Accession Number:

ADA026154

Title:

High Efficiency Pentaphosphates for Miniaturized Laser Applications,

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

ARMY ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY AND DEVICES LAB FORT MONMOUTH N J

Personal Author(s):

• Schwartz,A.
• Wade,M. J.
• Aucoin,T. R.
• Gualtieri,J. G.

Report Date:

1976-01-01

Pagination or Media Count:

13.0

Abstract:

The requirement for low-threshold high-efficiency laser sources for miniaturized rangefinder and fiber optic communication applications has led to the study of rare earth pentaphosphate compounds. Neodymium pentaphosphate NdPP has recently emerged as a promising 1.05 micrometer laser material operating in pulsed and cw modes, with thresholds of the latter reported less than 1 milliwatt. In contrast to doped lasers such as NdYAG, NdPP is a stoichiometric compound NdP5O14 which accommodates up to thirty times more Nd than YAG. The evaluation and testing of NdPP lasers in prototype components using transverse and longitudinal optical pumping has been hindered due to the limited size several mm, availabilty, and quality of the single crystals. We have devised unique modifications of conventional solution growth techniques in order to control reaction kinetics and precipitation rates. The largest bulk single crystals greater than 1 cm of yttrium and lanthanum substituted NdPP presently available were grown by these modified techniques. We have observed laser action in as-grown 90 Nd 10 Y pentaphosphate crystals with dimensions typically 4.5x3 mm in diamond-shaped cross section by 2 mm thick.

Descriptors:

• *PULSED LASERS
• *INFRARED LASERS
• *CONTINUOUS WAVE LASERS
• *NEODYMIUM LASERS
• THRESHOLD EFFECTS
• EFFICIENCY
• SINGLE CRYSTALS
• NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
• MINIATURIZATION
• CONCENTRATION(CHEMISTRY)
• STOICHIOMETRY
• OPTICAL PUMPING

Subject Categories:

• Lasers and Masers

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE