Saturable absorber: transparent glass-ceramics based on a mixture of Co:β-Zn2SiO4 and Co:ZnO nanocrystals

P Loiko; O S Dymshits; V V Vitkin; N A Skoptsov; A A Zhilin; D V Shemchuk; M Ya Tsenter; K Bogdanov; A M Malyarevich; I V Glazunov; X Mateos; K V Yumashev

doi:10.1364/AO.55.005505

Saturable absorber: transparent glass-ceramics based on a mixture of Co:β-Zn₂SiO₄ and Co:ZnO nanocrystals

Appl Opt. 2016 Jul 20;55(21):5505-12. doi: 10.1364/AO.55.005505.

Authors

P Loiko, O S Dymshits, V V Vitkin, N A Skoptsov, A A Zhilin, D V Shemchuk, M Ya Tsenter, K Bogdanov, A M Malyarevich, I V Glazunov, X Mateos, K V Yumashev

PMID: 27463897
DOI: 10.1364/AO.55.005505

Abstract

We report on the development of novel saturable absorbers for erbium lasers based on transparent glass-ceramics (GCs) containing a mixture of cobalt-doped β-willemite, Co²⁺:β-Zn₂SiO₄, and zinc oxide, Co²⁺:ZnO, nanosized (10-14 nm) crystals. The structure of the parent glass and GCs is studied by x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Variations of absorption spectra with heat-treatment reveal that Co²⁺ ions from the parent glass enter the crystals of ZnO and β-willemite. GCs are characterized by a broad absorption band due to the A₂4(F4)→T₁4(F4) transition of Co²⁺ ions in tetrahedral sites spanning up to ∼1.74 μm, relatively low saturation fluence, F_S=0.75 J/cm² at 1.54 μm, short recovery time, τ=830 ns, and high laser damage threshold, ∼14 J/cm². By using the developed GCs in a diode-side-pumped Er, Yb:glass laser, 0.77 mJ/45 ns pulses are generated.