Yb:doped Lu₂SiO₅ (Lutetium orthosilicate, LSO) is an optically biaxial crystal with laser emission in the range 1000- 1100 nm. It features different absorption and emission spectra for polarization along its three dielectric axes. In this work we have characterized the laser emission properties of Yb:LSO along all the three dielectric axis, evidencing differences that can be exploited in the design of ultrafast laser sources. The material was tested in a longitudinally pumped laser cavity. The laser emission efficiency was found similar along all the three dielectric axes, with slope efficiencies around 90% in most cases. Regarding the tuning range, for the most favourable polarization direction we obtained a continuously tunable emission between 993 and 1088 nm (i. e. 95 nm) peaked at 1040 nm. The tuning curves along the three dielectric axes spanned similar ranges but with relevant differences in the shape.

Date Published: 12 May 2015
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 9513, High-Power, High-Energy, and High-Intensity Laser Technology II, 95130O (12 May 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2178604

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9513:
High-Power, High-Energy, and High-Intensity Laser Technology II
Joachim Hein, Editor(s)