Theoretical calculation and experimental study of acousto-optically Q-switched CO2 laser

Using resonator inserted with acousto-optically modulator, the experiments of the compacted CO(2) laser were performed with Q-switch. According to various factors that influenced the output of laser, the theoretical calculation of its main parameters was conducted by Q-switched pulsed laser rate equations. Based on the results, the technical route and approach were presented for optimization design of this laser. The measured peak power of this laser device was more than 4000W and pulsed width was 180ns which agreed well with the theoretical calculation. The range of repetition frequency could adjust from 1 Hz to 100 kHz. The theoretical analyzes and experimental results showed that the acoustic traveling time of ultrasonic field could not influence the pulse width of laser so that it did not require inserting optical lens in the cavity to reduce the diameter of beam. The acoustic traveling time only extended the establishingtime of laser pulse. The optimum working frequency of laser is about 1 kHz, which it matched with the radiation life time (1 ms) of CO(2) molecular upper energy level. When the frequency is above 1 kHz, the pulse width of laser increased with the frequency. The full band of wavelength tuning between 9.2 microm and 10.8 microm was obtained by grating selection one by one which the measured spectrum lines were over 30 in the condition of Q-switch.