Enhanced 2.7 μm mid-infrared emissions of Er3+via Pr3+deactivation and Yb3+sensitization in LiNbO3crystal.
The use of Pr3+codoping for enhancement of the transition of Er3+:4I11/2→4I13/22.7 μm emissions was investigated in the Er/Yb codoped LiNbO3crystal for the first time. It is found that the codoped of Pr3+ion in Er3+, Yb3+and Pr3+triply doped LiNbO3crystal (Er/Yb/Pr: LN) greatly enhances Er3+: 2.7 μm emission under excitation of a common 970 nm laser diode, depopulates the lower laser level of Er3+:4I13/2, and has little influence on the higher laser level of Er3+:4I11/2at the same time for population inversion. The 2.7 μm emission characteristics and energy transfer were investigated in detail. The energy transition efficiency from lower laser level of Er3+:4I13/2to Pr3+:3F4level is as high as 0.42, indicating that the Pr3+ion is an effective deactivation ion for Er3+ion in LiNbO3crystal. These results suggest that Er/Yb/Pr: LiNbO3crystal may become an attractive host for developing solid state lasers at around 2.7 μm under a conventional 970 nm LD pump.
Peixiong
P
Zhang
Zhenqiang
Z
Chen
Yin
Y
Hang
Zhen
Z
Li
Hao
H
Yin
Siqi
S
Zhu
Shenhe
S
Fu
Anming
A
Li