Abstract

Passive Q switching of a ruby laser by the use of molecular rubidium (Rb₂) vapor has been realized. For the first time, to our knowledge, an integrally sapphire cell containing Rb₂ vapor was used as the saturable absorber, which ensures an operation period of several years. Single-frequency-stabilized giant pulses with 700-mJ energy, 22-ns duration, and 200-MHz spectral width were obtained.

© 1996 Optical Society of America

Dy²⁺:CaF₂ saturable-absorber Q switch for the ruby laser

Yen-Kuang Kuo, Wei Chen, Robert D. Stultz, and Milton Birnbaum
Appl. Opt. 33(27) 6348-6351 (1994)

Fiber-optic transmission of stretched pulses from a Q-switched ruby laser

S. Pflüger, M. Sellhorst, V. Sturm, and R. Noll
Appl. Opt. 35(25) 5165-5169 (1996)

Characteristics of ruby passive Q switching with a Dy²⁺:CaF₂ solid-state saturable absorber

Yen-Kuang Kuo and Milton Birnbaum
Appl. Opt. 34(30) 6829-6833 (1995)

Ho:YVO₄ solid-state saturable-absorber Q switch for a 2-μm Tm, Cr:Y₃Al₅O₁₂ laser

Yen-Kuang Kuo and Milton Birnbaum
Appl. Opt. 35(6) 881-884 (1996)

Ho:CaF₂ solid-state saturable-absorber Q switch for the 2-μm Tm,Cr:Y₃Al₅O₁₂ laser

Yen-Kuang Kuo, Milton Birnbaum, Ferruh Unlu, and Man-Fang Huang
Appl. Opt. 35(15) 2576-2579 (1996)