Repetition rate continuously controllable passively Q-switched Nd:YAG bonded microchip laser

Abstract

A stable repetition rate continuously controllable passively Q-switched Nd:YAG bonded microchip laser is presented. A 0.8 mm-thickness 7 mm-diameter Nd:YAG crystal at 1.6 at.% is adapted as active medium and the saturable absorber for passively Q-switched pulse generating, a 0.2 mm-thickness 6.8-mm diameter Cr 4+ :YAG piece was thermal bonded into the Nd:YAG after primary optical contact. By using pulse pump and controlling the duty cycle of electric pulse and temperature of laser diode, a 1 W C-mount packaged fast-collimated laser diode, we can continuously achieve repetition rate from 1 kHz to 10 kHz as active Q-switched laser. The delay time at 10 kHz is 90 μs, while the single pulse energy is 2.8 μJ with pulse width of 2 ns.