Excimer-pumped four level blue-green solid state laser
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsLeon Esterowitz, Roger E. Allen, Melvin R. Kruer, Filbert J. Bartoli
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Abstract
An efficient, four-level, blue-green, excimer-pumped laser which is opera at room temperature. The laser element includes a CaWO.sub.4 crystal which has been codoped with trivalent thulium activator ions and divalent ytterbium sensitizer ions. Energy is transferred from the absorbing Yb.sup.2+ ions to the Tm.sup.3+ ions and the laser transition is from the .sup.1 D.sub.2 multiplet to the ground .sup.3 F.sub.4 of the Tm.sup.3+ ion. This transition terminates on an excited state; therefore, the laser action is four-level.
Claims5
A solid state laser element for four-level blue-green operation in a laser system and comprising:
- a host crystal of calcium tungstate;
- divalent sensitizer ions uniformly dispersed within said host crystal, wherein said divalent sensitizer ions are ytterbium and said divalent sensitizer ions of ytterbium have a concentration of from about 0.005% to about 0.20% by weight;
- and
- trivalent rare-earth activator ions uniformly dispersed within said host crystal.
A solid-state laser element for four-level blue-green operation in a laser system and comprising:
- a host crystal of calcium tungstate;
- divalent sensitizer ions uniformly dispersed within said host crystal;
- and
- trivalent rare-earth activator ions uniformly dispersed within said host crystal, wherein said trivalent rare-earth activator ions are thulium and said trivalent rare-earth activator ions of thulium have a concentration of from about 0.5% to about 20% by weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.