EYE-SAFE KGd[.sub.2]:Nd LASER: NANO- AND SUBNANOSECOND PULSE GENERATION IN SELF-FREQUENCY RAMAN CONVERSION MODE WITH ACTIVE Q-SWITCHING

• Published in: Journal of applied spectroscopy Vol. 84; no. 1; pp. 40 - 45
• Main Authors: Dashkevich, V.I, Orlovich, V.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer 01.03.2017
• Subjects: Lasers
• ISSN: 0021-9037; 1573-8647
• DOI: 10.1007/s10812-017-0424-4

The shape of the multimode Stokes pulse generated by an eye-safe KGd[(W[O.sub.4]).sub.2]:Nd laser with self-frequency Raman conversion and active Q-switching was shown to depend on the inhomogeneity of the active-medium pump. The laser generated a short and undistorted Stokes pulse of length ~2.5 ns that increased with increasing laser cavity length for a moderately inhomogeneous pump characterized by a higher population inversion in the center of the active element. The energy of the Stokes pulse (~11.5 mJ) varied little as the output- mirror reflectivity varied in the range 5-45%. The Raman pulse became distorted if the inhomogeneity of the pump was increased considerably. The degree of pump inhomogeneity was negligible with fundamental [TEM.sub.00] mode selection. The laser generated subnanosecond Stokes pulses with peak power in the MW range.