Abstract.
We have developed a gain-switched room-temperature Cr:forsterite laser operating at repetition rates of between 1 and 34 kHz, and pumped by a continuous wave, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. With optimised output coupling, an output pulse energy of 52 μJ was measured at 1.5 kHz repetition rate, corresponding to 11% efficiency and 13% slope efficiency. Threshold pulse energy was 53 μJ. Output power of 370 mW was obtained at 10 kHz repetition rate and 4.4 W pump power. Water cooling was not required for repetition rates up to 10 kHz. In a tunable, folded resonator, the Cr:forsterite wavelength tuned between 1173 and 1338 nm. This laser operated with maximum pulse energy of 34 μJ, efficiency of 13%, and power of 307 mW. The laser output was close to diffraction-limited with M2 of 1.2.
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Received: 6 January 1999 / Published online: 29 July 1999
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Diettrich, J., McKinnie, I. & Warrington, D. Efficient, kHz repetition rate, gain-switched Cr:forsterite laser . Appl Phys B 69 , 203 –206 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003400050794
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003400050794