Abstract

Two Nd:YLF lasers with a pulse duration of about $2\mathrm{ns}$ have been synchronized. The duration and synchronization of two laser pulses are provided by two pairs of Pockels cells with synchronized voltage pulses. One of the Pockels cells in the first pair ensures Q switching, and the other cuts out a $2\mathrm{ns}$ pulse from the giant $20\mathrm{ns}$ pulse. In the second pair, one of the cells, driven by a two-step voltage pulse, forms a giant pulse synchronized with the pulse of the first laser, and the other cell cuts a short pulse out of it. The proposed scheme allows a rather simple and reliable synchronization of two Q-switched lasers with a jitter of $150\text{\hspace{0.17em} ps}$.

© 2008 Optical Society of America