Abstract

Present and future scientific, military and medical laser systems require electrooptic modulators and Q-switches which operate in the near IR. Rotary devices or LiNbO₃ Pockels cells are currently used, for Q-switching at these wavelengths. System performance, however, is limited by these devices. Mechanical devices are slow, unreliable and subject to instabilities due to vibration while LiNbO₃ suffers from poor insertion loss, low bulk damage threshold and acoustic ringing. KTP, with its unique combination of electrooptic properties, has been considered as a replacement for those intracavity devices. Unfortunately, its transparency extends only to about 4.3 µm and has significant phosphate absorption in the 3.3-3.6-µm range. Also, perhaps less generally known, KTP often has high electrical conductivity which cannot only produce non-uniform extinction due to space-charge effects but actually cause device failure through electrolytic decomposition.

© 1994 Optical Society of America