Abstract

Q-switching of a diode-pumped laser is an attractive technique for generating relatively short pulses with high pulse energies. Compact pulsed lasers in the visible region are of particular interest for communications, micromachining, remote sensing, microsurgery, and as pump sources for other laser materials. Fully passive Q-switches have considerable advantages in terms of device simplicity and overall efficiency since fast high-voltage modulators are not required. Cr-doped YAG crystals have been the standard solution. In this work, we study the Q-switching behavior of a single-crystal GaAs wafer in a Nd:YAG diode-pumped laser.

© 1996 IEEE