10  W-level sub-100  ps 1  MHz MOPA laser with a microchip master oscillator

Area of Science:

• Lasers and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Development of high-power, pulsed laser systems is crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Existing laser technologies may face limitations in pulse duration, repetition rate, or beam quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a 10 W level master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) laser system.
• To achieve near-Fourier-transform-limited pulses with excellent beam quality (M²).

Main Methods:

• Utilized a passively Q-switched Nd:YVO4 microchip laser operating at 1064 nm as the master oscillator.
• Employed a double-rod, double-end-pumping configuration for a two-pass Nd:YAG ring power amplifier.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 10 W output power level.
• Generated pulses with a duration of 75-95 picoseconds (ps) and a pulse repetition rate up to 1 MHz.
• Obtained a laser beam quality factor (M²) of 1.27 in both horizontal and vertical directions.

Conclusions:

• The developed MOPA laser system demonstrates high gain and excellent beam quality.
• The system's capabilities make it suitable for applications requiring high-power, short-pulse laser sources.