Characterization of the Optical Properties of Laser and Phosphor Crystals

摘要

This research involves the utilization of laser optics such as time-resolved site-selection spectroscopy, photoacoustic spectroscopy, and four-wave mixing spectroscopy to characterize dynamical optical properties such as energy transfer and radiationless relaxation processes in phosphor and laser materials. The materials investigated included stoichiometric laser materials such as neodymium pentaphosphate and neodymium aluminum borate, and lightly doped laser materials such as neodymium doped yttrium vanadate, garnets and glasses. In addition, several theoretical approaches and computer modeling techniques were developed for analyzing the properties of energy transfer among ions in solids. Some of the important results obtained in this work include the direct measurement of the exciton diffusion coefficient in Nd sub x La sub 1-x P5O14 crystals, the measurement of the quantum efficiency of Nd(3+) in various hosts, and the development of Monte Carlo modeling techniques for describing energy migration on a random lattice.