Influence of Mg/Er co‐doping on the principal laser parameters of LiNbO3 crystals

Mg: Er: LiNbO3 crystals were grown by the Czochralski technique with various concentrations of MgO = 2 mol%, 4 mol%, 6 mol% and the fixed concentration of Er2O3= 1 mol% in the melt, and the 8 mol%Mg: 1 mol%Er: LiNbO3 crystal was fabricated by the Czochralski technique with special technology process. The crystals were treated by polarization, reduction and oxidation. The segregation coefficients of Mg2+ and Er3+ in Mg: Er: LiNbO3 crystals were measured by X-ray fluorescence spectrograph, as well as the crystal's defect structure and optical properties were analyzed by the UV-Vis, IR and fluorescent spectroscopy. The pump wavelength and the surge wavelength were determined. Using m-line method tested optical damage resistance of those crystals, the results show that photodamage threshold of Mg: Er: LiNbO3 crystals are higher than that of Er: LiNbO3 crystal, and the oxidation treat could enhance the photodamage resistant ability of crystals while the reduction treat could depress the ability. The optical damage resistance of 8 mol%Mg: 1 mol%Er: LiNbO3 crystal was the strongest among the samples, which was two orders magnitude higher than that of 1 mol%Er: LiNbO3 crystal. The dependence of the optical properties on defect structure of Mg: Er: LiNbO3 crystals was discussed. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)