Photon avalanche laser improvement program

The main thrust of this program was to increase the output power and efficiency of a photon avalanche laser demonstrated in an earlier and related program. However, material problems plagued the effort from the outset. Identification and solution of these problems has led to an enormous increase in production yield of Pr doped LaCl3 laser crystals as well as the discovery of a contaminate which needs to be eliminated in future work. Overall, an increase in laser power output has not achieved, but new insights may lead to large payoffs in the near future.