Current progress in Ce³+-doped selenide glassesfor mid-infrared lasers

The influence of rare earth dopant concentration on selenide laser glass quality was investigated. A problem to be solved was identified – an increase in rare earth doping level leads to optical losses due to light scattering by heterogeneous inclusions and to the decrease of the optical damage threshold. The room temperature laser system consisting of 4.6 μm pulsed Fe:ZnSe pump laser and Ce3+:Ge20Sb10Ga5Se65 bulk glass was demonstrated. The slope efficiency of Ce3+:glass laser with respect to the absorbed pump energy reached 25% with a maximum output energy of 45 mJ.