Novel Host Material for Solid State Lasers

Wide bandgap semiconductors highly doped with optically active ions are a promising system upon which to base a new class of solid state lasers and optical devices. Due to their ruggedness, wide bandgap and high thermal conductivity, these devices canoperate at higher power densities and shorter wavelengths than conventional solid state host crystals allow. In this SBIR program, Nanohmics proposes to produce a laser based on highly doped aluminum nitride films. This solid state laser system wouldoperate at a variety of wavelengths depending on the dopant used and high energy densities. In Phase I aluminum nitride films doped with optically active elements will be grown and characterized. Phase II will take the most promising materials systemsand produce a prototype solid state laser.Solid state lasers using wide bandgap semiconductors as the host material have the advantage of high thermal conductivity and insensitivity to thermal shock. These properties open the door to production of compact lasers that can operate at higher energydensities, high repetition rates, and shorter wavelengths than current solid state lasers allow. Development of new laser materials will possibly open up new laser wavelengths for UV storage of information on CD ROM's. Other areas include compact lasers for optical communication, lidar and other applications where higher power density smallerlasers are required.