Cr2+:ZnS saturable absorber passively Q-switched Ho:LuAG laser. (23rd September 2015) - Cui, Z
Abstract: By using polycrystalline Cr 2+ :ZnS ceramics with different transmissions as saturable absorbers (SAs), the different output performance of passively Q-switched (PQS) Ho:LuAG lasers end-pumped with continuous-wave (CW) Tm:YLF laser was demonstrated. When the transmission of the Cr 2+ :ZnS SA was 86.3%, the pulse duration changed from 50.6 to 46 ns as the absorbed pump power increased from 14.3 to 24 W. The pulse energy and repetition rate were tuned in the range of 2.4–2.9 mJ and 0.36–2.56 kHz, respectively. The output wavelength of the PQS laser shifted from 2100.6 nm (in CW operation) to 2098.3 nm. Using a Cr 2+ :ZnS SA with transmission of 93.9%, the Ho:LuAG laser achieved a maximum average output power of 5.4 W with slope efficiency of 44.2%.