title: Near-infrared laser operation of Cr3+ centers in chromium-doped LiInGeO4 and LiScGeO4 crystals.
abstract: Laser action has been demonstrated in two new tunable Cr3+-doped crystals. Absorption, emission, and excitation measurements for various crystal orientations have been performed for chromium-doped LiInGeO4 and LiScGeO4 single crystals. From the spectroscopic measurements, two optical active centers were identified: tetrahedrally coordinated Cr4+ and octahedrally coordinated Cr3+. Gain-switched, tunable laser operation of Cr3+ centers has been demonstrated in both crystals. An ultrawide tuning range from 1150 to 1480 nm for LiInGeO4 and 1220-1380 nm for LiScGeO4 has been achieved. To our knowledge this is the widest bandwidth and the most near-infrared shifted wavelength range for lasing ever demonstrated for Cr3+ ions.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Lasers, Department of Physics, City College and Graduate School of the City University of New York, New York 10031, USA. msharonov@sci.ccny.cuny.edu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharonov
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petricevic
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bykov
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Alfano