Co2+:ZnS, Cr2+:ZnS and Cr2+:ZnSe

Co2+:ZnS, Cr2+:ZnS and Cr2+:ZnSe saturable absorbers (SA) are ideal materials for passive Q-switches of eye-safe fiber and solid-state lasers operating in the spectral range of 1.5-2.1 µm.

These lasers are used in numerous applications such as free-space communication systems, target designation, time-of-flight range finding, surgery, reflectrometry and laser lidars.

IPG offers a large variety of diffusion-doped Co2+:ZnS, Co2+:ZnSe, Cr2+:ZnS and Cr2+:ZnSe polycrystals appropriate for Q-switching of the lasers operating in the
1.5-2.1 µm spectral range.

Cr2+:ZnS, Cr2+:ZnSe and Co2+:Zns Saturable Absorbers

Samples of Cr2+:ZnS, Cr2+:ZnSe and
Co2+:Zns Saturable Absorbers

 Passive Q-Switch Co2 :ZnS Datasheet

 

Material Properties

Crystallographic      ZnS  ZnSe
Syngony Cubic Cubic
Symetry Class ... 43m
Mechanical ZnS ZnSe
Density, g/cm3 4.09 5.27
Young modulus, Pa 7.45x1010 7.03x1010
Poisson ration 0.28 0.28
Thermal ZnS ZnSe
Thermal expansion, deg C-1 6.5x10-6 7.6x10-6 
Thermal Conductivity, W/(m deg C) 27.2 16
Specific heat, J/(kg deg C) 0.515x103 0.339x103
Optical ZnS ZnSe
Refractive index at 1.0 µm 2.29 2.49
dn/dt, deg C-1 5.4x10-5 6.1x10-5
Transmission range, µm 0.37-14 0.55-20

Q-Switching  Cr:ZnS Cr:ZnSe Co:ZnS Co:ZnSe
σGSA (at 1.54 µm)  1.6x10-18 1.3x10-18 0.7x10-18 0.76x10-18
σGSA (at 1.54 µm)  0 0.02x10-18 0.1x10-18 0.1x10-18
τGSA (at 1.54 µm)  5 µs 8 µs 200 µs 290 µs

 

Contact IPG Photonics for more information