VCSEL End-Pumped Passively Q-Switched Nd:YAG Laser with Adjustable Pulse Energy

Abstract

A compact, passively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser utilizing a Cr4+:YAG saturable absorber, is end-pumped by the focused emission from an 804 nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array. By changing the VCSEL operating current, we demonstrated 2x adjustability in the laser output pulse energy, from 9 mJ to 18 mJ. This energy variation was attributed to changes in the angular distribution of VCSEL emission with drive current, resulting in a change in the pump intensity distribution generated by a pump-light-focusing lens.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 28, 2011
Accession Number
ADA556640

Entities

People

  • Brian Cole
  • Chris Mcintosh
  • Lew Goldberg

Organizations

  • United States Army Communications-Electronics Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Design Criteria
  • Efficiency
  • Electrons
  • Emission
  • Far Field
  • Focal Planes
  • Intensity
  • Laser Diodes
  • Laser Resonators
  • Lasers
  • Near Field
  • Optics
  • Q Switching
  • Solid State Lasers
  • Surface Emitting Lasers
  • Switching
  • Yag Lasers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy