Solid State Lasers: Tunable Sources and Passive Q-Switching Elements

The possibility of controlling and continuously changing laser emission wavelengths in a wide spectral range without using external elements based on nonlinear optics (to shift the fundamental wavelength) is of primary importance to scientists. With the advent of novel high-power pumping sources, it is possible to design and operate a new class of tunable solid state laser devices for various applications. This book demonstrates the design of new laser materials based on quantum mechanical principles, spectroscopic properties of transition-metal ions, and ion-host interaction. This approach includes the theory of electronic structure of transition-metal ions, modeling of energy transfer and nonradiative processes, and symmetry considerations in spectroscopic analysis of d orbitals.