Erbium-ytterbium microlasers: optical properties and lasing characteristics

In this paper we present a comprehensive review of the work done by our gro up on diode-pumped bulk erbium-ytterbium microlasers. Starting from an anal ysis of the optical properties of Er-Yb doped phosphate glasses, addressed to the modeling of the active material and to the design and optimization o f laser cavities, different operating regimes and peculiar properties of th ese novel laser devices are described and discussed, including multi-longit udinal mode and single-frequency operation, frequency tuning and stabilizat ion, intensity stabilization, Q-switching, mode-locking and frequency-modul ation operation. Due to the high performance in terms of emission character istics and potential low cost, these microlasers are attractive for a large number of applications and, in particular, for optical communications at 1 530-1560 nm wavelengths, metrology, and telemetry at an eye-safe wavelength . (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.