Highly efficient diode-pumped 3-/spl mu/m Er/sup 3+/:BaY/sub 2/F/sub 8/ laser

A systematic investigation on a series of monoclinic Er
³⁺
:BaY
₂
F
₈
crystals with different dopant concentrations (C
_Er
= 5%–30%) and crystal orientations was conducted to optimize the laser performance in this new 3-μm laser medium by laser diode pumping. The highest slope efficiency of 32% near the quantum defect (35%) was obtained with a 10% doped Er
³⁺
:BaY
₂
F
₈
crystal with the orientation (010) and a length of 3.5 mm. A maximum output power of 160 mW was achieved at an absorbed pump power of 550 mW at a wavelength of 970 nm.