Passively Q-switched Yb:YAG micro-laser for high peak power high repetition rate burst of pulses emission

P. Bourdon; C. Planchat; D. Fleury; J. Le Gouet; F. Gustave; A. Dolfi-Bouteyre; L. Lombard; H. Jacqmin; A. Durécu

doi:10.1117/12.2325719

9 October 2018 Passively Q-switched Yb:YAG micro-laser for high peak power high repetition rate burst of pulses emission

P. Bourdon, C. Planchat, D. Fleury, J. Le Gouet, F. Gustave, A. Dolfi-Bouteyre, L. Lombard, H. Jacqmin, A. Durécu

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10797, Technologies for Optical Countermeasures XV; 1079707 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2325719
Event: SPIE Security + Defence, 2018, Berlin, Germany

Abstract

Engine ignition using a laser requires very high peak power levels, that can be produced by solid-state lasers such as Yb:YAG passively Q-switched lasers. We developed high repetition rate diode pumped Yb:YAG micro-lasers to study the effect of cumulated pulses on the engine ignition process. The Yb:YAG laser oscillator is pumped by a 5-Hz quasi-continuous wave diode laser emitting 3-ms long pump pulses with up to 20 W peak power. It’s passively Q-switched using a Cr:YAG crystal. Various Yb:YAG dopant concentrations and crystal length have been tested and different initial transmittance values for the Cr:YAG crystal have been compared. As a result of quasi-continuous wave pumping and passive Q-switching, bursts of short pulses are emitted at the 5-Hz repetition frequency of the long pump pulses. The control of the intra-burst repetition rate is achieved through tuning the pump power between a few watts and 20 W. The energy per pulse ranges from 250 μJ to 300 μJ, with a lower than 5 ns pulse duration. The intra-burst repetition rate can go up to 20 kHz. An amplifying stage comprised of one single Yb:YAG crystal is added after this laser oscillator.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

P. Bourdon, C. Planchat, D. Fleury, J. Le Gouet, F. Gustave, A. Dolfi-Bouteyre, L. Lombard, H. Jacqmin, and A. Durécu "Passively Q-switched Yb:YAG micro-laser for high peak power high repetition rate burst of pulses emission", Proc. SPIE 10797, Technologies for Optical Countermeasures XV, 1079707 (9 October 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2325719

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available