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

这个小企业创新研究的第一阶段项目涉及到材料的开发，该材料适用于可调谐、室温、中红外薄圆盘激光器的制造。利用过渡金属掺杂Cd1-xMnxTe制备了一种新型的室温可调谐固体激光材料。激光高达3.01微米，调谐范围为2.1至3.1微米，是迄今为止报道的最宽的；在Cd0.55Mn0.45Te:Cr中实现了准连续波激光。增益曲线的计算表明，该材料能够工作到3.4微米。然而，掺杂剂浓度的不均匀性和材料的低导热性等问题阻碍了激光器件的发展。在这项工作中，通过在掺杂之前将CdMnTe晶体细化到约250微米，可以缓解与导热性相关的问题，通过理论和计算模型辅助的掺杂过程的系统研究将改善铬的均匀性。该技术的应用包括红外对抗、中红外光谱、主动/高光谱成像、中红外室温功率限制、大气测量、光通信、遥感、医学和环境研究。许多民用工业，如航空、通信、气象和化学/石油工业都是这项技术的潜在客户。

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.