Concentrated neodymium laser glasses (review)

A review is given of spectral, luminescent, lasing, and some physicochemical properties of concentrated neodymium phosphate glasses (CNPG's). Causes of weak quenching of Nd³⁺ luminescence in CNPG's are discussed. It is shown that various low-threshold high-efficiency lasers emitting at 1.06 and 1.32 μ may be developed using CNPG's. In terms of their energy characteristics, pulsed and pulse-periodic CNPG lasers are superior to similar lasers utilizing Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Nd³⁺ crystals.