Rare-earth doped chalcogenide glass fibre laser

The first laser action in a rare-earth doped chalcogenide glass fibre is reported. Laser action at 1080 nm was obtained in a 22 mm long gallium lanthanum sulphide glass fibre with a neodymium doped core, fabricated by the rod-in-tube technique. The laser was pumped continuous wave with a Ti:sapphire laser at 815 nm and showed a self-pulsing behaviour.