Broad emission band of Yb3+ in the nonlinear Nb:RbTiOPO4 crystal: origin and applications

Identifier:  imarina:3648922

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina3648922

Authors:  Carvajal, JJ; Ciatto, G; Mateos, X; Schmidt, A; Griebner, U; Petrov, V; Boulon, G; Brenier, A; Peña, A; Pujol, MC; Aguiló, M; Díaz, F

Abstract:
By means of micro-structural and optical characterization of the Yb:Nb:RbTiOPO(4) crystal, we demonstrated that the broad emission band of Yb(3+) in these crystals is due to the large splitting of the ytterbium ground state only, and not to a complex multisite occupation by the ytterbium ions in the crystals. We used this broad emission band to demonstrate wide laser tuning range and generation of femtosecond laser pulses. Passive mode-locked laser operation has been realized by using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror, generating ultra short laser pulses of 155 fs, which were very stable in time, under Ti:sapphire laser pumping at 1053 nm.