Tm-Doped Ceramic Laser for Laser Accelerator Applications

76142S High power, high wall-plug efficiency, mass producible, reliable, and low-cost 2 ¿m lasers are needed for a laser accelerator with Si optics. The technology would benefit the DOE¿s High Energy Physics program. This project will develop a novel Tm doped ceramic laser material and diode pumped solid-state laser at 2 ¿m. In Phase I, strong photoluminescence in the 1..87 ~ 2.2 ¿m region was observed in Tm or Tm/Ho co-doped ceramics while maintaining electro-optical properties, thereby demonstrating the feasibility of the approach. In Phase II, the Tm and Tm/Ho doped ceramic laser materials will be optimized via pseudo-reaction-sintering; longitudinally pumped, solid state Tm- doped ceramic lasers will be designed and constructed; and Q-switching and wavelength tunability will be studied. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The Tm ceramic laser should find in both defense and civilian applications, including coherent laser radar, remote wind sensing, remote sensing of ¿smart dust¿, trans-canopy ranging, stand-off coherent laser inspection of laminated-composite aircraft components, materials processing, ultra fast laser machining, medical therapeutics, entertainment, image recording, and remote sensing.