SBIR Phase I: Development of a Room Temperature, Mid-infrared Thin Disk Laser

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project involves the development of material that is suitable for the fabrication of a tunable, room temperature, mid-infrared thin disk laser. Novel, tunable room temperature solid-state laser material using transition metal doped Cd1-xMnxTe has recently been developed. Lasing up to 3.01 microns with a tuning range of 2.1 to 3.1 microns, the widest ever reported was demonstrated; and quasi-cw lasing in Cd0.55Mn0.45Te:Cr was demonstrated. Calculations of the gain profile indicate that the material is capable of operation up to 3.4 micron. However, problems related to the inhomogeneity of the dopant concentration and the low thermal conductivity of the material have hindered the development of a laser device. In this work, problems related to the thermal conductivity will be alleviated by thinning the CdMnTe crystal to approximately 250 micron prior to doping, the homogeneity of the chromium will be improved through a systematic study of the doping process aided by theoretical and computational modeling. Applications of this technology include infrared countermeasures, mid-IR spectroscopy, active/ hyperspectral imaging, mid-IR room temperature power limiting, atmospheric measurements, optical communications, remote sensing, medicine, and environmental studies. Numerous civilian industries such as the aviation, communications, meteorological and the chemical/petroleum industries are potential customers for this technology.