Passive Q-switching of a Tm,Ho:KLu(WO4)(2) microchip laser by a Cr:ZnS saturable absorber

摘要

A diode-pumped Tm,Ho:KLu (WO4)(2) microchip laser passively Q-switched with a Cr:ZnS saturable absorber generated an average output power of 131 mW at 2063.6 nm with a slope efficiency of 11% and a Q-switching conversion efficiency of 58%. The pulse characteristics were 14 ns/9 mu J at a pulse repetition frequency of 14.5 kHz. With higher modulation depth of the saturable absorber, 9 ns/10.4 mu J/8.2 kHz pulses were generated at 2061.1 nm, corresponding to a record peak power extracted from a passively Q-switched Tm,Ho laser of 1.15 kW. A theoretical model is presented, predicting the pulse energy and duration. The simulations are in good agreement with the experimental results. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America