Thermally stabilized operating mode of an erbium–ytterbium laser

Abstract

We propose a theoretical method of pumping optimization for the Er–Yb laser based on the concept of a self-cooling laser. The pumping optimization realizes the anti-Stokes fluorescence cooling and excitation transfer by the Yb ions simultaneously. In this case, the Yb ions become the sources of cooling while the Er ions remain the heating sources. With a certain ratio between the cooling and heating sources, the operating temperature of the laser medium can be stabilized. We simulate the pumping process for the parameters of the Er, Yb:YAG system to demonstrate the possibility of getting a thermally stabilized operating mode of the laser for the ion ratios in the range of 40 to 60 Yb ions to one Er ion. The simulations show that the self-cooled laser medium can be implemented for the laser intensities of k W / c m 2 in the cavity.

Fluorescent contactless method for temperature determination of YAl3(BO3)4 crystals doped with Yb3+ ions

“…Optical cooling of solids can overcome the drawbacks of classical mechanical cryocoolers, such as vibration, temperature distribution inhomogeneity, massive additional equipment, to name a few. In the YAB crystals co-doped with Er and Yb ions, pumping near the absorption edge of ytterbium ions may resulted in both laser cycle and cooling cycle [5]. The laser cycle is implemented due to energy transfer from Yb ions to Er ions.…”