Laser characterization of an Er<SUP>3+</SUP>/Yb<SUP>3+</SUP> doped phosphate glass near 1.5 µm with varying dopant concentrations


Kamun E. N., Kayaalp A. C., Yilmaz A., ERSUNDU A. E., ÇELİKBİLEK ERSUNDU M., Sennaroglu A.

OPTICAL MATERIALS, cilt.176, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 176
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.118131
  • Dergi Adı: OPTICAL MATERIALS
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chimica, Compendex, INSPEC
  • Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

We describe the design and construction of a laser setup suitable for the characterization of the lasing performance of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped bulk phosphate glass lasers operating near 1.5 & micro;m. Phosphate glass samples with a constant thickness of 2 mm and with varying concentrations of erbium and ytterbium were investigated by performing continuous-wave (CW) output power, power slope efficiency, output spectrum, and incident threshold pump power measurements. The variation of these laser parameters was investigated as a function of erbium and ytterbium concentration in order to determine the optimum combination of Er3+/Yb3+ concentration that maximizes the output power and power slope efficiency, and minimizes the lasing threshold pump power. Three different sets of phosphate glass samples were used: 1) set 1 includes phosphate samples with a constant Yb3+ concentration of 8 mol% and varying Er3+ concentration of 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mol %, 2) set 2 includes phosphate samples with a constant Er3+ concentration of 0.25 mol% and varying Yb3+ concentration of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mol%, and 3) set 3 includes phosphate samples with a constant Er3+ concentration of 0.5 mol% and varying Yb3+ concentration of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mol%. The optimum combination of concentrations was found as 0.25 mol% Er3+ and 6 mol% Yb3+ for the sample length of 2 mm and output coupler transmission of 0.6%. Laser characterization of this glass resulted in cw output power of as high as 43 mW with 410 mW of pump power and a lasing threshold pump power of 47 mW, giving 12% of slope efficiency with respect to absorbed pump power. The tuning capability of this glass laser was also investigated, and a broad range of tuning was achieved from 1484 to 1582 nm.