Determination of the stimulated-emission cross section in an end-pumped solid-state laser from laser-induced pump saturation data

A novel method for the determination of the stimulated-emission cross secti on in an end-pumped solid-state laser is presented. The technique is based on the fact that increasing intracavity laser intensity stimulates faster d ecay of excited atoms and reduces the saturation of pump absorption. The us e of this laser-induced pump saturation method is demonstrated with experim ental data collected from a Cr4+:YAG laser and analyzed by use of a numeric al, model that calculates the change in the pump transmission as a function of the intracavity laser intensity. The predicted cross-section value of 1 .1 x 10(-19) cm(2) agrees well with previously reported results. (C) 2001 O ptical Society of America.