Open AccessActively Q-switched tunable narrow bandwidth milli-Joule level Tm:YLF laser
Author(s) -
Uzziel Sheintop,
Eytan Perez,
Daniel Sebbag,
Pavel Komm,
Gilad Marcus,
Salman Noach
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.26.022135
Subject(s) - materials science , laser , optics , bandwidth (computing) , full width at half maximum , pulse duration , lasing threshold , optoelectronics , pulse width modulation , q switching , free spectral range , wavelength , power (physics) , physics , telecommunications , quantum mechanics , computer science
A pulsed high energy and narrow bandwidth tunable Tm:YLF laser at the milli-Joule level is demonstrated. The spectral bandwidth was narrowed down to 0.15 nm FWHM, while 33 nm of tunability range between 1873 nm and 1906 nm was achieved using a pair of YAG Etalons. The laser was actively Q-switched using an acousto-optic modulator and mJ level pulse energy was measured along the whole tuning range at a repetition rate of 1 kHz. Up to 1.97 mJ of energy per pulse was achieved at a pulse duration of 37 ns at a wavelength of 1879 nm, corresponding to a peak-power of 53.2 kW and at a slope efficiency of 36 %. The combination of both high energy pulsed lasing and spectral tunability, while maintaining narrow bandwidth across the whole tunability range, enhances the laser abilities, which could enable new applications in the sensing, medical and material processing fields.