Abstract

Solid-state lasers operating on electronic transitions in rare-earth ions are very attractive as bright sources for mid-IR applications, because of simplicity and durability of such type lasers. Now in practice implementation an operation wavelength of such laser does not exceed 3 μm. The progress in technology of low-phonon energy and moisture-resistant matrixes for rare earth ions is required to overcome this problem. We consider that promising candidates in this concern are crystals of the MePb₂Hal₅ class, where Me = K or Rb, and Hal =C1 or Br [1,2]. They are moisture-resistant, and this circumstance beneficially distinguishes these crystals from other low-phonon chloride and bromide crystals, which could be doped with rare earth ions. The Dy³⁺ is a promising active ion for mid-IR, because it has series of closely spaced multiplets separated by 1500... 2500 cm^-1 and intense absorption bands in the near IR suitable for pumping to these multiplets.

© 2007 IEEE