Compact Cr:ZnS channel waveguide laser operating at 2,333 nm.

A compact mid-infrared channel waveguide laser is demonstrated in Cr:ZnS with a view to power scaling chromium laser technology utilizing the thermo-mechanical advantages of Cr:ZnS over alternative transition metal doped II-VI semiconductor laser materials. The laser provided a maximum power of 101 mW of CW output at 2333 nm limited only by the available pump power. A maximum slope efficiency of 20% was demonstrated.

Efficient mid-infrared Cr:ZnSe channel waveguide laser operating at 2486 nm.

We report a Cr:ZnSe channel waveguide laser operating at 2486 nm. A maximum power output of 285 mW is achieved and slope efficiencies as high as 45% are demonstrated. Ultrafast laser inscription is used to fabricate the depressed cladding waveguide in a polycrystalline Cr:ZnSe sample. Waveguide structures are proposed as a compact and robust solution to the thermal lensing problem that has so far limited power scaling of transition metal doped II-VI lasers.

840 mW continuous-wave Fe:ZnSe laser operating at 4140 nm.

We report the demonstration of high-power (840 mW) continuous-wave laser oscillation from Fe2+ ions in zinc selenide. The output spectrum of the Fe:ZnSe laser had a line-center near 4140 nm with a linewidth of 80 nm. The beam quality was measured to be M2≤1.2 with a maximum slope efficiency of 47%. Small shifts observed in output wavelength with increased output power were attributed to thermal effects. No thermal roll-off of slope efficiency was observed at the maximum of output power.