Q-switched operation of quasi-three-level lasers

Author

Nabors, C.D.

Author_Institution

Lincoln Lab., MIT, Lexington, MA, USA

Volume

30

Issue

12

fYear

1994

fDate

12/1/1994 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2896

Lastpage

2901

Abstract

A theoretical model for longitudinally pumped quasi-three-level lasers under Q-switched, repetitively Q-switched, and cw operating conditions is developed. The model is applied using 8% Ho:YAG as the gain medium, and it is found that for typical conditions the effective energy storage time can be much less than the upper state lifetime, in agreement with experiment but not predicted by earlier theories. This effect is attributed to details of laser design and pumping conditions, as opposed to being an intrinsic property of the gain material

Keywords

Q-switching; energy storage; holmium; laser theory; modelling; optical pumping; radiative lifetimes; solid lasers; Ho:YAG; Q-switched operation; YAG:Ho; YAl5O12:Ho; cw operating conditions; effective energy storage time; gain material; gain medium; laser design; longitudinally pumped quasi-three-level lasers; pumping conditions; quasi-three-level lasers; repetitively Q-switched; theoretical model; upper state lifetime; Energy states; Energy storage; Equations; Laser excitation; Laser modes; Laser theory; Laser transitions; Power lasers; Predictive models; Pump lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.362720

Filename

362720