Excited state absorption around 1060 nm of Nd3+ ions in Ba2NaNb5O15 crystal

The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters of Nd3+ ions in the nonlinear Ba2NaNb5O 15 crystal have been determined, presenting values of Omega (2) = 1.91 x 10 (-20), Omega (4) = 2.61 x 10(-20) and Omega (6) = 2.36 x 10(-20) cm(2). The se values were used to calibrate the excited state excitation measured arou nd the main laser radiation at 1060 nm (F-4(3/2) --> I-4(11/2) channel) in terms of absorption cross-section units (cm(2)). The experimental results, using a two-beam experiment, show a low value of the excited state absorpti on cross-section (<1 x 10(-20) cm(2)) in comparison with the luminescence e mission cross-section (about 4 x 10(-20) cm(2)). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.