Czochralski-grown large Ce:LiCAF crystal for efficient UV laser with output up to 60-mJ

The Ce/sup 3+/:LiCaAlF/sub 6/ (Ce:LiCAF) laser has emerged as a convenient, compact, tunable ultraviolet source in the spectral region from 281 to 315 nm. For expanding applications of the Ce:LiCAF lasers, the output energy scalability is the significant issue. Previously, Pinto et al in the US Naval Research Laboratory and our group in IMS reported around 15-mT output from Ce:LiCAF lasers using rather small crystals. In this presentation, we talk about the growth of large Ce:LiCAF crystals and 60 mJ pulse generation from a Ce:LiCAF laser that operated at 289 nm at 10-Hz.