Multiline, superbroadband and sun-color oscillation of a LiF:F_2^- color-center laser

Abstract

We report experimental and theoretical studies of the temporal, spectral, and spatial features of a superbroadband laser. The results obtained show that the superbroadband room-temperature operable LiF:F ₂^- color-center laser can provide low-coherence, high-intensity laser radiation with a spectral width of 1400 A centered at 1.14 µm and 700 A in the visible range from green to red and exhibit good spatial collimation with a divergence of between 5 and 6 mrad. Oscillation of all the lines of a superbroadband spectrum is completely synchronous and occurs almost simultaneously with the pump pulse, exhibiting 4–9-ns pulse delay at 20-ns pump pulse duration. Second-harmonic generation of superbroadband oscillation spectrum was realized with an overall efficiency of 10%.