Q-switching a fiber laser with a dual mode single crystal photo-elastic modulator

F. Bammer; R. Petkovsek; D. Schuöcker; J. Mozina

doi:10.1117/12.780498

16 April 2008 Q-switching a fiber laser with a dual mode single crystal photo-elastic modulator

F. Bammer, R. Petkovsek, D. Schuöcker, J. Mozina

Proceedings Volume 6998, Solid State Lasers and Amplifiers III; 69980D (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.780498
Event: SPIE Photonics Europe, 2008, Strasbourg, France

Abstract

We present a new optical device for pulse picking and Q-switching based on a LiTaO₃-crystal together with polarizers. LiTaO₃ is piezoelectric, hence when a harmonic voltage course with a proper frequency is applied to the crystal it will start to oscillate resonantly in a mechanical eigenmode. Due to photo-elasticity an artificial modulated birefringent is induced by this oscillation such that the polarization of trough-going light is modulated. Together with polarizers the transmission of the whole setup can oscillate between 0 and 100%. The applied voltage amplitude is usually in the order of below 10 V. With a special choice of the crystal dimensions it is possible that the first shear eigenmode has exactly three times the frequency of the first longitudinal eigenmode. Both modes have qualitatively the same influence on polarization, such that with a proper superposition of these two modes a short opening time of the setup can be achieved, which can be used to enforce pulsed laser operation. The latter was realized with a small end pumped fibre laser. A pulse sequence with 127 kHz and a ratio of peak power to average power of ~30 was achieved.

Citation Download Citation

F. Bammer, R. Petkovsek, D. Schuöcker, and J. Mozina "Q-switching a fiber laser with a dual mode single crystal photo-elastic modulator", Proc. SPIE 6998, Solid State Lasers and Amplifiers III, 69980D (16 April 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.780498

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