SELF-ABSORPTION AND PHONON-ASSISTED RADIATIVE ENERGY-TRANSFER PROCESSES IN A RUBY-LASER ROD

Systematic investigations of the effect of self-absorption on the dyna mic and steady-state spectroscopic properties in ruby have been carrie d out at different temperatures (from similar to 130 to 500 K) using a long, pink laser rod. At about 140 K, the lengthening of decay times of the R lines reached a maximum and then decreased with increasing ge ometric trapping. Spectral diffusion as large as 10 cm(-1) was observe d in the complete-trapping regime. These observations suggest reexamin ation of the theoretical model for phonon-assisted radiative energy tr ansfer in ruby.