Advisory Committee Chair
Sergey Mirov
Advisory Committee Members
Renatto P Camata
Richard Fork
Andrei Stanishevsky
Charles Watkins
Mary Ellen Zvanut
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2006
Degree Name by School
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
This work is devoted to evaluating new laser systems based upon chromium and iron doped ZnSe structures. These systems are based upon new materials and pumping schemes. These topics can be broken down into three major subgroups: new materials based upon Cr2+:ZnSe, Fe2+:ZnSe lasers and pump sources, and electrically pumped Cr2+:ZnSe systems. Both hot-pressed ceramic and thin film Cr2+:ZnSe samples were evaluated for their potential as laser gain media. This work entailed spectroscopic analysis of both their absorption and emission spectra as well as characterizing their lifetime of luminescence. For hot-pressed ceramic Cr2+:ZnSe the samples were tested in a laser cavity and proven to be the first laser system in the mid-IR to be demonstrated based upon hot-pressed Cr2+:ZnSe. Thin film Cr2+:ZnSe was determined to have different spectroscopic characteristics for luminescence compared to reference bulk samples. This difference is attributed to the location of all of the optical centers within a Fabry-Perot cavity formed by the film surface and the wafer on which it was deposited. Fe2+:ZnSe laser demonstration at room temperature is presented. This laser operates in a spectral region of great interest for spectroscopy. To develop this laser system new pumping systems were required. Such systems as passively Q-switched Er:YSGG and Stokes Stimulated Raman Scattering from a D2 cell are described in great depth. Electrically pumped Transition Metal 2+:II-VI systems are ideal for small portable spectroscopic and scientific tools. The elimination of an optical pump source removes many complications of other systems including, complications due to having ii a second laser. This work was approached by modeling electrically motivated transitions with sub-band optical excitation. Lasing of Cr2+:ZnSe was achieved using a 532 nm pump source. This result, in combination with photo-current and photo-Hall measurements, led to the development of some theories explaining possible electroluminescence. Electroluminescence was also achieved in bulk n-type Cr2+:ZnSe using impacts of hot carriers as an excitation source.
Recommended Citation
Gallian, Andrew, "Optical And Electrical Characteristics Of Cr And Fe Doped Znse Thin Film And Bulk Materials For Optically And Electrically Pumped Lasers" (2006). All ETDs from UAB. 3703.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/3703