Spectroscopy and laser operation of Pr, Mg:SrAl12O19

Abstract

Pr³⁺‐doped SrAl₁₂O₁₉ has been investigated spectroscopically as a visible laser material. Its ³P₀ fluorescence lifetime is rather long for an oxide, about 35 μs. This excited state exhibits only mild concentration and temperature quenching, so that concentrations high enough to give good ground state absorption into the ³P₀ and ³P₁ manifolds still give strong, long‐lived emission. The ground state absorption spectra indicate that excited state absorption into the 4f5d configuration is less likely to be significant at laser wavelengths in this host than in Y₃Al₅O₁₂. The stimulated emission cross sections of major emission lines have been estimated, and are quite realistic for laser operation. Laser pumped laser operation has been demonstrated in the red (³P₀→³F₂) at room temperature and in the blue‐green (³P₀→³H₄) at cryogenic temperatures.