Ho:YV0(4) solid-state saturable-absorber Q switch for a 2-µm Tm, Cr:Y(3)Al(5)O(12) laser

Area of Science:

• Solid-state laser technology
• Materials science for photonics

Background:

• Development of efficient Q-switching techniques is crucial for pulsed laser applications.
• Holmium-doped materials offer unique optical properties for laser development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of holmium-doped yttrium orthovanadate (Ho:YVO4) as a solid-state saturable absorber.
• To demonstrate its performance in a flash-lamp-pumped Tm,Cr:Y3Al5O12 laser system operating at 2.017 µm.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 1-mm-thick, 4% Ho:YVO4 crystal as a saturable absorber.
• Employed the high-temperature-solution-growth method for crystal fabrication.
• Integrated the Ho:YVO4 saturable absorber into a Tm,Cr:Y3Al5O12 laser cavity.

Main Results:

• Achieved effective Q-switching of the Tm,Cr:Y3Al5O12 laser.
• Generated a single Q-switched laser pulse with an energy of 3.5 mJ.
• Observed a pulse duration of 45 nanoseconds.

Conclusions:

• Ho:YVO4 is a viable and effective solid-state saturable-absorber Q switch for 2 µm lasers.
• The high-temperature-solution-growth method is suitable for producing high-quality Ho:YVO4 crystals for laser applications.