Stimulated Raman scattering in alkaline-earth tungstate crystals

Results on spontaneous Raman spectroscopy of alkaline-earth tungstate crystals are presented. The frequency of the modes active in stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) modes was found to increase and their width to decrease with increasing cation radius and mass in the series of alkaline-earth (Ca, Sr, Ba) tungstates. High peak values of the Raman scattering cross section for barium and strontium tungstate crystals — new media offering promise for SRS — were predicted and observed in the experiments. Laser experiments on the SRS threshold showed that the SRS gain for the barium tungstate crystal was close to the record value observed for the barium nitrate crystal, which is extensively used in SRS.