High resolution spectroscopy of quantum systems is a key point in
the quantum information field. Rare earth ions in crystals are
interesting candidates for this application because of the long
coherence lifetime of some of their transitions. These ions can also
be manipulated by optical excitation which has, however, to be
produced by ultra-stable laser sources. This proves to be a very
difficult task in the case of dye lasers which are necessary to
excite Pr3+ doped crystals and especially Pr3+:Y2SiO5. This
compound is by far the most used host in rare earth based quantum
information studies. In this paper, we discuss the use of
Pr3+,Yb3+ codoped materials to build an infrared pumped solid
state laser suitable to excite Pr3+:Y2SiO5 around 606 nm. We show
by the analysis of a rate equation model that avalanche upconversion
is not very efficient to obtain a high power laser. This is more
easily obtained if a second laser is set to pump resonantly Yb3+
ions. The spectroscopic properties of a new matrix
Pr3+,Yb3+:PbF2 are also investigated. We found that this
compound emits at 606.18 nm with a width of 5 nm and would be
therefore suitable to excite Pr3+:Y2SiO5. Moreover, it can be
excited at 857 nm and 975 nm, i.e. in the range of high power laser
diodes.