Abstract

We have demonstrated room temperature laser operation in Cr doped SrAlF₅. Laser action took place when a crystal, 1 cm long, containing 1% Cr was placed in the center of a near concentric resonator 20 cm long. The output mirror had approximately 1% transmission extending from about 900 nm to beyond 1000 nm. The crystal was longitudinally pumped with a 647.1 nm krypton ion laser. Threshold was obtained with 0.9w absorbed in the crystal. The free running laser wavelength was determined to be between 900 nm and 950 nm by use of successive long pass filters. The laser was operated in the quasi cw, chopped mode. The output, ~38 mw with l.7w pump power, had stable, repetitive relaxation oscillations. Further experiments are in progress in order to determine the full tuning range which is expected to extend from 900 nm to 1000 nm.

© 1985 Optical Society of America