A pump-power-controlled luminescent switcher -: art. no. 011920

A spectral switcher based on the Yb3+-doped Nd3BWO9 crystal has been demonstrated. This system switches its main luminescence peak from 980 nm (the characteristic luminescence of Yb3+ ions) to 1060 nm (the characteristic luminescence of Nd3+ ions) as the 808 nm pump intensity is increased from 0.4 up to 0.8 kW/cm(2). The operation mechanism is based on the interplay between the Nd3+<---->Yb3+ energy transfer processes and on the strong pump-induced thermal loading. The operation principles described in this letter allow for the tailoring of promising luminescent switchers operating at any desired spectral range by choosing the suitable sensitized host emitting crystal. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.