Temperature dependent emission cross-section and fluorescence lifetime of Cr,Yb:YAG crystals Original Research Article

The Cr,Yb:YAG single crystals with 10 at.% Yb and different Cr4+ concentrations were grown by the Czochralski method and their optical properties are presented. The effect of Cr4+ concentration and of the temperature on emission cross-section, and fluorescence lifetime of Cr,Yb:YAG crystals were presented. With the increase of Cr concentration in Cr,Yb:YAG crystals, the emission cross-section increases dramatically and fluorescence lifetime decreases under different temperature. With the decrease of temperature, not only the emission cross-section increases and lifetime decreases, but the line-shape of fluorescence spectra is changed. Also the potential of Cr,Yb:YAG as a self-Q-switched laser crystal was discussed.