Thermal, Spectral and Laser Properties of Er(3+):Yb(3+):GdMgB(5)O(10): A New Crystal for 1.5 μm Lasers

A novel laser crystal of Er(3+):Yb(3+):GdMgB(5)O(10) with dimension of 26 × 16 × 12 mm(3) was grown successfully from K(2)Mo(3)O(10) flux by the top seeded solution growth method. The thermal diffusivity and specific heat capacity were measured to calculate the thermal conductivity of the crystal. The absorption and fluorescence properties of the crystal at room temperature were investigated in detail. The Judd-Ofelt method was used to analyze the polarized absorption spectra. The emission cross-section of the (4)I(13/2)→(4)I(15/2) transition was calculated by the Füchtbauer-Ladenburg formula and the relevant gain cross-sections were estimated. Continuous-wave laser output of 140 mW at 1569 nm with the slope efficiency of 17.8% was demonstrated in a plano-concave resonator. The results reveal that Er(3+):Yb(3+):GdMgB(5)O(10) crystal is a promising material for 1.5 μm lasers.