HIGHLY EFFICIENT DIODE-PUMPED 3-MU-M ER3+BAY2F8 LASER

A systematic investigation on a series of monoclinic Er3+:BaY2F8 cryst als with different dopant concentrations (C-Er = 5%-30%) and crystal o rientations was conducted to optimize the laser performance in this ne w 3-mu m laser medium by laser diode pumping, The highest slope effici ency of 32% near the quantum defect (35%) was obtained with a 10% dope d Er3+:BaY2F8 crystal with the orientation (010) and a length of 3.5 m m, A maximum output power of 160 mW was achieved at an absorbed pump p ower of 550 mW at a wavelength of 970 nm.