TETRAVALENT CHROMIUM DOPED LASER MATERIALS AND NIR TUNABLE LASERS

摘要

A method is described to improve and produce purer CrSUP4+/SUP-doped laser materials and lasers with reduced co-incorporation of chromium in any other valence states, such as CrSUP3+/SUP, CrSUP2+/SUP, CrSUP5+/SUP, and CrSUP6+/SUP. The method includes: 1) certain crystals of olivine structure with large cation (Ca) in octahedral sites such as CrSUP4+/SUP:CaSUB2/SUBGeOSUB4/SUB, CrSUP4+/SUP:CaSUB2/SUBSiOSUB4/SUB, CrSUP4+/SUP:CaSUB2/SUBGeSUBx/SUBSiSUB1-x/SUBOSUB4/SUB(where 0x1), and/or 2) high-temperature solution growth techniques that enable the growth of the crystals below the temperature of polymorphic transitions by using low melting point solvent based on oxide, fluoride and/or chloride compounds. Purer CrSUP4+/SUP-doped laser materials are characterized by a relatively high concentration of CrSUP4+/SUP- lasing ion in crystalline host that makes these materials suitable for compact high power (thin disk/wedge) NIR laser applications.