The study of barium-gadolinium, barium-yttrium and barium-bismuth double molybdates as a potential active media for microchip Raman lasers

Abstract

In this work, BaR2(MoO4)4 compounds (where R = Gd, Y, Bi) have been synthesized, and a comparative study of the Raman spectra of these compounds has been carried out for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. It has been shown that these compounds, potentially, are the promising active media for conversion of laser radiation on the stimulated Raman scattering effect, in particular, for a microchip self-Raman laser. The peak and integral cross sections of the most intense bands in the Raman spectrum (around 850 cm-1 and 950 cm-1) of the compounds under consideration are comparable in magnitude with the cross sections of barium tungstate – the well-known highly efficient stimulated Raman scattering crystal. It has been found that the peak intensities of the vibration around 850 cm-1 decrease with decreasing radius and mass of the R3+ cation. The optical damage threshold of BaBi2(MoO4)4 and BaGd2(MoO4)4 crystals on cleaved (non-polished) surface was estimated at about 500 MW/cm2.