DIRECT GENERATION OF NEAR INFRARED LASER WAVELENGTH

This program will investigate and develop an existing near infrared, solid-state laser medium that lases at 1.178 m. The laser medium proposed to be developed is a manganese-doped, barium ortho-vanadate crystal: Mn:Ba3 (VO4)2. This crystal has been grown by Fibertek for preliminary evaluation. The laser action has been observed as well. The initial results showed that the lasing wavelength was at the vicinity of 1.18 m, that the laser operation was a three-level operation and that the laser can be pumped by flashlamp. Fibertek proposes to refine the process of the crystal growth, to modify the host composition and to adjust the Mn dopping concentration to a) tune the laser wavelength to 1.178 m and b) to make it more efficient for pumping. Fibertek proposes to use the laser-heated-pedestal growth method to grow crystal samples for spectroscopic study and determine the appropriate host composition and Mn concentration, and the Czochralski growth method to grow large size crystals for laser performance chartacterization. Fibertek also proposes to conduct additional investigations for other possible candidates of solid-state laser media that would lase at 1.178 m.