Contribution to the study of stimulated emission in neodymium-doped glass

In 1917, Einstein discovered the existence of the stimulated emission of electromagnetic waves by atoms. It is caused by the presence of radiating energy of suitable frequency in a material which is in a non equilibrium state. This discovery held the germ of the idea for the fabrication of generators and waves amplifiers for very short, almost monochromatic wavelengths. forty years elapsed however before these were produced for the first time. A maser operating in the field of micrometric waves appeared in 1954. In the optical field, the first 'Laser' was built by MAIMAN in 1960. The active atom was chromium situated in an alumina matrix (ruby). The fluorescent single crystal was placed between two reflectors which maintained in the medium a provoked inversion of the population until the emission conditions were attained. The laser effect has made it possible to produce several hundred line generators covering the optical range for both gaseous and liquid or solid media. Amongst the latter, neodymium has a transition between the 4 F3/2 and the 4 I11/2 levels which has made it possible to obtain very high power lasers. A study has been made during the present work of the conditions in which a pulse can be formed, and of its amplification in neodymium-doped glass. By making accurate measurements of the various yields involved in this process, it has been possible to obtain the value for the population inversion obtained in the medium, and to make a detailed study of stimulated emission in neodymium. (author)