Progress in the crystal growth of Ce:LiSAF

Vida K. Castillo; Gregory J. Quarles

doi:10.1117/12.206970

17 April 1995 Progress in the crystal growth of Ce:LiSAF

Proceedings Volume 2380, UV and Visible Lasers and Laser Crystal Growth; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.206970
Event: Photonics West '95, 1995, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

The search for an efficient solid state laser with tunable emission in the ultraviolet wavelength region has resulted in the growth and development of cerium doped colquiriite crystals, such as LiCaAlF₆ (LiCAF) and LiSrAlF₆ (LiSAF). Results from preliminary research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory indicate that Ce:LiSAF is the preferred material of the colquiriite hosts, since it shows higher gains than Ce:LiCAF. Although the growth of chromium doped LiSAF has been developed to produce long boules of near-scatter-free material, the doping of LiSAF with cerium introduces different variables into the growth of high optical quality crystals. The main crystal growth issue for Ce:LiSAF is the charge compensation mandated by the substitution of the trivalent cerium ion for divalent strontium, which is located in the only site large enough to support the cerium ion. Initial growth runs produced opaque, heavily cracked crystals with less than 10 mm of cleaner, single crystal material. The addition of charge compensating ions into the starting charge and their effect in attaining higher doped and less-stressed material is discussed. The selection of growth parameters needed to produce higher-doped, near-scatter-free Ce:LiSAF will also be described.

Citation Download Citation

Vida K. Castillo and Gregory J. Quarles "Progress in the crystal growth of Ce:LiSAF", Proc. SPIE 2380, UV and Visible Lasers and Laser Crystal Growth, (17 April 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.206970

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