Analysis of the fluorescence of a Nd-doped 50% CaO 50% Al2O3 glass, pumped at 810 nm, between 1050 and 1100 nm

We report on the first observations, to our knowledge, of the F-4(3/2) --> I-4(11/2) (1060-nm) induced fluorescence in a Nd-doped CaO-Al2O3 glass pumped by an 810-nm diode laser. This new doped glass is produced as a 3-mm-diameter sphere by heating and melting in an aerodynamic containerless trap and is rapidly solidified by radiative cooling (>350 Ws). This glass has an interesting Nd3+ emission maximum at 1067 nm (not many doped glasses have their emission maxima close to 1067 nm). The measured fluorescence decay time of the F-4(3/2), level is short (0.3 ms) when the ion is excited by a narrow-band pulsed dye laser. (C) 1997 Optical Society.