Chromium-Doped Crystal Shows Near-Infrared Tunability at Room Temperature

Scientists at the City University of New York have grown a chromium-doped laser crystal that they say is tunable in the near-infrared spectral range at room temperature. The researchers demonstrated gain-switched, tunable operation of the Cr⁴ crystal over a range of 1348 to 1492 nm and pulse energies of 0.4 mJ at 1.4 µm at a repetition rate of 100 Hz. The laser crystal, named "Cunyite" after the university where it was developed, would be suitable for diode pumping and for making miniature laser devices.