Q-switched low-pressure CO2 laser

Ulrich Bielesch; Juergen Uhlenbusch; Wolfgang Vioel

doi:10.1117/12.204936

31 March 1995 Q-switched low-pressure CO2 laser

Ulrich Bielesch, Juergen Uhlenbusch, Wolfgang Vioel

Proceedings Volume 2502, Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers: Tenth International Symposium; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.204936
Event: Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers: Tenth International Symposium, 1994, Friedrichshafen, Germany

Abstract

Q-switched low pressure CO₂ lasers allow the production of maximum laser pulse power and both high average laser power at high pulse repetition rates. The laser beam power can be calculated by a six temperature model including rotational relaxation, intramode and intermode vibrational energy exchange. A Q-switched CO₂ laser oscillator amplifier systems consisting of a DC discharged, wavelength tunable and diffusion cooled oscillator and a microwave excited amplifier is described. By a mechanical Q-switching of the oscillator laser pulses with a pulse repetition rate of 4 - 200 kHz and TEM₀₀ beam quality can be produced. After amplification the peak power reaches 0.9 MW at a pulse repetition rate of 10 kHz and 0.2 MW at 100 kHz repetition rate. The pulse duration (FWHM) is about 0.2 microsecond(s) . The maximum average power of 7 kW in the Q-switched mode reached nearly the maximum cw laser power of 10 kW (with TEM₀₀ beam quality). The laser pulse duration can be shortened by the combination of cavity dumping and electro-optical Q-switching. This pulsed operation leads to laser pulses with 35 ns pulse duration and 1.9 MW maximum power at a pulse repetition rate of 10 kHz and an average laser power of 0.8 kW. The self-oscillation of the oscillator amplifier system can be suppressed by an optical shutter between oscillator and amplifier.

Citation Download Citation

Ulrich Bielesch, Juergen Uhlenbusch, and Wolfgang Vioel "Q-switched low-pressure CO2 laser", Proc. SPIE 2502, Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers: Tenth International Symposium, (31 March 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.204936

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