Efficient energy transfer from ER
View Patent ↗A solid-state laser system includes a gain medium having an optical resonator defined therein. The gain medium is co-doped with first and second active elements. The first active element is Er 3+ and the second active element is Ho 3+ or Dy 3+ . The solid-state laser system also includes a pump source coupled to the gain medium for pumping the gain medium with pump light.
1. A solid-state laser system, comprising:
a gain medium having an optical resonator defined therein, the gain medium being co-doped with first and second active elements, the first active element being Er 3+ and the second active element being Dy 3+ , wherein the gain medium includes a host material that incorporates the first and second active elements, the host material including a metal fluoride glass and a dopant concentration of Er 3+ that exceeds a dopant concentration of Dy 3+ , the Dy 3+ having a concentration of no more than 0.25 mol. %; and
a pump source coupled to the gain medium for pumping the gain medium with pump light, wherein absorption of the pump light by the Er 3+ populates the energy levels in the Er 3+ that transfer energy to the Dy 3+ to thereby produce emission through radiative transitions.
2. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the metal fluoride glass is ZBLAN.
3. The optical fiber laser system of claim 1 , wherein the host material and gain medium are disposed in an optical fiber.
4. The optical fiber laser system of claim 3 , further comprising first and second distributed Bragg gratings formed in the optical fiber to define the optical resonator.
5. The optical fiber laser system of claim 1 , wherein the pump source is configured to operate at a wavelength of 976 nm.
6. The optical fiber laser system of claim 5 , wherein the pump source is a diode laser.
7. The optical fiber laser system of claim 3 , wherein the optical fiber includes a core and at least one cladding, the first and second active elements being located in the core.
8. The optical fiber laser system of claim 3 , wherein the optical fiber is a double-cladding fiber (DCF).
9. A solid-state laser, comprising:
a gain medium having an optical resonator defined therein, the gain medium being co-doped with first and second active elements, the first active element being Er 3+ and the second active element being Dy 3 , wherein the gain medium includes a host material that incorporates the first and second active elements, the host material including a metal fluoride glass, the host material including a metal fluoride glass and a dopant concentration of Er 3+ that exceeds a dopant concentration of Dy 3+ , the Dy 3+ having a concentration of no more than 0.25 mol. %; and
wherein, when pumped with pump light by a pump source through an input facet, the gain medium generates a laser beam, wherein absorption of the pump light by the Er 3+ populates the energy levels in the Er 3+ that transfer energy to the Dy 3+ to thereby produce emission through radiative transitions.
10. The solid-state laser of claim 9 , wherein the metal fluoride glass is ZBLAN.