Wavelength and polarisation dependence of pump-induced loss in Ti:sapphire

Abstract

We use pump beam wavelength and polarisation to demonstrate that the phenomenon of pump-induced loss in Ti:sapphire is linked to simultaneous excitation of two separate absorption bands: the Ti3+ pump band and the parasitic 400 nm residual absorption. We find that the degree of pump-induced loss is linked to the relative absorption strengths of the residual absorption band and the Ti3+ pump band at the wavelength(s) of excitation.