Resonantly diode-pumped Ho3+:Y2O3 ceramic 2.1 µm laser

Area of Science:

• Solid-state laser physics
• Materials science
• Infrared laser technology

Background:

• Yttrium oxide (Y2O3) is a promising host material for rare-earth doping.
• Holmium (Ho3+) ions are known for their emission in the mid-infrared region.
• Development of efficient diode-pumped solid-state lasers is crucial for various applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first laser operation of Holmium-doped Yttrium Oxide (Ho3+:Y2O3) ceramic.
• To characterize the performance of a diode-pumped Ho3+:Y2O3 laser.
• To investigate the spectroscopic properties of Ho3+:Y2O3 for laser applications.

Main Methods:

• Resonant diode-pumping of Ho3+:Y2O3 ceramic at ~1.93 µm.
• Continuous wave (CW) laser output power measurement.
• Measurement of absorption and stimulated emission cross sections at 77 K and 300 K.
• Calculation of gain cross section spectrum.

Main Results:

• Achieved up to 2.5 W of CW output power at ~2.12 µm.
• Obtained a slope efficiency of ~35% with respect to absorbed power.
• Measured a beam propagation factor (M2) of ~1.1, indicating good beam quality.
• Determined spectroscopic parameters crucial for laser design.

Conclusions:

• Ho3+:Y2O3 ceramic is a viable gain medium for ~2.12 µm laser operation.
• The demonstrated laser performance is significant for mid-infrared sources.
• Spectroscopic data provides a foundation for optimizing future Ho3+:Y2O3 laser systems.