VISIBLE LASER-EMISSION OF PR3+ IN VARIOUS HOSTS

We report on the first observation of low temperature pulsed blue and orange laser emissions in Pr3+:YAG. Furthermore, we compare these results with similar observations in YLiF4 and YAlO3 doped crystals. Pulsed laser oscillations were obtained in crystals with uncoated surfaces by direct excitation of one of the relevant Stark components of the P-3(0), P-3(1) or P-3(2) states. A carefull spectroscopic analysis of all these systems allows to clearly identify the laser transitions as arising from the P-3(0) metastable state, the lifetime of which has been measured using a nanosecond pumped dye laser.