DIODE-PUMPED Nd:MIXED-GARNET LASER WITH EMISSION AT 943 nm FOR WATER VAPOR DIAL

摘要

In the frame of a technological development for ESA space water vapor DIAL application, we show that, by the compositional tuning technique, wavelength tuning of laser materials to match the water vapor absorption lines in the wavelength region 942-943 nm (and at about 935 nm) can be achieved. From preliminary investigations, two mixed-garnet crystal families have been identified as favorable ones, Nd:YAG{sub}(1-x)YSGG{sub}x and Nd:YSAG{sub}(1-x)GGG{sub}x. In this work, two compositionally tuned Nd:mixed-garnet laser systems have been developed and tested. The first one (Nd(1%):YSAG{sub}0.91/GGG{sub}0.09) exhibits an output wavelength peak at about 942.8-943.0 nm, the latter (Nd(0.83%):YAG{sub}0.43/YSGG{sub}0.57) at 943.2 nm. Laser action of the two compositions has been obtained both in long pulse and in Q-switching mode.