Composite Yb:YAG/Cr(4+):YAG ceramics picosecond microchip lasers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Laser Physics
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Development of compact and efficient solid-state lasers is crucial for numerous scientific and industrial applications.
• Picosecond lasers offer advantages in precision material processing and nonlinear optics due to their short pulse durations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient laser-diode pumped picosecond self-Q-switched all-ceramic composite laser.
• To investigate the performance characteristics, including peak power and beam quality, of the developed microchip laser.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an all-ceramic composite structure integrating Ytterbium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Yb:YAG) and Chromium-doped YAG (Cr(4+):YAG).
• Employed laser-diode pumping to achieve self-Q-switching operation in a picosecond regime.
• Characterized laser output for peak power, beam quality (M-squared), and mode structure.

Main Results:

• Achieved efficient laser-diode pumped picosecond self-Q-switched operation.
• Generated a peak power of 0.72 MW.
• Demonstrated nearly diffraction-limited beam quality with M(2) < 1.09.
• Observed stable single- and multi-longitudinal mode oscillation attributed to etalon effects.

Conclusions:

• The developed Yb:YAG/Cr(4+):YAG all-ceramic composite microchip laser is an efficient source of high peak power picosecond pulses.
• The laser exhibits excellent beam quality and stable mode operation, making it a promising candidate for advanced laser applications.