Photoinduced refractive index variation within picosecond laser pulses excitation as the indicator of oxyorthosilicates single crystals composition modification

For the first time, the diagnostics of oxyorthosilicates single crystals based on self-action of picosecond range laser pulses at 1,064 nm (1.17 eV) has been performed. High sensitivity of the photoinduced refractive index variation to the substitution of the Lu atoms by Gd in the LSO/LGSO crystalline host as well as to the admixture of Ce was found. The effect can be explained with different electron detrapping-recombination process efficiencies due to the resonant electron excitation from the deep traps in the gap attributed to intrinsic oxygen vacancies.