Title :
Q-switch regime of 3-μm Er:YAG lasers
Author :
Georgescu, Serban ; Lupei, Voicu
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Atomic Phys., Bucharest, Romania
fDate :
6/1/1998 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A mathematical model, based exclusively on spectroscopic data concerning radiative, nonradiative, and energy transfer processes, is proposed and used to simulate the Q-switch regime of a 3-μm Er:YAG laser. The connection between the main energy transfer mechanisms that make possible generation on the self-saturated transition 4I 11/2→4I13/2 (upconversion from 4I13/2 and 4I11/2 and cross relaxation from 4S3/2) and the giant pulse characteristics are discussed. The radiative as well as nonradiative losses during optical pumping and giant pulse generation are defined and evaluated. A particular attention is given to the frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) Q-switch which demonstrated real qualities for 3-μm erbium lasers. The reasons responsible for experimental performances of Q-switched Er:YAG lasers inferior to those predicted by the mathematical modeling are analyzed
Keywords :
Q-switching; erbium; infrared sources; laser theory; laser transitions; optical losses; optical pumping; solid lasers; 4I11/2→4I13/2; Er:YAG lasers; Q-switch regime; YAG:Er; YAl5O12:Er; cross relaxation; energy transfer processes; frustrated total internal reflection; giant pulse characteristics; main energy transfer mechanisms; mathematical model; nonradiative losses; nonradiative processes; optical pumping; radiative processes; self-saturated transition; spectroscopic data; Character generation; Energy exchange; Laser modes; Laser transitions; Mathematical model; Optical losses; Optical pulse generation; Optical pumping; Pump lasers; Spectroscopy;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
