《Development of a cw Co MgF2 laser》.pdf

Optics and Lasers in Engineering 39 (2003) 309–315 Development of a cw Co :MgF2 laser A. Di Lieto Dipartimento di Fisica dell’Universita, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica della Materia - Sezione di Pisa, Via Buonarroti 2, I-56127 Pisa, Italy Received 8 January 2001; received in revised form 8 May 2001; accepted 9 May 2001 Abstract The results obtained in the development of a cryogenic cw Co :MgF2 laser, realized at the Dipartimento di Fisica of the Universita di Pisa are presented. The laser can be tuned continuously in the range between 1.6 and 2.1 mm, with a typical output power of 1–2 W. A preliminary application to the spectroscopy of a Tm :YLF doped crystal is reported by using a photoacoustic apparatus. r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: cw Co :MgF2 laser; Photoacoustic apparatus 1. Introduction The request for cw tunable lasers operating in the near infrared is still increasing, with preference for sources based on solid state materials. In the wavelength region between 1.6 and 2.1 mm, it is now possible to find a few sources based on rare-earth- doped crystals [1], but all of them show a very narrow tuning range. A different approach has been attempted in the past by using crystals doped with transition- metal ions, characterized by a much broader emission range, but weaker intensity. This characteristic has prevented the diffusion of cw commercial lasers operating in this wavelength region, unlike the enormous success of the Ti :Sapphire laser, which is a source with a similar structure at shorter wavelength. Actually, the only known and well-documente