Tunable, continuous wave, thulium-doped, solid state laser

摘要

A room-temperature, solid state laser for producing a CW laser emission continuously tunable over the approximate spectral range of 1.86 to 2.14 microns is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the laser comprises: a diode pump laser for producing a CW pump beam at a preselected wavelength; a laser cavity defined by first and second reflective elements opposing each other on a common axis to form a reflective path therebetween; a laser crystal disposed in the laser cavity, the laser crystal having a host material doped with a concentration of thulium activator ions sufficient to produce a CW laser emission in the range of a plurality of wavelengths determined by the Stark components in the 3F4 to 3H6 laser transition in the thulium activator ions when the laser crystal is pumped by the CW pump beam; and means disposed in the laser cavity between the laser crystal and the second reflective element for tuning the CW laser emission to any of the plurality of wavelengths within the range between approximately 1.86 microns and approximately 2.14 microns.