Analysis of intrinsic optical bistability in Tm-doped laser-related crystals

Abstract

We predict and theoretically study intrinsic optical bistability (IOB) mediated by nonlinear energy transfer processes in rare-earth-doped laser-related crystals. In particular, we investigate Tm-Ho and Tm-Yb systems, in which avalanche pumping is overimposed by energy transfer up-conversion. We predict that IOB can be experimentally observed in $(\mathrm{T}\mathrm{m},\mathrm{Y}\mathrm{b}):{\mathrm{BaY}}_{2}{\mathrm{F}}_{8}$ crystals in a wide range of experimentally achievable parameters.