Randomly polarised beam produced by magnetooptically Q-switched laser

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Laser Physics

Background:

• Diode-pumped solid-state micro lasers offer compact, stable, and efficient performance.
• Previous work utilized rare-earth substituted iron garnet (RIG) films for Q-switching.
• The integration of magneto-optical (MO) Q-switches in laser cavities is an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the first magneto-optical (MO) Q-switch in a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser cavity.
• To investigate the performance characteristics of a compact MO Q-switched micro laser.
• To explore the polarization properties of the generated laser pulses.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a quasi-continuous-wave (QCW) diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser cavity, shortened to 10 mm.
• Incorporation of a rare-earth substituted iron garnet (RIG) film and coils for MO Q-switching.
• Characterization of laser output parameters including wavelength, pulse duration, peak power, and repetition ratio.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of an MO Q-switch in a compact Nd:YAG laser.
• Generation of 1,064.58-nm wavelength pulses with 25-ns duration and 1.1-kW peak power at a 1-kHz repetition ratio.
• Achieved random polarization of laser output, a novel characteristic for MO Q-switches.

Conclusions:

• The developed MO Q-switch is effective in a compact diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser.
• The system exhibits high peak power and efficient Q-switching capabilities.
• This work presents the first MO Q-switch capable of producing random polarization, opening new avenues for laser applications.