Photoacoustic detection of heat generation in proton-implanted Nd:YAG waveguides with and without laser operation

G.A. TORCHIA, M. DOMENECH, G.V. VAZQUEZ, E. CANTELAR, G. LIFANTE AND F. CUSSO

APPLIED PHYSICS B - LASERS AND OPTICS

Año: 2005 vol. 79 p. 479 - 483

0946-2171

In this work the heat generation in protonimplanted planar Nd:YAG waveguides with and without laser action is determined by using photoacoustic techniques. From the analysis of the photoacoustic signal in the two emission regimes (stimulated and spontaneous) as a function of the absorbed power, it was found that the heat generated is substantially reduced during laser action. The quotient of the heat generated in both emission channels (stimulated and spontaneous) was found to be Sstimulated/Sspontaneous = 0.65±0.03. This value is in agreement with the theoretical estimation considering a Nd3+ quantum efficiency Öwaveguide = 0.78, extracted from the lifetime measured in the waveguide, slightly lower than the value in the bulk. This work demonstrates that photoacoustic measurements provide a sensitive method to characterize the performance of waveguide lasers.Sstimulated/Sspontaneous = 0.65±0.03. This value is in agreement with the theoretical estimation considering a Nd3+ quantum efficiency Öwaveguide = 0.78, extracted from the lifetime measured in the waveguide, slightly lower than the value in the bulk. This work demonstrates that photoacoustic measurements provide a sensitive method to characterize the performance of waveguide lasers.3+ quantum efficiency Öwaveguide = 0.78, extracted from the lifetime measured in the waveguide, slightly lower than the value in the bulk. This work demonstrates that photoacoustic measurements provide a sensitive method to characterize the performance of waveguide lasers.