Gain-switched Ho:YAG laser with a 3.35-ns pulse duration

Area of Science:

• Laser physics
• Solid-state lasers
• Nonlinear optics

Background:

• Pulsed lasers are crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Holmium:YAG (Ho:YAG) lasers offer unique emission properties.
• Compact and efficient laser systems are in high demand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a compact gain-switched Ho:YAG laser operating at 2090 nm.
• To investigate the laser's performance characteristics, including pulse duration, energy, and efficiency.
• To explore potential applications for short-pulse, high-peak-power lasers.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a passively Q-switched Thulium:YLF (Tm:YLF) laser as the pump source.
• Implementing a gain-switching technique for the Ho:YAG medium.
• Characterizing laser output parameters such as pulse duration, energy, and repetition rate.

Main Results:

• Achieved a pulse duration of 3.35 nanoseconds (ns).
• Obtained a pulse energy of 0.7 millijoules (mJ) at a 1.3-kHz repetition rate.
• Generated a peak power of 209 kilowatts (kW) with 25% conversion efficiency and 37% slope efficiency.

Conclusions:

• The developed gain-switched Ho:YAG laser exhibits excellent performance in a compact design.
• The laser's short pulse duration and high peak power open possibilities for new applications.
• Further research can explore advanced applications leveraging these unique laser characteristics.