Er/Yb glass Q-switched lasers with optimized performance

Lew Goldberg; Nate Hough; John Nettleton; Alan Hays; Stephen Chinn

doi:10.1117/12.2510346

7 March 2019 Er/Yb glass Q-switched lasers with optimized performance

Lew Goldberg, Nate Hough, John Nettleton, Alan Hays, Stephen Chinn

Proceedings Volume 10896, Solid State Lasers XXVIII: Technology and Devices; 1089603 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2510346
Event: SPIE LASE, 2019, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

We characterize several configurations of compact, Q-switched, 1.5 um lasers based on Er/Yb doped glass. Such lasers are required for eye-safe laser range-finders (LRF), laser markers, and illuminators for 3D and gated imaging. While 1-3 Hz pulse repetition frequency (PRF) is adequate for LRFs, the other applications require much higher PRFs to achieve near-real-time image refresh rates. Lasers described here utilize Er/Yb glass active elements, side-pumped by a 940 nm laser diode bar, or end-pumped by a fiber-coupled laser diode, and made use of active or passive Q-switching (PQS) techniques. Active Qswitching is implemented with resonant scanning mirror, and PQS utilizes Co:Spinel saturable absorbers. Q-switched pulse energies of 5mJ and 3mJ are achieved with side-pumping and end-pumping, respectively. An optical efficiency of over 3.7%, the highest to our knowledge for a PQS Er/Yb glass laser, is measured for the end-pumped implementation. When configured to generate 1mJ, the endpumped PQS laser operates over a 2-25 Hz PRF range, with nearly constant pulse energy and optical efficiency. Features and advantages of the various laser configurations are compared.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Lew Goldberg, Nate Hough, John Nettleton, Alan Hays, and Stephen Chinn "Er/Yb glass Q-switched lasers with optimized performance", Proc. SPIE 10896, Solid State Lasers XXVIII: Technology and Devices, 1089603 (7 March 2019); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2510346

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