High optical quality rare-earth-doped LiYF₄ (YLF) epitaxial layers were grown on pure YLF substrates by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE). Thulium, praseodymium and ytterbium YLF crystalline waveguides co-doped with gadolinium and/or lutetium were obtained. Spectroscopic and optical characterization of these rare-earth doped waveguides are reported. Internal propagation losses as low as 0.11 dB/cm were measured on the Tm:YLF waveguide and the overall spectroscopic characteristics of the epitaxial layers were found to be comparable to bulk crystals. Laser operation was achieved at 1.87 μm in the Tm³⁺ doped YLF planar waveguide with a very good efficiency of 76% with respect to the pump power. Lasing was also demonstrated in a Pr³⁺ doped YLF waveguide in the red and orange regions and in a Yb³⁺:YLF planar waveguide at 1020 nm and 994 nm.

Date Published: 18 March 2013
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 8599, Solid State Lasers XXII: Technology and Devices, 859902 (18 March 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2012510

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8599:
Solid State Lasers XXII: Technology and Devices
W. Andrew Clarkson; Ramesh Shori, Editor(s)