SUBMILLIMETER P-GE LASER USING A VOIGT-CONFIGURED PERMANENT-MAGNET

A p-Ge laser at 170-200 mu m wavelengths in Voigt configuration using a regular permanent magnet is reported. Results are compared with thos e obtained using a Faraday-configured superconducting magnet. Emission is observed over a wider range of electric-field magnitude in Voigt c onfiguration at a given magnetic field. Time-resolved emission studies reveal unusual pulse dynamics which depend on the magnitude and durat ion of the applied electric field. Spectral content, Gaussian-beam pro files, and polarization are essentially independent of these temporal effects. A significant repetition-rate increase is found using copper heat sinks. An increased emission-pulse delay with increasing initial- sample temperature and the temperature independence of the emission qu ench time are both explained by Joule heating of the laser medium, Las ing persists above 10 K, raising the possibility of a practical p-Ge l aser without need for liquid helium as a coolant.