Shoujun Ding

Crystal growth and characterization of a mixed laser crystal: Nd-doped Gd0.89La0.1NbO4

Herein, a Nd-doped GdLaNbO4 (Nd:GLNO) single crystal has been grown successfully using the Czochralski method. The segregation coefficient of Nd3+ ions in the Nd:GLNO crystal is measured to be 0.71. The X-ray power diffraction patterns of the Nd:GLNO crystal confirm that the as-grown crystal has the same crystal structure as pure GdNbO4. The structural parameters of the as-grown crystal are obtained via an X-ray Rietveld refinement method. The absorption spectrum, fluorescence spectrum, and fluorescence decay curve of Nd:GLNO were obtained at room temperature. The small emission cross-section at 1065 nm and long fluorescence lifetime of Nd3+ ions (176.4 μs) indicate that the Nd:GLNO crystal is suitable for generating an ultrashort pulse laser. A maximum continuous wave (CW) laser output power of 957 mW is achieved at 1.06 μm, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 30.3% and slope efficiency of 34.2%. All the obtained results imply that this crystal is a novel mixed niobate-based laser host suitable for laser diode pumps.

Diode-pumped continuous-wave and passively Q-switched Nd:GdLaNbO 4 laser

A diode-pumped passively Q-switched 1065 nm laser with a novel Nd:Gd0.89La0.1NbO4 mixed crystal was demonstrated for the first time to the best of our knowledge. First, the crystal characteristics were investigated. In the continuous-wave (CW) operation, when the absorbed pump power was 12.24 W, the maximum CW output power of 3.06 W was obtained with the optimum transmission (20%) of the output plane coupler. In the passively Q-switched situation, when Cr4+:YAG crystal with an initial transmission of 90% served as the Q-switched saturable absorber, the maximum repetition rate, pulse peak power and minimum pulse width were 24.5 kHz, 1.13 kW and 32 ns, respectively, at the absorbed pump power of 12.24 W.