title: Evaluation of spectroscopic properties of Er(3+)/Yb(3+)/Pr(3+): SrGdGa3O7 crystal for use in mid-infrared lasers.
abstract: Er(3+)/Yb(3+)/Pr(3+): SrGdGa3O7 crystal was firstly grown by Czochralski method. Detailed spectroscopic analyses of Er(3+)/Yb(3+)/Pr(3+): SrGdGa3O7 were carried out. Besides better absorption characteristic, the spectra of Er(3+)/Yb(3+)/Pr(3+): SrGdGa3O7 show weaker up-conversion and near-infrared emissions as well as superior mid-infrared emission in comparison to Er(3+): SrGdGa3O7 and Er(3+)/Yb(3+): SrGdGa3O7 crystals. Furthermore, the self-termination effect for Er(3+) 2.7 μm laser is suppressed successfully because the fluorescence lifetime of the (4)I(13/2) lower level of Er(3+) decreases markedly while that of the upper (4)I(11/2) level changes slightly in Er(3+)/Yb(3+)/Pr(3+): SrGdGa3O7 crystal. The sensitization effect of Yb(3+) and deactivation effect of Pr(3+) ions as well as the energy transfer mechanism in Er(3+)/Yb(3+)/Pr(3+): SrGdGa3O7 crystal were also studied in this work. The introduction of Yb(3+) and Pr(3+) is favorable for achieving an enhanced 2.7 μm emission in Er(3+)/Yb(3+)/Pr(3+): SrGdGa3O7 crystal which can act as a promising candidate for mid-infrared lasers.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Chemistry and Physics, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Science, Fuzhou 350002, PR China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, PR China.
authors.forename: Houping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, PR China.
authors.forename: Jianghe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Chemistry and Physics, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Science, Fuzhou 350002, PR China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Chemistry and Physics, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Science, Fuzhou 350002, PR China.
authors.forename: Jianfu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Ji'nan 250100, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhitai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Chemistry and Physics, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Science, Fuzhou 350002, PR China.
authors.forename: Chaoyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tu