Analytical model for design criteria of passively Q-switched lasers

Author

Chen, Y.F. ; Lan, Y.P. ; Chang, H.L.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electrophys., Nat. Chiao Tung Univ., Hsinchu, Taiwan

Volume

37

Issue

3

fYear

2001

fDate

3/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

462

Lastpage

468

Abstract

A general and straightforward model was developed for the design of passively Q-switched lasers. With the second-threshold criterion and using a numerically fitting procedure, the output pulse energy was expressed as an analytical function of the initial transmission of the saturable absorber and the reflectivity of the output coupler. An analytical expression for the optimal output reflectivity was also obtained for maximizing the output pulse energy of a passively Q-switched laser with a given initial transmission of the saturable absorber. Excellent agreement was studied between the present results and detailed theoretical computations. A Nd:YAG laser with Cr⁴⁺:YAG as a saturable absorber has illustrated the use of the present model

Keywords

Q-switching; laser theory; neodymium; optical saturable absorption; reflectivity; solid lasers; Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber; Nd:YAG laser; YAG:Cr; YAG:Nd; YAl5O12:Cr; YAl5O12:Nd; analytical model; design criteria; initial transmission; optimal output reflectivity; output pulse energy; passively Q-switched laser; passively Q-switched lasers; reflectivity; saturable absorber; second-threshold criterion; Analytical models; Biomedical optical imaging; Laser excitation; Laser modes; Laser theory; Optical design; Optical pulses; Pump lasers; Reflectivity; Solid lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.910458

Filename

910458