title: Saturable absorber: transparent glass-ceramics based on a mixture of Co:β-Zn2SiO4and Co:ZnO nanocrystals.
abstract: We report on the development of novel saturable absorbers for erbium lasers based on transparent glass-ceramics (GCs) containing a mixture of cobalt-doped β-willemite, Co2+:β-Zn2SiO4, and zinc oxide, Co2+:ZnO, nanosized (10-14 nm) crystals. The structure of the parent glass and GCs is studied by x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Variations of absorption spectra with heat-treatment reveal that Co2+ions from the parent glass enter the crystals of ZnO and β-willemite. GCs are characterized by a broad absorption band due to the A24(F4)→T14(F4) transition of Co2+ions in tetrahedral sites spanning up to ∼1.74  μm, relatively low saturation fluence, FS=0.75  J/cm2at 1.54 μm, short recovery time, τ=830  ns, and high laser damage threshold, ∼14  J/cm2. By using the developed GCs in a diode-side-pumped Er, Yb:glass laser, 0.77 mJ/45 ns pulses are generated.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loiko
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Dymshits
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Vitkin
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Skoptsov
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zhilin
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Shemchuk
authors.forename: M Ya
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tsenter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bogdanov
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Malyarevich
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Glazunov
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mateos
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Yumashev