Eye-safe actively Q-switched diode-pumped lasers with intracavity Raman conversion in YVO4, KGd(WO4)2, PbWO4, and Ba(NO3)2 crystals

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 351; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Dashkevich, V.I., Shpak, P.V., Voitikov, S.V., Chulkov, R.V., Grabtchikov, A.S., Cheshev, E.A., El-Desouki, M., Orlovich, V.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15-09-2015
• Subjects: Active Q-switch; Eye-safe radiation; Intracavity Raman conversion; Mini Raman laser; Solid-state laser; Active Q-switch; Mini Raman laser; Eye-safe radiation; Solid-state laser; Intracavity Raman conversion
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2015.04.033

We have investigated the self-Raman and intracavity Raman frequency conversion of the end-diode-pumped acoustooptic Q-switched Nd:YVO4 laser radiation to eye-safe radiation. The 1st Stokes oscillation in YVO4 (Nd:YVO4), KGd(WO4)2, PbWO4, and Ba(NO3)2 crystals excited by the laser radiation at a wavelength of 1342nm permits obtaining oscillations at 1524, 1496 or 1527, 1527, and 1562nm wavelengths, respectively. We have obtained pulsed lasing with a repetition rate of 2–20kHz, an output energy of 37–95µJ, and a duration of 6–8ns. We propose a model of the actively Q-switched intracavity Raman laser taking into account the real switching off/on times of the actively Q-switch and the excited state absorption in the active medium. We used this model to simulate the dynamics of the self-Raman Nd:YVO4 laser. The proposed model gives results that agree fairly well with the experimental data.
•Eye-safe actively Q-switched self-Raman and intracavity Raman lasers were studied.•Eye-safe Stokes oscillation in Nd:YVO4, YVO4, KGW, PbWO4, and Ba(NO3)2 were studied.•Wavelengths of the obtained eye-safe radiation are 1496, 1524, 1527, and 1562nm.•Eye-safe pulses with an energy of 37–95µJ and a duration of 6–8ns were obtained.•Model of the Q-switched Raman laser with excited state absorption is proposed.