Halide laser glass and laser device utilizing the glass

Abstract

Disclosed is halide laser glass which comprises cationic components and anionic components. The cationic components are constituted by: Al ions; Zr ions and/or Hf ions; at least one kind of ions selected from the first group consisting of Ca ions, Sr ions and Ba ions; at least one kind of ions selected from the second group consisting of Mg ions, Y ions and alkali metal ions; and Er ions, the cationic components being present within the ranges: Al ions in a range of from 20 to 45 mol %, Zr ions and/or Hf ions in a range of from 0.5 to 25 mol %, Ca ions in a range of from 0 to 42 mol %, Sr ions in a range of from 0 to 25 mol %, Ba ions in a range of from 0 to 25 mol % in a total amount of the first group cations within the range of 20 to 70 mol %, Mg ions in a range of from 0 to 15 mol %, Y ions in a range of from 0 to 20 mol %, alkali metal ions in a range of from 0 to 20 mol % in a total amount of the second group cations within the range of 2 to 50 mol %, and Er ions in a range of from 6 to 25 mol %, while the anionic components are constituted by F ions or F ions and Cl ions, the anionic components being present within the ranges: F ions in a range of from 90 to 100 mol %, and Cl ions in a range of from 0 to 10 mol %. The cationic components may further contain Ho ions in a range of from 0.1 to 5 mol %. Further disclosed is a laser device having, as a laser medium, the halide laser glass as described above.