1-mJ Q-switched diode-pumped Nd:BaY(2)F(8) laser

Area of Science:

• Laser physics
• Solid-state laser development
• Photonics

Background:

• Neodymium-doped crystals are crucial for solid-state laser applications.
• Q-switching techniques enable high peak power laser pulses.
• Diode-pumped lasers offer efficiency and compactness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first high repetition rate Q-switched Nd:BaY(2)F(8) laser.
• To characterize laser performance under diode array pumping.
• To evaluate beam quality and polarization properties.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a Neodymium-doped Barium Yttrium Fluoride (Nd:BaYF) crystal.
• Employed a multiwatt fiber-coupled diode laser array for pumping at 806 nm.
• Implemented a Q-switching mechanism for pulsed operation.
• Measured average output power, pulse energy, beam quality (M²), and polarization.

Main Results:

• Achieved 2.42 W of average output power.
• Obtained pulse energies up to 1.05 mJ.
• Demonstrated excellent beam quality with M² < 1.2.
• Confirmed linear polarization of the laser output.
• Operated with 6.1 W of absorbed pump power.

Conclusions:

• Successfully demonstrated a high-performance Q-switched Nd:BaYF laser.
• The laser exhibits efficient operation and high-quality output characteristics.
• This development paves the way for advanced laser applications requiring high repetition rates and pulse energies.