Mid-Infrared Laser Generation of Zn(1−x)Mn(x)Se and Zn(1−x)Mg(x)Se (x ≈ 0.3) Single Crystals Co-Doped by Cr(2+) and Fe(2+) Ions—Comparison of Different Excitation Wavelengths

Two different mid-infrared (mid-IR) solid-state crystalline laser active media of Cr [Formula: see text] , Fe [Formula: see text]:Zn [Formula: see text] Mn [Formula: see text] Se and Cr [Formula: see text] , Fe [Formula: see text]:Zn [Formula: see text] Mg [Formula: see text] Se with similar amounts of manganese or magnesium ions of x ≈ 0.3 were investigated at cryogenic temperatures for three different excitation wavelengths: Q-switched Er:YLF laser at the wavelength of 1.73 [Formula: see text] m, Q-switched Er:YAG laser at 2.94 [Formula: see text] m, and the gain-switched Fe:ZnSe laser operated at a liquid nitrogen temperature of 78 K at ∼4.05 [Formula: see text] m. The temperature dependence of spectral and laser characteristics was measured. Depending on the excitation wavelength and the selected output coupler, both laser systems were able to generate radiation by Cr [Formula: see text] or by Fe [Formula: see text] ions under direct excitation or indirectly by the Cr [Formula: see text] → Fe [Formula: see text] energy transfer mechanism. Laser generation of Fe [Formula: see text] ions in Cr [Formula: see text] , Fe [Formula: see text]:Zn [Formula: see text] Mn [Formula: see text] Se and Cr [Formula: see text] , Fe [Formula: see text]:Zn [Formula: see text] Mg [Formula: see text] Se (x ≈ 0.3) crystals at the wavelengths of ∼4.4 and ∼4.8 [Formula: see text] m at a temperature of 78 K was achieved, respectively. The excitation of Fe [Formula: see text] ions in both samples by direct 2.94 [Formula: see text] m as well as ∼4.05 [Formula: see text] m radiation or indirectly via the Cr [Formula: see text] → Fe [Formula: see text] ions’ energy transfer-based mechanism by 1.73 [Formula: see text] m radiation was demonstrated. Based on the obtained results, the possibility of developing novel coherent laser systems in mid-IR regions (∼2.3–2.5 and ∼4.4–4.9 [Formula: see text] m) based on A [Formula: see text] B [Formula: see text] matrices was presented.