Crystal growth and spectroscopic analysis of Ho,Pr:Lu2O3 crystal for a 2.9 µm mid-IR laser

Abstract

The EFG technique was used to successfully grow a crystal of Ho,Pr:Lu2O3. The crystal's spectroscopic features were investigated. Ho,Pr:Lu2O3 has an absorption cross-section of 0.47 × 10−20 cm2 at 647 nm and 0.20 × 10−20 cm2 at 1147 nm. The fluorescence characteristics of the grown crystal at 2.9 µm were examined using the J-O theory. Calculations were made for the intensity parameters Ωt (t = 2, 4, 6), radiative transition rates, branching ratios, and radiative lifetime. Ho,Pr:Lu2O3 demonstrated significant emission at 2104 and 2893 nm, with stimulated emission cross sections of 2.96 × 10−21 cm2 and 4.24 × 10−21 cm2, respectively. Ho3+ 5I6 and 5I7 levels were found to have fluorescence lifetimes of 0.55 ms and 3.23 ms, respectively.