Diode-pumped Ho:Tm:LuLiF/sub 4/ laser at room temperature

A diode-pumped room-temperature Ho:Tm:LuLiF/sub 4/ laser achieved an optical efficiency of 9.4% under normal mode operation. Under similar experimental conditions. Ho:Tm:LuLiF/sub 4/ yielded 1.5 times greater optical efficiency than Ho:Tm:YLiF/sub 4/. Absorption spectra and lifetimes as a function of pump energy were measured for evaluation of this laser material.