Generation performance of Cr:LiSAF new active medium for flashlamp-pumped tunable solid state lasers

Free-running generation performance of a flashlamp-pumped Cr:LiSAF rod are presented. Laser average powers of 14 W at 10 Hz repetition rate, total laser and slope efficiencies of 3.5 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, have been achieved. the laser was tuned from 810 to 910 with only one pair of broad band mirrors and a birefringent filter in the cavity.