Cr:ZnSe planar waveguide mid-IR laser

J. E. Willimas; D. V. Martyshkin; V. V. Fedorov; I. S. Moskalev; R. P Camata; S. B. Mirov

doi:10.1117/12.875223

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15 February 2011 Cr:ZnSe planar waveguide mid-IR laser

J. E. Willimas, D. V. Martyshkin, V. V. Fedorov, I. S. Moskalev, R. P Camata, S. B. Mirov

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Proceedings Volume 7912, Solid State Lasers XX: Technology and Devices; 79121H (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.875223
Event: SPIE LASE, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Middle infrared (mid-IR) chromium-doped zinc selenide (Cr:ZnSe) bulk lasers have attracted a lot of attention due to their unique combination of optical and laser properties facilitating a wide range of potential scientific, industrial, and medical applications. Utilization of thin film waveguide geometry enabling good thermal management and control of beam quality is a viable pathway for compact chip-integrated optical laser design. Cr:ZnSe thin films are also promising as saturable absorbers and mode-lockers of the cavities of solid state lasers operating over 1.3-2.1 μm. We recently reported the first successful demonstration of mid-IR Cr:ZnSe planar waveguide lasing at 2.6 μm under gain-switched short-pulse (5 ns) 1.56 μm excitation as well as the passive Q-switching of the cavity of a fiber-pumped Er:YAG laser operating at 1645 nm using a highly doped Cr:ZnSe thin film. PLD grown Cr:ZnSe waveguide were fabricated on sapphire substrates (Cr:ZnSe/sapphire) with chromium concentration of 10¹⁸-10¹⁹ cm^-3. Further development of mid-IR lasing in the Cr:ZnSe planar waveguide under continuous wave excitation were investigated. In addition, deposition of Cr:ZnSe-based thin film structures on n-type GaAs substrates were also investigated for possible mid-IR electroluminescence.

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J. E. Willimas, D. V. Martyshkin, V. V. Fedorov, I. S. Moskalev, R. P Camata, and S. B. Mirov "Cr:ZnSe planar waveguide mid-IR laser", Proc. SPIE 7912, Solid State Lasers XX: Technology and Devices, 79121H (15 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.875223

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