Open Access140 W Cr:ZnSe laser system
Author(s) -
Igor Moskalev,
Sergey Mirov,
Mike Mirov,
Sergey Vasilyev,
Viktor Smolski,
Andrey Zakrevskiy,
Valentin Gapontsev
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Polish
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.24.021090
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , laser , fiber laser , optoelectronics , laser power scaling , optical fiber , physics
We report a significant breakthrough in the development of fiber-pumped high-power CW laser systems based on Cr 2+ :ZnS and Cr 2+ :ZnSe gain media. We demonstrate output power levels of up to 140 W near 2500 nm, and 32 W at 2940 nm with corresponding optical efficiencies of 62% and 29%. Our novel approach is based on rapid simultaneous scanning of the collinear laser mode and pump beam across the Cr:ZnS/Se gain element which allows us to virtually eliminate thermal lensing effects and obtain unprecedented levels of output power with very high optical-to-optical efficiency.