title: Detailed characterization of pump-induced refractive index changes observed in Nd:YVO(4), Nd:GdVO(4) and Nd:KGW.
abstract: The refractive index changes which can be induced in the Nd:YVO(4), Nd:GdVO(4) and Nd:KGW high gain laser crystals, when their Nd(3+) laser active ions are pumped from their ground- to excited- energy levels, have been carefully measured and characterized. By using two complementary optical techniques based on pump-probe interferometry and transient diffraction grating, the electronic and thermal contributions to the observed refractive index variations have been accurately determined and successfully exploited to derive various parameters such as polarizability changes, thermo-optic coefficients and thermal diffusivities.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche sur les Ions, les Matériaux et la Photonique (CIMPA), UMR 6252 CNRS-CEA-ENSICAEN, Université de Caen, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soulard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zinoviev
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Doualan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ivakin
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Antipov
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moncorgé
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005740:Gases