Neodymium-doped yttrium lithium fluoride (Nd:YLF) is a lasing medium for arc lamp-pumped and diode-pumped solid-state lasers. The YLF crystal (LiYF4) is naturally birefringent, and commonly used laser transitions occur at 1047 nm and 1053 nm.
It is used in Q-switched systems in part due to its relatively long fluorescence lifetime. As with Nd:YAG lasers, harmonic generation is frequently employed with Q-switched Nd:YLF to produce shorter wavelengths. A common application of frequency-doubled Nd:YLF pulses is to pump ultrafast Ti:Sapphire chirped-pulse amplifiers.
Neodymium-doped YLF can provide higher pulse energies than Nd:YAG for repetition rates of a few kHz or less. Compared to Nd:YAG, the Nd:YLF crystal is very brittle and fractures easily. It is also slightly water-soluble — a YLF laser rod may very slowly dissolve in cooling water which surrounds it.
Physical and chemical properties
Materials: Nd:LiYF4
Modulus of Elasticity: 85 GPa
Crystal Structure: Tetragonal
Cell Parameters: a=5.16 Å , c=10.85 Å
Melting Point: 819 °C
Mohs Hardness: 4~5
Density: 3.99 g/cm^3
Thermal Conductivity: 0.063 W/cm/K
Specific Heat: 0.79 J/g/K
See also
- Neodymium doped yttrium orthovanadate (Nd:YVO4)
- Neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser
References
- Pollak, T.; Wing, W.; Grasso, R.; Chicklis, E.; Jenssen, H. (1982). "CW laser operation of Nd:YLF". IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics. 18 (2). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE): 159–163. Bibcode:1982IJQE...18..159P. doi:10.1109/jqe.1982.1071512. ISSN 0018-9197.
- Nd:YLF Crystal
| Neodymium compounds | |
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| Nd(II) | |
| Nd(III) | |
| Nd(IV) | |
| Yttrium compounds | |||
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| Yttrium(II) | |||
| Yttrium(III) |
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 Solid-state lasers | |
|---|---|
| Distinct subtypes | Semiconductor laser |
| Yttrium aluminium garnet |
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| Glass | |
| Other gain media |
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| Structures | |
| Specific lasers | |
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