An optoelectronic device in bulk LiF with sub-micron periodic gratings fabricated by interference of 400 nm femtosecond laser pulses

Sub-micron periodic gratings of transparent materials are holographically fabricated by interference with the second harmonic (400 nm) of a mode-locked Ti:sapphire oscillator-amplifier laser. As one optoelectronic application, a pulsed, room temperature laser action in bulk lithium fluoride is demonstrated, for the first time, in the green spectral region based on the laser-active F-3(+) colour centres utilizing a distributed feedback structure encoded by interference of 400 nm femtosecond laser pulses. A lasing output with a linewidth of 1 nm is obtained at approximately 539 nm, which value reflects the selective laser resonator. Realization of green and red distributed feedback colour centre laser action based on the F-3(+) and F-2 centres in LiF excited by a single wavelength can be expected. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.