Acoustic-Optic Modulator Design for a High Power Mode-Locked CO2 Laser.
Abstract
The report describes the design considerations and construction details involved in the development of a Brewster angle germanium acousto-optic modulator, having a 6 mm square aperture. This modulator was used to mode-lock an electrically pulsed transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) CO2 laser at an axial-mode frequency of 44 MHz. The power insertion loss was measured to be 50 percent and the modulator withstood peak intracavity intensities in excess of 6 MW/sq. cm. (.2 microsecond pulse) and 160 MW/sq. cm. (1 nsec pulse) without damage, representing significant improvements over the performance of anti-reflection coated modulators. After correcting for the risetime of the display system, the mode-locked pulses are estimated to have a pulsewidth of 1.2 nsec and a peak power of 20 megawatts. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0751680
Entities
People
- J. Terrence Flynn
- Paul J. Berger