Nd³⁺- and Cr³⁺-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Ceramic Pulse Laser Using Cr⁴⁺-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Crystal Passive Q-Switch

Abstract

A passively Q-switched Nd 3þ -and Cr 3þ -doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) ceramic laser using Cr 4þ :YAG crystal as a Q-switch element is reported for the first time. Unique temporal waveforms of the output laser pulses were observed. A temporal waveform of a Q-switched laser pulse was compared with one in a free-running pulse. Laser pulses of 130 -300 ns duration were generated. A maximum output laser energy of 1.1 J and an average peak power of 0.1 MW were obtained for multiple Q-switched pulses by a single shot, and a maximum output laser energy of 80 mJ was obtained for a single pulse. The evaluated maximum peak power was 0.6 MW as determined from measured pulse energy and duration. The effective saturation fluence and maximum stored energy were lower than those of Nd:YAG. However, a high peak power can be obtained using an output coupler with a low reflectivity owing to the high gain as in the case of Nd:YAG. The threshold of the Nd/Cr:YAG ceramic laser oscillator is reduced to less than 10% of that of a Nd:YAG oscillator. It was determined by calculation that the output laser energy of the Nd/Cr:YAG ceramic laser was close to 4 times that of Nd:YAG.

INCREASE IN EFFECTIVE FLUORESCENCE LIFETIME BY CROSS-RELAXATION EFFECT DEPENDING ON TEMPERATURE OF Nd/Cr:YAG CERAMIC USING WHITE-LIGHT PUMP SOURCE

“…In this experiment, for laser oscillation, the electrical energy added to the flash lamp was 20 J and the converted optical energy was estimated to be 3.2 J because the evaluated electro-optical conversion efficiency was 16%. 21 Thus, the maximum opt.-opt. conversion efficiency from flash lamp light to laser was 1.3% due to the cross-relaxation effect.…”

“…We examined a Nd/Cr:YAG ceramic laser employing a flash lamp 21 with the temperature of the laser material controlled. The experimental setup is shown in Fig.…”

A mission-enabling UV laser for mass spectrometry (UVMS) with continuously selectable output for in-situ planetary exploration

“…To keep the ultimate application of such a laser open to a wide range of future applications, the mechanical design will be subjected to GEVS-type (general environmental verification system) in vibration and thermal vacuum testing. 2 The critical performance specifications to be met are listed in Table 1.…”

Q-Switched and Mode-Locked Nd/Cr:YAG Ceramic Pulse Laser

“…Nd 3+ /Cr 3+ :YAG ceramic materials, which are laser media for white light-pumped lasers such as solar light and flash lamps, have been developed. Various ceramic lasers have been reported to date, such as free-running and Q-switch pulse oscillation with flash lamps [1,2], solar light excitation [3][4][5], and active mirrors as the laser amplifier [6]. e advantages of using the Nd 3+ /Cr 3+ :YAG ceramic are that the oscillation threshold is low.…”