Energy storage and heat deposition in flashlamp-pumped sensitized erbium glass lasers

Measurements of population inversion energy storage and heat deposition in flashlamp-pumped Nd:Yb:Er:glass and Cr:Nd:Yb:Er:glass lasers are reported. A thermal camera is used to measure temperature changes following isolated flashlamp pulses. A rate equation model is developed in order to determine energy storage from the output versus input energy characteristics of erbium lasers operating in a free-oscillation mode. Contributions of different sensitizers are distinguished by spectrally filtering flashlamp-pump radiation. Ratios of the deposited heat per unit stored energy in both glasses are compared for several spectral regions.