Abstract

A tunable, flashlamp pumped, room temperature laser operating in the 1.96 μm wavelength region has been developed in Cr³⁺ sensitized Tm³⁺: YAG. Laser action for this system occurs between the lowest Stark level of the ³F₄ manifold and various intermediate Stark level splittings of the ³H₆ ground state in Tm³⁺. To date, we have obtained tunable, pulsed operation of the Cr;Tm:YAG laser between 1.945 - 2.014 pm, with maximum output energies of 0.75 J at 1.965 μm.

© 1990 Optical Society of America