Color center laser pumped with a DCM dye laser

A CW, DCM dye laser has been used to pump a RbCl:Li crystal in a color center laser. The DCM dye laser was pumped by the 488 nm and 514.5 nm lines of an argon ion laser. When used in a broad band configuration the dye laser had a power output in the TEM₀₀ mode in excess of 600 mW at a wavelength of 655 nm. An output power in excess of 10 mW at 2.73 μm was possible from the RbCl:Li crystal in a Burleigh FCL for an input power of 600 mW at 655 nm. This method of pumping for the RbCl:Li alleviates the need for both argon ion and krypton ion laser pumps for the Burleigh FCL. All three crystals can be pumped to the specification power levels with a single argon ion laser.