Abstract
Solid-state laser models require data for laser, optical, and nonlinear materials. Depending on the particular concern being addressed by a specific model, a broad range of parameters, including, but not limited to, crystalline, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties may be required. Many materials have been investigated as potential laser. or nonlinear materials: new materials continue to be developed. Topical concerns, such as atom-to-atom energy transfer and up-conversion, force laser researchers to reassess old data in a new light. The breadth of the data requirements, the large number of materials, the necessity for future expansion, and the changing analytical requirements necessitate a versatile and flexible approach to data storage and retrieval. A computerized, interactive data base which retrieves material data in a way that is useful to the laser designer solves the problem. Such a data base, one part of a larger software package for designing new lasers and assessing the performance of existing lasers, is being developed in the Flight Electronics Division at the NASA Langley Research Center.
