In-band pumped, high-efficiency LGS electro-optically Q-switched 2118 nm Ho:YAP laser with low driving voltage. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Guo, Lei; Zhao, Shengzhi; Li, Tao; Qiao, Wenchao; Ma, Baomin; Yang, Yaling; Yang, Kejian; Nie, Hongkun; Zhang, Baitao; Wang, Ruihua; He, Jingliang; Wang, Yachao
• Is Part Of: Optics & laser technology. Volume 126(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: LGS -- EO Q-switched -- Ho:YAP; Optics -- Periodicals; Lasers -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 621.366
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optlastec.2019.106015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0030-3992

Abstract

Highlights: Two c-cut Tm:YAP crystals were utilized as pump source emitting at 1940 nm. The LGS crystal based on EO modulator was designed to operate in pulse-on mode with a 1/4 wave voltage of 2400 V. Inband pumped EO Q-switched Ho:YAP laser at 2118 nm was demonstrated using a LGS modulator. Abstract: An in-band end-pumped LGS electro-optically (EO) Q-switched Ho:YAP laser has been investigated and demonstrated. The LGS crystal based on EO modulator was designed to operate in pulse-on mode with a 1/4 wave voltage of 2400 V, which was the lowest driving voltage at 2 μm wavelength for LGS crystal as far as we know. Under continuous-wave (CW) regime, a maximum average output power of 6.5 W was obtained from the Ho:YAP laser with a slope efficiency of 50.6% when an incident pump power was 16 W. When running in EO Q-switching regime, a maximum output power of 4 W was obtained with a single pulse energy of 1 mJ and a pulse width of 33 ns at a repetition rate of 4 kHz. At the repetition rate of 2 kHz, the maximum single pulse energy of 1.5 mJ and the shortest pulse width of 23 ns were achieved, corresponding to a pulse peak power of as high as 65 kW.