Injection-seeded, gain-switched tunable Cr:ZnSe laser

Abstract

We report a narrow-linewidth, tunable, gain-switched Cr:ZnSe laser operating between 2255 and 2455 nm. The spectral width of the laser was reduced from 125 nm to 0.3 nm by using injection seeding. Seeding was achieved with a second tunable CW Cr:ZnSe laser. The output wavelength was varied by tuning the wavelength of the seed laser. The seeded oscillator produced as high as 157 mu J pulses with 598 mu J incident pump pulse energy at a repetition rate of 1 kHz. The slope efficiency was determined to be 26%.