Title :
Diode-pumped neodymium lasers repetitively Q-switched by Cr4+ :YAG solid-state saturable absorbers
Author :
Agnesi, A. ; Acqua, S. Dell´ ; Morello, C. ; Piccinno, G. ; Reali, G.C. ; Sun, Zhaoyang
Author_Institution :
Dipartimento di Elettronica, Pavia Univ., Italy
fDate :
2/1/1997 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
We report on the experimental results of a continuously diode-laser pumped Nd:YAG laser, operating at 1064 nm and repetitively Q-switched by a Cr4+:YAG solid-state saturable absorber. End-pumping the Nd:YAG with a 10-W fiber-coupled diode-laser we could either optimize the energy or the average output power, depending on the choice of the saturable absorber and the output coupler. The maximum energy was ≈200 μJ in single TEM00, 17 ns pulses at 6 kHz, whereas a maximum average power of ≈2 W with 32-ns pulses at 20 kHz was obtained. We also present preliminary results of a repetitively Q-switched Nd:YVO4 laser at 1064 nm. The repetitive Q-switching operation is described by an improved model, which accounts for the behavior of both the active medium and the solid-state saturable absorber. The results of the model agree fairly well with the experimental data. Experimental results of second harmonic conversion are also reported and interpreted using a depleted pump model
Keywords :
Q-switching; high-speed optical techniques; laser transitions; neodymium; optical fibre couplers; optical harmonic generation; optical pumping; optical saturable absorption; solid lasers; yttrium compounds; 10 W; 1064 nm; 17 ns; 2 W; 200 muJ; 32 ns; Cr4+:YAG solid-state saturable absorbers; YAG:Cr; YAG:Nd; YAl5O12:Cr; YAl5O12:Nd; active medium; average output power; continuously diode-laser pumped Nd:YAG laser; depleted pump model; diode-pumped neodymium lasers; fiber-coupled diode-laser; maximum average power; maximum energy; ns pulses; output coupler; repetitive Q-switching; repetitively Q-switched; repetitively Q-switched Nd:YVO4 laser; second harmonic conversion; Chromium; Diodes; Fiber lasers; Laser excitation; Neodymium; Optical fiber couplers; Power generation; Pump lasers; Solid lasers; Solid state circuits;
Journal_Title :
Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/2944.585813
