Pr3+ concentration effect on spectroscopic property and 3 μm laser performance of Er:YAP crystal

• Published in: Infrared physics & technology 2023-12, Vol.135, p.104955, Article 104955
• Main Authors: Quan, Cong, Sun, Dunlu, Zhang, Huili, Luo, Jianqiao, Qiao, Yang, Dong, Kunpeng, Chen, Yuwei, Wang, Zhentao, Li, Hongyuan, Cheng, Maojie, Zhang, Qingli
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Deactivating ion; Diode-pumped; Er,Pr:YAP crystal; Mid-infrared laser
• ISSN: 1350-4495
• DOI: 10.1016/j.infrared.2023.104955

•Er,Pr:YAP crystals with two different Pr3+ concentrations are grown by CZ method.•Influence of Pr3+ concentrations on the luminescence and laser properties are investigated contrastively.•Watt-level ∼2.7 μm laser is achieved on the Er,0.1Pr:YAP crystal by LD end-pumping.•∼2.7 μm laser power can be improved by optimizing the concentrations of deactivating Pr3+. High-quality Er,Pr:YAP crystals with two different Pr3+ concentrations are grown successfully, and the spectra and laser performances are studied in contrast. Both two crystals exhibit a wide absorption band with a central wavelength at 972 nm and high transmittance of over 80% in the wavelength range of 2.5 to 5 μm. The luminescence and laser properties are improved when the concentration of Pr3+ decreased from 0.2 at% to 0.1 at%. The maximum powers of 1040 and 835 mW are achieved in the Er,0.1Pr:YAP, and Er,0.2Pr:YAP crystals, corresponding to slope efficiencies of 13.97% and 10.94%, respectively. All the results indicate that co-doping with an appropriate concentration of deactivating Pr3+ is an effective method to attenuate the self-termination effect of Er3+, and then further improve the laser performance.