Abstract

A stable color center laser based on the F₂⁺:O^-- center has been demonstrated in NaCl. The laser produces over 1.25 W of power at 1.6 μm when pumped with 9 W from a 1.06 μm cw Nd:YAG laser. The laser tuning curve extends from 1.41 μm to 1.77 μm (Fig. 1), and represents the first powerful source of tunable radiation above 1.6 μm, extending well beyond the Tl^o(1) laser in KCl in both power and range. In addition, modelocked pulses of 5.5 psec duration have been generated in a synchronously pumped arrangement, tunable from 1.47 to 1.73 with average power of 450 mW at the peak of the tuning curve.

© 1986 Optical Society of America