Solid-state ultraviolet tunable laser: A Ce3+ doped LiYF4 crystal

Abstract

A large gain and a wide tunability have been achieved over the Ce³⁺ (5d‐4f) transition in a LiYF₄ crystal. A gain coefficient in excess of 180 cm⁻¹ and a superradiant beam of 2.5 mrad divergence are observed at the laser transition, 325.2 nm, when the crystal is optically excited either at 193 or at 248 nm. Gain measurements indicate that the laser is tunable over a wavelength range of more than 10 nm.