Upconversion-pumped infrared erbium laser

Abstract

A study of upconversion processes in Er3+ ions in CaF2 has led to an unambiguous demonstration of IR lasing produced by upconversion pumping alone. The study has shown: (1) strong upconversion lines originating from the 4I11/2 state; (2) the existence of both two-photon and three-photon upconversion processes; (3) an optimum concentration of 5–10 mol % for Er3+; and (4) upconversion efficiencies for the visible bands as high as 10% at 77 K and 1% at 300 K. Measurements of lasing between the 4I11/2 and 4I13/2 levels show that even though the lifetime of the upper (4I11/2) state is only half that of the lower state, self-quenching does not occur. Upconversion is implicated for this transition both by the nonpersistence of a ‘‘red shift’’ during a lasing pulse, and by the opposite dependence on concentration of laser threshold energy and upconversion-produced fluorescent intensity. A simple theoretical model shows that a 2.8-μm laser operating between the 4I11/2 and 4I13/2 levels can be pumped solely by upconversion of ions in the excited 4I13/2 state produced by absorption of a 1.54-μm pulse. In addition, (1) a minimum of 1.54-μm pump energy is required; (2) lasing occurs with a delay inversely proportional to the pump energy; and (3) lasing can persist for as long as the lifetime of the lower (4I13/2) state. These predictions have been experimentally verified. The lasing experiments give a lower limit for the upconversion coefficient of α=10−16 cm3 s−1.