Investigation of Cr-doped MgO and Sc2O3 as potential laser sources for thenear infrared spectral range

Cr-doped MgO and Sc2O3 were spectroscopically investigated with respect to their feasibility as solid state laser materials. The crystal field paramet ers of the octahedrally coordinated Cr3+ were determined to be Dq = 1615 cm (-1), B = 586 cm(-1), and C = 3249 cm(-1), thus Dq/B = 2.75 and C/B = 5.54 for Cr3+ : MgO and Dq = 1490 cm(-1), B = 590 cm(-1), C = 3227 cm(-1), thus Dq/B = 2.53, and C/B = 5.47 for Cr3+ : SC2O3 The Cr3+ emission in these cry stals covers the spectral region between 700 nm and 1100 nm. Besides the Cr 3+ -ion, in Sc2O3 another optical active center correlated with chromium is observed. This center exhibits absorption between 750 nm and 1100 nm and e mission between 1050 nm and 1800 nm. For Cr3+ : MgO room temperature, conti nuous wave laser oscillation under argon ion laser pumping was realized.