Nd3+-doped lead lanthanum zirconate titanate transparent ferroelectric ceramic as a laser material:: Energy transfer and stimulated emission -: art. no. 152905

An investigation of the spectroscopic characteristics of high optical quality Nd3+-doped lead lanthanum zirconate titanate transparent ferroelectric ceramics was done to evaluate its potentiality as a near-infrared laser active host. Nonradiative losses that could compromise laser action were quantified in terms of the Judd-Ofelt theory, the Dexter model for ion-ion energy transfer and by measuring excited state absorptions. It was verified that under low power 0.8 mu m diode pumping, ion-ion energy transfers are negligible and the system presents eta=0.87. Stimulated emission was observed at 1.06 mu m (sigma(SE) = 3.5 x 10(-20) cm(2)) with no influence of ESA transitions. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.