Output characteristics of Q-switched solid-state lasers using intracavity MEMS micromirrors

Ralf Bauer; Alan Paterson; Caspar Clark; Deepak Uttamchandani; Walter Lubeigt

doi:10.1109/JSTQE.2014.2345700

Output characteristics of Q-switched solid-state lasers using intracavity MEMS micromirrors

Ralf Bauer
, Alan Paterson
, Caspar Clark
, Deepak Uttamchandani
, Walter Lubeigt

Electronic And Electrical Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Special issue › peer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

1368 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The output behavior of a Nd:YAG solid-state laser actively Q-switched by a MEMS scanning micromirror is presented. Using a gold-coated micromirror, maximum average output powers of 50mW and pulse durations as short as 120ns were obtained with a dual beam output. This output pattern originates from a pulse emission when the micromirror is at an angle from the cavity axis. The temporal and spatial behavior of this laser was experimentally characterized and then modelled using a numerical simulation of the laser rate equations. Finally, prospects for power-scaling this MEMS-based Q-switch technique are demonstrated using a dielectric-coated micromirror, which led to average output powers of up to 650mW and pulse energies above 40μJ.

Original language	English
Article number	1600908
Number of pages	8
Journal	IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics
Volume	21
Issue number	1
Early online date	6 Aug 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTQE.2014.2345700
Publication status	Published - Jan 2015

Keywords

micromirrors
output characteristics
Q-switched
solid-state lasers
intracavity
MEMS
MEMS scanning micromirror
active Q-switch
laser dynamics

Access to Document

10.1109/JSTQE.2014.2345700

Revised_noMarkupAccepted author manuscript, 4.46 MB

Cite this

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title = "Output characteristics of Q-switched solid-state lasers using intracavity MEMS micromirrors",

abstract = "The output behavior of a Nd:YAG solid-state laser actively Q-switched by a MEMS scanning micromirror is presented. Using a gold-coated micromirror, maximum average output powers of 50mW and pulse durations as short as 120ns were obtained with a dual beam output. This output pattern originates from a pulse emission when the micromirror is at an angle from the cavity axis. The temporal and spatial behavior of this laser was experimentally characterized and then modelled using a numerical simulation of the laser rate equations. Finally, prospects for power-scaling this MEMS-based Q-switch technique are demonstrated using a dielectric-coated micromirror, which led to average output powers of up to 650mW and pulse energies above 40μJ.",

keywords = "micromirrors, output characteristics, Q-switched, solid-state lasers, intracavity, MEMS , MEMS scanning micromirror, active Q-switch, laser dynamics",

author = "Ralf Bauer and Alan Paterson and Caspar Clark and Deepak Uttamchandani and Walter Lubeigt",

year = "2015",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1109/JSTQE.2014.2345700",

language = "English",

volume = "21",

journal = "IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics",

issn = "1077-260X",

number = "1",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Output characteristics of Q-switched solid-state lasers using intracavity MEMS micromirrors

AU - Bauer, Ralf

AU - Paterson, Alan

AU - Clark, Caspar

AU - Uttamchandani, Deepak

AU - Lubeigt, Walter

PY - 2015/1

Y1 - 2015/1

N2 - The output behavior of a Nd:YAG solid-state laser actively Q-switched by a MEMS scanning micromirror is presented. Using a gold-coated micromirror, maximum average output powers of 50mW and pulse durations as short as 120ns were obtained with a dual beam output. This output pattern originates from a pulse emission when the micromirror is at an angle from the cavity axis. The temporal and spatial behavior of this laser was experimentally characterized and then modelled using a numerical simulation of the laser rate equations. Finally, prospects for power-scaling this MEMS-based Q-switch technique are demonstrated using a dielectric-coated micromirror, which led to average output powers of up to 650mW and pulse energies above 40μJ.

AB - The output behavior of a Nd:YAG solid-state laser actively Q-switched by a MEMS scanning micromirror is presented. Using a gold-coated micromirror, maximum average output powers of 50mW and pulse durations as short as 120ns were obtained with a dual beam output. This output pattern originates from a pulse emission when the micromirror is at an angle from the cavity axis. The temporal and spatial behavior of this laser was experimentally characterized and then modelled using a numerical simulation of the laser rate equations. Finally, prospects for power-scaling this MEMS-based Q-switch technique are demonstrated using a dielectric-coated micromirror, which led to average output powers of up to 650mW and pulse energies above 40μJ.

KW - micromirrors

KW - output characteristics

KW - Q-switched

KW - solid-state lasers

KW - intracavity

KW - MEMS

KW - MEMS scanning micromirror

KW - active Q-switch

KW - laser dynamics

UR - http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=2944

U2 - 10.1109/JSTQE.2014.2345700

DO - 10.1109/JSTQE.2014.2345700

M3 - Special issue

SN - 1077-260X

VL - 21

JO - IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics

JF - IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics

IS - 1

M1 - 1600908

ER -

Output characteristics of Q-switched solid-state lasers using intracavity MEMS micromirrors

Abstract

Keywords

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Deepak Uttamchandani

Tunable Yb:KGW laser, CW or Q-switched, enabled by dual-axis tilt of a MOEMS mirror: KGW laser, CW or Q-switched, enabled by dual-axis tilt of a MOEMS mirror

Q-switched tunable solid-state laser using a MOEMS mirror

Wavelength tuning of a solid-state laser with a tilting mems micromirror

Cite this

Output characteristics of Q-switched solid-state lasers using intracavity MEMS micromirrors

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Profiles

Deepak Uttamchandani

Research output

Tunable Yb:KGW laser, CW or Q-switched, enabled by dual-axis tilt of a MOEMS mirror: KGW laser, CW or Q-switched, enabled by dual-axis tilt of a MOEMS mirror

Q-switched tunable solid-state laser using a MOEMS mirror

Wavelength tuning of a solid-state laser with a tilting mems micromirror

Cite this