ИСТИНА

The outstanding properties of chalcogenide active media doped with transition metal ions are the key for the development of powerful ultrafast laser sources in the mid-IR range. We present different approaches for power scaling and increasing the spectral band of coherent sources based on iron-doped chalcogenide crystals. Output energy doubling with multipass chirped pulse amplification in Fe:ZnSe crystal at 4.5 μm is presented. Proposed method of spectral synthesis in combination of Fe:ZnSe and Fe:CdSe gain media allows to increase the gain band (~500 nm FWHM) compared to using a single active element. The features of mode locking in the Fe:ZnSe oscillator based on saturable absorption in low-dimensional carbon materials, as well as regimes of formation of a broad spectrum as a result of the Kerr lens are considered. The nonlinear properties of the carbon nanotubes and spectral broadening in chalcogenide fibers, which are both promising devices for mid-IR photonics, are investigated in near- and mid-IR spectral ranges. The study is intendent to expand the capabilities and improve the output characteristics of high-power mid-IR laser systems.