Abstract: In this study, the Cr²⁺∶CdSe and Fe²⁺∶CdSe crystals were successfully grown by the Mo-crucible sealed Bridgman method using a vacuum single-crystal furnace with two zones developed by ourselves, and the crystal size reaches ϕ51 mm×110 mm. Cr²⁺∶CdSe and Fe²⁺∶CdSe crystals demonstrate obvious absorption in the bands of 1 400~2 400 nm and 2 500~5 200 nm, respectively. The transmittances of Cr²⁺/Fe²⁺doped CdSe crystals are close to the transmittance limit of CdSe crystal (~70%) in the 7~15 μm band, and the converted absorption coefficient is about 0.005 cm^-1. The Cr²⁺/Fe²⁺∶CdSe crystals grown by the Mo-crucible sealed Bridgman method have the advantages of the controllable doping concentration of transition metal ions, uniform doping and high crystal quality. The Cr²⁺/Fe²⁺∶CdSe crystals could be used as both mid-infrared laser crystal and far-infrared nonlinear optical crystal material.

Key words: mid-far infrared laser, nonlinear optic crystal, laser crystal, transition metal doping, CdSe crystal, crystal growth, Bridgman method