An experimental and theoretical study of high repetition rate Q-switched Nd: YA1G lasers

An acoustooptic loss modulator made by bonding an X-cut quartz transducer to a fused silica scattering medium offers a practical means for repetitively Q-switching continuously pumped Nd : YAlG lasers at repetition rates up to 50 kHz. The peak power output of a multitransverse mode laser is typically enhanced by a factor of about 500 relative to CW operation at low (≪5 kHz) repetition rates and by larger factors when the transverse mode structure is suitably restricted. At high repetition rates, the peak power becomes smaller and the average power output approaches the CW level. The theoretical Q-switching behavior derived from the rate equations governing an ideal four-level laser is presented in graphical form, and is found to describe the observed behavior well when the laser is restricted to oscillation in the TEM00transverse mode. Similar calculations for Q-switched intracavity second harmonic generation indicate that the peak output power available at the second harmonic slightly exceeds that available at the fundamental, and that the harmonic coupling necessary to optimally couple the Q-switched laser is several orders of magnitude smaller than that required for CW intracavity conversion. Experiments using Ba2NaNb5O15For intracavity Q-switched harmonic generation roughly verified these predictions. A peak power output of 220 watts at 0.532 µ in the TEM00mode was achieved. Surface pitting of the nonlinear crystal after a few hours of operation prevented a thorough comparison with the calculated results. Preliminary experiments using the doubled Q-switched Nd : YAlG laser and an ammonia dihydrogen phosphate crystal to generate ultraviolet (the 0.266-µ harmonic) yielded a peak output power of 40 watts.