Optical Refrigeration in Nd-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet

Abstract

Optical refrigeration has been observed by subjecting single crystals of yttrium aluminum garnet and Nd-doped yttrium aluminum garnet to intense 1.064-\ensuremath{\mu} laser radiation. In addition to this first observation of optical refrigeration, the present experiments yield a very accurate value for the fluorescent quantum efficiency of Nd-doped yttrium aluminum garnet.