High average power pulse generation in CW Nd:YAG

Over 1000 watts of CW power has been generated with a multisection krypton arc lamp pumped Nd:YAG laser. Applying electro-optical Q-switching techniques that are unique to this high-gain CW device, pulses with peak powers greater than 5 megawatts have been produced at repetition frequencies of 400G pps. The dynamics of the rapid pulse growth results in a pseudo-mode-locked pulse envelope. Through a combination of Q switching and injection of seed pulses from a CW mode-locked Nd:YAG laser, peak powers of several hundred megawatts can be produced, with average powers greater than 500 watts. Application of this output format to high average power second-harmonic generation will be discussed.