Broadly tunable chromium-doped beryllium aluminate lasers and operation thereof

Abstract

A high power, broadly wavelength-tunable laser is provided which comprises as the laser medium particular single crystals of chromium-doped beryllium aluminate (BeAl.sub.2 O.sub.4 :Cr.sup.3+) having the chrysoberyl structure, means for exciting the laser medium and tuning means. The laser may be operated over a broad temperature range from cryogenic temperatures to elevated temperatures. Elevated temperatures are preferred, however, since they result in higher laser gain. Emission is in a spectral range from red to infrared, and the laser is useful in the fields of defense, communications, isotope separation, photochemistry, etc. CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 953,067, filed Oct. 20, 1978.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.