Light-induced absorption in reduced congruent and near-stoichiometric Er: LiNbO₃ crystals

Light-induced absorption (LIA) in thermally reduced congruent and near-stoichiometric Er:LiNbO₃ crystals, which have different cuts of crystal (X- and Y-cut) and different doping levels of Er³⁺ (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 1.0mol∈%), has been studied within continuous-wave light intensity by using polarized 632.8nm beam as probe light and polarized 488nm beam as pump light. Effects of thermal reduction condition, pump intensity, Li/Nb ratio and Er-doping level on the LIA are summarized and discussed. Studies on spectral characteristics of both linear absorption and light-induced absorption show that photo-ionization of bipolarons into small polarons plays a predominant role in the LIA process. The role of the Er³⁺ ion in the LIA is investigated by studying the doping level and the thermal reduction effects on the absorption and emission properties of Er³⁺. The results show the possibility that the Er³⁺ ion directly participates in the light-induced charge transport is small. It affects the LIA only via the bypassing part of pump intensity to excite near-infrared emissions of Er ³⁺. The thermaleffect on the LIA is demonstrated. A two-center model with inclusion of the thermal contribution can qualitatively explain two major LIA characteristics that include the appearance of a slow stage in the LIA procedure and the unsaturation behavior of the LIA coefficient in high pump intensity regime. In addition, the pump depletion effect on the LIA characteristics is discussed. The possibility of pump beam fanning arising from light-induced scattering is ruled out experimentally.