STABLE ROOM-TEMPERATURE LIF-F-2(-CENTER LASER FOR THE 830-1060-NM SPECTRAL RANGE PUMPED BY 2ND-HARMONIC RADIATION FROM A NEODYMIUM LASER()ASTERISK TUNABLE COLOR)

Simultaneous photostability and thermostability of a room-temperature LiF:F-2(+) tunable color-center laser, with an operating range over 8 30-1060 nm, pumped by second-harmonic radiation of a YAG:Nd3+ laser wi th a 532-nm wavelength has been achieved. The main lasing characterist ics of the obtained LiF:F-2(+) laser have been measured. Twenty-five percent real efficiency in a nonselective resonator cavity and 15% rea l efficiency in a selective resonator cavity have been obtained. The s table LiF:F-2(+) laser operates at a 1-100-Hz pulse-repetition rate w ith a 15-ns pulse duration, a 1-1.5-cm(-1) narrow-band oscillation ban dwidth, and divergency of better than 6 x 10(-4). Doubling the fundame ntal frequencies of F-2(+) oscillation made it possible to obtain sta ble blue-green tunable radiation over the 415-530-nm range.