Diode pumped holmium, thulium and erbium lasers between 2 and 3μm operating CW at room temperature

Diode pumped CW lasers operating between 2 and 3 μm in the heavy rare earth activator ions are reviewed. In Ho, Tm:YAG the authors have demonstrated high efficiency using TM as the sensitizer ion which absorbed the pump radiation. This is followed by a cross relaxation process which allows nearly two excited Tm ions to be produced from one absorbed photon. There is rapid energy migration among the Tm ions followed by energy transfer to the Ho ion. The 2 μm laser action is to a level 460 cm-1 above the ground state. In Tm, Ho:YLF the authors have demonstrated CW cascade laser emission at 2.31 and 2.08 μm. Above threshold for both transitions, two infrared photons are produced for each absorbed pump photon. The theoretical slope efficiency of this system is 72.3% for pumping at 0.791 μm. In Er:YLF CW laser emission at 2.8 μm with a 10% slope efficiency is demonstrated