Influence of nonlinear effects in the CLC end mirror on the output characteristics of the Nd:YAG laser

摘要

Abstract: We have investigated lasing mechanism for a Nd:YAG laser with cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) end mirrors. The slope efficiency of a CLC-dielectric mirror resonator was measured and compared with a dielectric-dielectric mirror resonator. We considered influence of nonlinear bleaching of the CLC mirror on the operation of Nd:YAG laser. In cw operation we did not observe any difference in laser output power with a conventional dielectric-dielectric mirrors resonator. When we switched on the operation of laser from cw to 500 ns 4.5 kHz lasing, it disappeared in a 30 s - 10 min time interval, which depends on current on the lamp and the anchoring conditions on the sides of the CLC mirror (we tested four different CLC mirrors). It should be noted that this effect districts the use of the CLC mirrors in high- repetition rate lasers. !26