Tunable narrow-band neodymium glass laser with a passive $Q$ switch made of an LiF:$F_2^-$ crystal

A narrow-band tunable neodymium glass laser with a passive $Q$ switch made of an LiF crystal containing $F_2^-$ color centers was constructed. The characteristics of the output radiation of this laser were studied as a function of the resonator parameters and of the initial transmission of the passive $Q$ switch. This laser was found to be suitable for investigating the absorption spectra of molecular gases in the region of 1.06 $\mu$ right up to intensities of 0.1 GW/cm$^2$.