Photo-Thermo-Refractive Glass Co-Doped with Luminescent Agents for All-Solid-State Microchip Lasers

A proposed solid-state technology possesses photosensitivity that enables volume hologram recording and a high efficiency of luminescence, enabling stimulated emission. These features were used to record volume Bragg gratings and to demonstrate lasing under laser diode pumping for the same volume of glass. Moreover, a combination of dopants provides extremely wide luminescence bands, which enables both wideband optical processing and extremely short laser pulse generation. It is important that the whole design be incorporated in a single, monolithic piece of glass that excludes the opportunity for misalignment and sensitivity to vibrations. If developed, the compactness and reliability of such laser devices would find wide use in space or aeronautical applications.