Satellite pulse generation in diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO/sub 4/ lasers

Author

Ng, S.P. ; Tang, D.Y. ; Qian, L.J. ; Qin, L.J.

Author_Institution

Sch. of Electr. & Electron. Eng., Nanyang Technol. Univ., Singapore

Volume

42

Issue

7

fYear

2006

fDate

7/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

625

Lastpage

632

Abstract

We have both experimentally and numerically investigated the satellite pulse generation in diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO ₄ lasers with Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber. We show experimentally that satellite pulse generation is a general effect of the lasers under strong pumping, and its formation is always associated with the appearance of strong Q-switched pulses. Satellite pulse generation of the lasers is further numerically simulated based on a coupled rate-equation model. Our numerical simulations show that the phenomenon is caused by the finite lifetime of the lower laser energy level of the lasers

Keywords

Q-switching; chromium; gadolinium compounds; neodymium; optical pulse generation; optical pumping; optical saturable absorption; solid lasers; Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber; GdVO₄:Nd; Nd:GdVO₄ lasers; YAG:Cr; YAl5O12:Cr; coupled rate-equation model; diode-pumped lasers; passive Q-switching; satellite pulse generation; Chromium; Diodes; Laser excitation; Laser modes; Numerical simulation; Optical coupling; Optical pulse generation; Pulse generation; Pump lasers; Satellites; Coupled-rate equations; Nd:GdVO; diode-pumped lasers; passive Q-switching; satellite pulses;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JQE.2006.875866

Filename

1637617