Self-Q-switched Nd3+: YAG and ruby lasers

Self-Q-switched operation of Nd³⁺: YAG lasers at 77°K and ruby lasers at 300 and 77°K pumped by the 5145-Å output of a pulsed argon ion laser is described. Self-Q-switched operation was obtained 1) by static mirror misalignment and 2) by static misalignment of the filament of the pumped laser material with respect to the mirror resonator axis. An output that consisted of a single giant pulse could be obtained for ruby by either method; for Nd³⁺: YAG, the output always consisted of one or more giant pulses and characteristic relaxation oscillations.