Passive <italic>Q</italic>-switching of a Nd:YAG laser with a GaAs output coupler

Abstract

Yihong Chen Gintic Institute of Manufacturing Technology 71 Nanyang Drive Singapore 638075 Abstract. By using GaAs as an output coupler as well as a saturable absorber, passive Q-switching of an arc-lamp pumped Nd:YAG laser has been demonstrated. The shortest pulse duration obtained was 77.6 ns, corresponding to a pulse energy of 34 mJ. The laser average output power was 2.1 W with a power density in GaAs at 1.53103 W cm22. No optical damage to GaAs was observed without any active cooling. © 1999 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. [S0091-3286(99)00311-6]