Effect of cerium codoping in Er3+,Ce3+:NaLa(MoO4)2 crystals -: art. no. 123531

The detailed polarized spectroscopic investigation of I-4(11/2) and I-4(13/2) states of Er3+ ions in Czochralski-grown NaLa(MoO4)(2) single crystals doped with Er3+ and codoped with Ce3+ as a function of cerium concentration is presented. The main results of room-temperature lifetime investigation show that the I-4(11/2) lifetime reduces by about 50 times from the solely Er-doped sample to the crystal codoped with 50 at. % of Ce, while in the same experimental conditions, the lifetime of the I-4(13/2) level reduces by less than two times in the most heavily Ce codoped sample. This result looks very promising from the point of view of obtaining low-threshold 1.5-mu m laser oscillation. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.