Spectral-luminescent properties of vapor deposited Cr:ZnS thin films and their application as saturable absorbers for 1.5-μm erbium lasers

Abstract

We report the results of the extensive spectral-luminescent characterization including concentration quenching analysis of the first laser-quality vapor-deposited Cr:ZnS films, and demonstrate their use as saturable absorbers. Comparison of spectral-luminescent properties with bulk Cr:ZnS indicates their high laser quality, opening the way towards industrial mid-IR thin-disk and waveguide lasers. Successful implementation of the grown films in a Q-switched Er,Yb:GdAB solid-state laser emitting at 1.52 μm gives clear experimental evidence of the high quality of the films.