Spectroscopy and efficient laser operation of cleaving Yb: KY(MoO4)2 crystal

Identifier:  imarina:8889855

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina8889855

Authors:  Volokitina, A; Loiko, P; Pavlyuk, A; Serres, JM; Slimi, S; Ben Salem, E; Kifle, E; Griebner, U; Petrov, V; Wang, L; Chen, WD; Solé, RM; Aguiló, M; Díaz, F; Mateos, X

Abstract:
© 2020 Optical Society of America. We report on the first laser operation of ytterbium-doped potassium yttrium double molybdate crystal (Yb:KY(MoO4)2). Single-crystals containing 3 at.% Yb3+-ions were grown by the low temperature gradient Czochralski method. The crystal structure (orthorhombic, sp. gr. D142h - Pbna) was refined with the Rietveld method. Yb:KY(MoO4)2 exhibits a layered structure leading to a strong optical anisotropy and a perfect cleavage along the crystallographic (100) plane. The maximum stimulated-emission cross-section amounts to 3.70×10-20 cm2 at 1008.0 nm with an emission bandwidth of 37 nm (for light polarization E || b). The Stark splitting is determined at 6 K. Continuous-wave laser operation is achieved in a thin Yb:KY(MoO4)2 crystal plate (thickness: 286 μm) under diode pumping. The microchip laser generated a maximum output power of 0.81 W at 1021-1044 nm with a slope efficiency of 76.4% and polarized emission. Yb:KY(MoO4)2 crystal lamellae / plates are attractive for sub-ns passively Q-switched microchip lasers and thin-disk lasers.