CHARACTERIZATION AND LASER PROPERTIES OF LANTHANUM MAGNESIUM HEXA-ALUMINATE ACTIVATED BY NEODYMIUM AND CHROMIUM

We report here the first results on laser action obtained with a 10 cm long rod of LaMgAl11O19:Cr, Nd (LMA:Cr, Nd) in transverse pumping with continuous Kr lamps. The composition of the crystal was found to be approximately 4% Nd and 1% Cr. Fluorescence decay measurements gave the time constant and the efficiency of the energy transfer to Nd ions from excited Cr ions located in different sites of the lattice. A laser output power of 4 W was obtained. The laser properties of LMA:Cr, Nd were compared to those of LMA:Nd for different optical resonators and line narrowing techniques. Preliminary results show that the addition of Cr to the lattice decreases the thermal lensing problems.