Dye laser pumped Pr/sup 3+/-doped fiber lasers: basic parameter investigation, CW operation, and Q-switched operation

An investigation of a Pr/sup 3+/-doped Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-SiO/sub 2/ glass fiber is described. The basic material parameters like fluorescence lifetime and stimulated emission cross section, measured around 1048 nm, where the fiber has a strong emission band, are discussed. The pump source was a Rh6G dye laser at 590 nm. Continuous wave (CW,) operation with a slope efficiency of 26% and a pump threshold of 1.2 mW was obtained. The Q-switched operation, yielding a repetition rate up to 10 kHz with a maximum peak power of 30 W and a minimum pulsewidth of 25 ns, is described.<
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