Experimental and Modeled Output Characteristics of a Compact, Passively Q-Switched Tm:YLF Laser

We measure the output characteristics of a compact, laser diode end-pumped Tm:YLF laser, operated in continuous wave (CW) mode, or passively Q-switched (PQS) using various Cr2+:ZnS saturable absorbers. A numerical Finite-Difference Beam Propagation Method (FD-BPM) is developed and used to model the laser CW and pulsed performance. Good agreement between the experiment and simulated output is demonstrated. The 39 mm-long laser resonator utilizes a 20.2 mm-long Tm:YLF crystal, a 1908 nm volume Bragg grating (VBG) reflector to restrict the emission wavelength, and an intra-cavity negative lens to reduce the energy fluence in the saturable absorber. A laser utilizing a Cr2+:ZnS saturable absorber with 91.9% unsaturated transmission generates 9.8 mJ PQS pulses with 8.7 ns full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) pulse duration. Maximum average output powers of 6.1 W and 6.5 W are generated in PQS and CW operation, respectively.