Laser materials based on transition metal ions

Abstract

The purpose of this presentation is to review the spectroscopic properties of the main laser materials based on transition metal ions which lead to noticeable laser performance at room temperature and, for very few cases, because of unique properties, when they are operated at cryogenic temperatures. The description also includes the materials which are currently being used as saturable absorbers for passive-Q-switching of a variety of other near- and mid-infrared solid state lasers. A substantial part of the article is devoted first to the description of the energy levels and of the absorption and emission transitions of the transition metal ions in various types of environments by using the well-known Tanabe-Sugano diagrams. It is shown in particular how these diagrams can be used along with other theoretical considerations to understand and describe the spectroscopic properties of ions sitting in crystal field environments of near-octahedral or near-tetrahedral symmetry. The second part is then dedicated to the description (positions and intensities) of the main absorption and emission features which characterize the different types of materials.