Tunable in the range of 4.5-6.8 µm room temperature single-crystal Fe:CdTe laser pumped by Fe:ZnSe laser

Abstract

We report a laser operation from a Fe:CdTe single crystal, pumped by 40-ns pulses of a 4.12-µm Fe:ZnSe laser. The maximum output energy of 5.8 mJ was produced at 5.4 µm with 30% absorbed energy slope efficiency. A record 2300-nm-wide smooth and continuous wavelength tunability over 4.5-6.8 µm range was demonstrated, being the longest wavelength tuning achieved for Fe2+-doped chalcogenide lasers. We also discuss the features of the oscillation spectra.

Synthesis, Crystal Growth, and Annealing of CdSxSe1–x and Cr:CdS0.8Se0.2 Single Crystals

“…Transition-metal-ion-doped II–VI chalcogenide crystals can achieve 2–5 μm laser output. Due to the wide absorption and fluorescence spectrum, it is beneficial to ultrafast laser output in the mid-infrared band, and it has a wide application prospect, such as in high-resolution spectroscopy, monitoring of pollution of the environment, and medicine. − Chromium ions in the II–VI chalcogenide crystals produce deep levels in the band gap . It is reliably established that in the CdSe crystal the Cr atoms substituting the Cd ones occupy tetrahedral lattice sites and have two charge states, Cr 1 (3d 5 ) and Cr 2 (3d 4 ) .…”

“…1−6 Chromium ions in the II−VI chalcogenide crystals produce deep levels in the band gap. 7 It is reliably established that in the CdSe crystal the Cr atoms substituting the Cd ones occupy tetrahedral lattice sites and have two charge states, Cr 1 (3d 5 ) and Cr 2 (3d 4 ). 8 Due to inversion asymmetry, the crystal has a large emission cross section and the upper state has a short lifetime.…”

Insights into the Mechanism of Combustion Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Gained by Laser Diagnostics, Mass Spectrometry, and Numerical Simulations: A Mini-Review

“…The progress in the design of broadband lasing media operating in the mid-IR based on transition metal (TM) ions (usually Cr 2+ and Fe 2+ ) doped in crystal matrices of II–VI compounds (usually zinc and cadmium chalcogenides, e.g., ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, and CdTe) offers a potential for combining the ultrahigh sensitivity of ICLAS with accessibility of ro-vibrational features of polyatomic Fe-containing species. Lasers based on Cr 2+ doping cover the 1.88–3.61 μm spectral range, while the Fe 2+ -doped gain media lasing spans over the 3.49–6.8 μm spectral range (see refs and and references therein). ICLAS applications were demonstrated for Cr 2+ :ZnSe and Fe 2+ :ZnSe lasers, where pulsed, free-running Co:MgF 2 and Er:YAG as well as continuous wave (cw) semiconductor disc lasers were used as pumping radiation sources. − Furthermore, upconversion of the ICLAS spectrometer output by mixing it with 1064 nm Nd:YAG or 632.8 nm He–Ne laser output in a heated LiNbO 3 crystal allows for the use of robust and cost-effective light detection in the near-IR and visible ranges.…”

High-Power Solid-State Near- and Mid-IR Ultrafast Laser Sources for Strong-Field Science

“…The amplification spectrum of this laser medium lies in the region of 4.5-6.8 µm; however, with direct pumping at a wavelength near 3 µm, the efficiency is quite low. In the work [73], a cascade scheme via Fe:ZnSe was used (4.12 µm, 30 mJ) with a pumping system generator-amplifier operating on Er:YAG (2.94 µm, 90 mJ, 40 ns). This approach is relatively effective, but significantly complicates the experimental setup.…”