Open AccessRapidly tunable HIP treated Cr:ZnSe narrow-linewidth laser
Author(s) -
Eric J. Turner,
Sean A. McDaniel,
Nelson V. Tabiryan,
Gary Cook
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.27.012282
Subject(s) - laser linewidth , fabry–pérot interferometer , materials science , optics , lasing threshold , laser , optoelectronics , wavelength , crystal (programming language) , free spectral range , physics , computer science , programming language
A narrow - linewidth, hot isostatic treated Cr:ZnSe laser was non - mechanically tuned over a total wavelength range of 195 nm by a novel organic liquid crystal etalon. The narrow - linewidth laser was continuously tuned by applying a 1 kHz square wave signal of 1 - 5 V pp to the intracavity 9 THz nominal free spectral range liquid crystal etalon. The maximum and minimum lasing wavelengths were 2650 nm and 2455 nm, respectively, and a maximum average output power of 475 mW was recorded at 2503 nm. This work demonstrated continuous tuning, while maintaining an intrinsic narrow-linewidth ≤ 900 MHz. The results presented in this work are attributed to the low insertion loss of the liquid crystal etalon at ≤ 5%. It is believed that this is the first demonstration of purely electronic tuning of a mid-IR laser by an organic liquid crystal etalon.