InGaAs/GaAs saturable absorber for diode-pumped passively Q-switched dual-wavelength Tm:YAP lasers

• DOI: 10.1364/oe.18.013574
• Publication Date: 2010-06-09T14:28:03Z
• Authors: Baoquan Yao; Yi Tian; Gang Li; Yuezhu Wang
• Keywords: Saturable absorption; Q-switching

We demonstrate the first use of InGaAs/GaAs as a saturable absorber in Q-switching diode pumped Tm(3+) doped laser operating at wavelengths 1940 nm and 1986 nm. The influence semiconductor absorber's (SESA) position thermal lens effect on Q-switch characteristics was investigated. With pump power 35 W, maximum pulse energy 28.1 microJ with width 447 ns repetition frequency (PRF) 43.7 kHz obtained by selecting appropriate SESA.