Radiative and non-radiative energy transfers in Yb3+-doped sesquioxide and garnet laser crystals from a combinatorial approach based on gradient concentration fibers

The laser heated pedestal growth (LHPG) method allows us to grow Yb3+-doped oxide single crystal fiber with no Yb segregation. We have choosen Y3Al5O12 (YAG) Yttrium aluminum garnet and Y2O3 yttria sesquioxide as Yb3+- doped host crystals, which are considered to be among the best laser crystals due to unusual combination of favorable properties. A combinatorial chemistry approach has been applied by growing concentration gradient crystal fibers allowing the study of the excited state dynamics by the measurement of two important features in laser crystals: the intrinsic radiative lifetime and the analysis of radiative and non-radiative energy transfers which occur in the Yb3+ concentration quenching processes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.