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F. Bammer, R. Petkovsek, H. Dominguez, G. Liedl:
"Nd:YAG-Laser-Q-switching with a Photo-Elastic Modulator and Applications";
Talk: Photonics Europe 2010, Brüssel; 04-12-2010 - 04-16-2010; in: "Proceedings of SPIE, Solid State Lasers and Amüplifiers IV, and High-Power Lasers", SPIE Proceedings, Vol. 7721 (2010), ISBN: 978-0-8194-8194-8; 77210Y-1 - 77210Y-6.

We present a rod-Nd:YAG-Laser, side-pumped with eight 50W-laser diode bars at 808nm, and Q-switched with a Single Crystal Photo-Elastic Modulator at 95.1 kHz. The latter is made of a z-cut LiNbO3-crystal, which is electrically y-excited on the mechanical resonance frequency of the x-longitudinal oscillation. With a voltage amplitude of 3 V the crystal shows a strong oscillation such that due to the photo-elastic effect a high polarization modulation is achieved, which, together with a polarizer, can be used as a simple optical switch. With this inside the laser resonator the average power is 47.8W in cw-mode and 45.5W in pulsed mode, with pulse peak powers of 4 kW and pulse widths of 100ns. This kind of operation is similar to cw-operation but offers due to the high peak powers different interaction physics with matter. The source is therefore suited for micro-welding of metals, LIDAR, rapid prototyping of plastics, marking/engraving/cutting of plastics, marking of glasses. In cases where high precision and a small heat affected zone are necessary this simple kind of pulsed operation may be advantageous, when compared to cw-operation.

Güteschalten eines Festkörperlasers

DPSSL, SCPEM, photo-elastic modulator, LiTaO3, LiNbO3, Q-switching

http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.854724