Laser slope and threshold properties have been investigated in Nd stoichiometric crystal powders as a function of pump wavelength and pump beam size. Above a given pumped area, the laser slope and the threshold pump energy per unit area are invariant and the known theoretical expressions are well fulfilled. Likewise, the size of the stimulated emission zone as a function of the pump beam area has been measured, also showing a different behavior above or below a given pumped area value which coincides with the one mentioned above. In conclusion, two different operating regimes with different performances are clearly observed as a function of the pump beam area.

This work explores the room temperature random stimulated emission at 1.064 μm of a Nd:YAG crystal powder (Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet) in a very simple pump configuration with no assistance from an internal mirror. The laser threshold energy as a function of pump beam area and pump wavelength has been measured, as well as the temporal dynamics of emission pulses. The absolute energy of stimulated emission and the absolute laser slope efficiency have been measured by using a method proposed by the authors. The results show a surprising high efficiency that takes the low Nd3+ ion concentration of the crystal powder into account.

Single shot infrared images of different patterns obtained, both by reflection and transmission, with a near infrared random laser source and a narrowband laser are analyzed under similar experimental conditions. The Nd-based crystal powder random laser provides speckle-free transmission and reflection infrared images with higher values of contrast to noise ratio than those obtained with the narrowband laser. These results open up new possibilities to enhance the field of high resolution imaging for optoelectronic and biomedical applications.

The present work gives a detailed investigation of the dependence of the real time luminescence of Eu-doped tin dioxide nanopowder on rare earth (RE) site symmetry and host defects. Ultrafast time-resolved analysis of both RE-doped and undoped nanocrystal powder emissions, together with electronic paramagnetic resonance studies, show that host-excited RE emission is associated with RE-induced oxygen vacancies produced by the non-isoelectronic RE-tin site substitution that are decoupled from those producing the bandgap excited emission of the SnO matrix. A lower limit for the host-RE energy transfer rate and a model for the excitation mechanism are given.

This work explores the room temperature infrared random laser (RL) performance of Nd3+ ions in a new stoichiometric Nd3Ga5O12 crystal powder. The time-resolved measurements show that the RL pulse is able to follow the subnanosecond oscillations of the pump pulse profile. The pump threshold energy and the absolute stimulated emission energy have been measured using a method developed by the authors. The laser slope efficiency is the highest compared to other Nd3+ stoichiometric RL crystals.