First tunable and mode-locked laser action at Cr 4+ and Sc 3+ co-doped forsterite Cr, Sc:Mg 2 SiO 4 crystals

Nowadays, the wide expansion of information technologies requires drastic increase the capabilities of fiber optic communication lines. One of the ways for solution of this problem is the development of 1200–1350 nm spectral range, so called, second telecommunication window, in which silica fiber has close-to-zero chromatic dispersion. Tetravalent chromium doped forsterite Cr 4+ :Mg 2 SiO 4 (C-F) based lasers are smoothly tunable in whole this region, and can efficiently generate femtosecond laser pulses in mode-locked regime. Thus, C-F lasers have the prospects of applications in fiber optic communication, and in various other fields.