Q-SWITCHING METHOD FOR PULSE TRAIN GENERATION BY INTERRUPTING CW OPERATION OF THE LASER FOR ADJUSTABLE TIME PERIODS

摘要

A method of operating a continuously pumped, Q-switched laser (20) to provide trains of pulses for laser operations is disclosed. The laser includes a solid-state gain-medium (24) that exhibits a thermal-lensing effect on being optically pumped. Pulse delivery is controlled by a Q-switch (26) that is in a normally-open state when the laser is not delivering pulses. This allows the laser to deliver CW laser radiation (73) when pulses are not being delivered. A train of pulses (92, 94) is delivered by repeatedly interrupting the CW operation by closing then reopening the Q-switch. When the Q-switch reopens after the interruption, the laser delivers a pulse of laser radiation (92, 94), then resumes delivery of CW operation (85) until the next interruption. The interruption periods (11) may be varied to provide pulses (92, 94) of different peak power in a pulse train.