Room-temperature Fe{sup 2+}:ZnS single crystal laser pumped by an electric-discharge HF laser
A room-temperature laser based on a Fe{sup 2+}:ZnS single crystal has been studied. The crystal was pumped by a nonchain electric-discharge HF laser with a light pulse FWHM of ∼140 ns. The pump spot diameter on the crystal surface (d) varied from 3.9 to 11.6 mm. The slope efficiency at these values of d was 37% – 39 %, respectively. The maximum laser energy was 380 mJ (at d=11.6 mm) with the total efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump energy of ∼19%. A further increase in the laser energy was not achieved because the crystal was destroyed at an incident pump energy and power of 3.4 J and ∼24 MW, respectively. The damaged region has a form of a long narrow channel shifted from the entrance surface inside the active element. (lasers)