aluminium silicate or beryl) is a well known gem, and its beautiful green color has been attracted people for a long time. Nowadays, emerald crystal is also known as a tunable solid-state laser material, and its optical properties have been smdied (1-10). 

A. Ikesue, T. Kinoshita, K. Kamata and K. Yoshida, Fabrication and Optical Properties of High-Performance Polycrystalline Nd YAG Ceramics for Solid-State Lasers, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 78, 1033-40(1995). 

Doping, which involves the intentional incorporation of atoms or ions of suitable elements into host lattices, is one of the effective routes to endow electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of many functional materials. An excellent example is the ruby solid-state laser where the Cr -doped AI2O3 crystal is used as the gain medium. It is now generally anticipated that the performances of the bulk materials are more or less different to those of the same materials in... 

Ikesue A, Kinoshita T, Kamata K, Yoshida K (1995) Fabrication and optical properties of high-performance polycrystalline Nd-YAG ceramics for solid-state lasers. J Am Ceram Soc 78 1033-1040... 

Optical properties of Y2O3 ceramics, doped with rare-earth ions, are of special interest for some applications, such as solid-state lasers and scintillators [95]. Luminescence properties, such as upconversions, are also of special significance. For instance, REA"b co-doped Y2O3 transparent ceramics (RE = Er, Ho, Pr and Tm), exhibited very efficient NIR-visible upconverters [96]. 

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