High-efficiency KYW acousto-optic Q-switch for a Ho:YAG laser

A new, to the best of our knowledge, type of acousto-optic Q-switch was developed using slow shear acoustic mode in potassium yttrium tungstate (KYW) crystal. Two Q-switch configurations were created: one for vertical and one for horizontal light polarization, both providing over 50% diffraction eff...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Optics letters 2022-03, Vol.47 (5), p.1085-1088
Main Authors: Chizhikov, Alexander I, Mukhin, Aleksey V, Egorov, Nikolay A, Gurov, Vasily V, Molchanov, Vladimir Y, Naumenko, Natalya F, Vorontsov, Konstantin V, Yushkov, Konstantin B, Zakharov, Nikita G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acousto-optics
Diffraction efficiency
Horizontal polarization
Laser damage
Lasers
Semiconductor lasers
YAG lasers
Yield point
Yttrium
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Summary:A new, to the best of our knowledge, type of acousto-optic Q-switch was developed using slow shear acoustic mode in potassium yttrium tungstate (KYW) crystal. Two Q-switch configurations were created: one for vertical and one for horizontal light polarization, both providing over 50% diffraction efficiency at a wavelength of 2.1 μm and an RF driving power below 8 W. The laser-induced damage threshold of the KYW crystal was found to equal 650 MW/cm . Operation of a nanosecond periodically pulsed Ho:YAG laser emitting 15 mJ pulses at 2.1 μm with the KYW Q-switch is reported.
ISSN:0146-9592
1539-4794
DOI:10.1364/OL.451200