Directly pumping rare-earth ions or transition metal ions doped laser materials can greatly reduce the complexity of laser system and improve the efficiency. Searching a suitable substrate material and ion energy level structure is key factor to realize the mid- infrared laser directly pumped by laser- diode (LD). Recently research progresses in mid- infrared solid- state laser of laboratory are introduced. This paper includes experimental research on the high power, high efficiency, LD direct pumping transition- metal ions doped II- VI materials laser and rare-earth ions doped crystals, glasses, fibers, and ceramics laser. Those lasers are featuring simple structure and low cost and covering 2~5 μm range wavelength. Cr2+-doped ZnSe and ZnS, featuring large absorption and emission cross-section, high quantum efficiency at room temperature and very low excited state absorption, are the most popular candiadate. Er3 +/Tm3 +/Ho3 +-doped glasses possess rich energy level to emission multi-wavelength. By controlling the structure of rare-earth ions lattice field in different materials, it can realize tunable mid-infrared laser output.