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Brief Communications
Optical strength of $YAG$ and $LiNbO_3$ crystals irradiated with giant pulses from a $YAG:Er^{3+}$ laser $(\lambda=2,94\mu m)$
Kh. S. Bagdasarov,
N. V. Belugina,
G. V. Gomelauri,
A. A. Manenkov P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute, the USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Abstract:
Measurements were made of the bulk damage threshold
$I_d$ of yttrium aluminum garnet
$(YAG)$ crystals, either free of deliberately introduced impurities or activated with
$Er^{3+}$ ions in different concentrations (up to 80 wt.procent), and also of
$LiNbO_3$ crystals. This threshold was determined using giant pulses from a
$YAG:Er^{3+}$ laser emitting at
$(\lambda=2,94\mu m)$; the energy per pulse was 70 mJ and the pulse duration was 120 nsec. In the case of
$YAG$ crystals it was found that
$I_d$ varied considerably from sample to sample in the range
$I_d=(2,5-18)\cdot10^{10}$ W/cm
${}^2$, which was not associated with the presence of
$Er^{3+}$ but was clearly due to the presence of some accidental impurities. A considerable increase in
$I_d$ was observed for
$YAG:Er^{3+}$ samples characterized by low damage thresholds when these samples were annealed in air. In the case of
$LiNbO_3$, a typical value of the damage threshold was
$I_d\approx10^{11}$ W/cm
${}^2$. The results obtained indicated a sufficiently high optical strength of
$YAG:Er^{3+}$ and
$LiNbO_3$ crystals, used respectively as the active and modulating elements in
$YAG:Er^{3+}$ lasers.
UDC:
621.373.8.038.825
PACS:
61.80.-x, 42.60.He
Received: 11.01.1980
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