A Full Spectroscopic Study of Pr:YLF Crystals Used in Lasers

A Judd-Ofelt analysis, quantifying the optical intensities of the rare-earth ions' 4f-4f manifolds, is conducted in detail, based on the absorption spectrum from the visible to infrared spectral range for a Pr:YLF crystal. The values of key parameters, such as radiation lifetime, radiation transition probability, and branching ratio, are obtained accordingly. Additionally, the emission spectra are measured with precaution against reabsorption, and the emission cross sections are calculated using the Fuchtbauer-Ladenburg formula, applied frequently in precise emission spectrum analysis, with the radiation lifetime derived from the Judd-Ofelt model. The results obtained regarding the orange and deep red spectral range are higher than those from previous reports, providing further insights into the lasing mechanism at the concerned wavelengths.