Tunable LiF:F/sub 2//sup -/ color center laser with an intracavity integrated-optic output coupler

A new LiF:F/sub 2//sup -/ color center laser operation has been achieved by inserting a SiO/sub 2/ thin-film waveguide in the laser cavity. The waveguide was deposited on LiF bulk crystal substrate with a holographic grating. The laser beam from the waveguide was tunable in 1150-1172 nm spectral range. The maximum ratio of the pulse energy of the laser radiation coupled out through the waveguide to that of the pump-radiation was 0.3%. The beam was stretched into the direction perpendicular to the waveguide plane, with a divergency of 7.2/spl times/10/sup -2/.