BeAl6O10: Cr3+: a promising active medium for femtosecond lasers

The new laser crystals BeAl6O10:Cr3+ were grown, spectral-luminescence and CW laser properties were investigated and compared with those of well-known laser medium-alexandrite (BeAl2O4:Cr3+). CW laser generation on vibronic transition 4T2-4A2 of Cr3+ ions in BeAl6O10 crystals was realized in the range of 800-880 nm under Ar+ laser pumping. The emission cross-section of laser transition was estimated about 6×10-20 cm2. We confirmed these crystals are perspective for generation of femtosecond pulses in the near IR region under LD pumping.