LGS electro-optically Q-switched Er,Pr:YAP crystal laser operated at 2.7 µm

Abstract

We demonstrate an optimized 2.7 µm Er,Pr:YAP laser in both free-running and Q-switched modes. In free running mode, a maximum energy of 346 mJ is obtained with repetition frequency of 5 Hz. In Q-switched mode, a giant pulse with 63.4 mJ energy and 40 ns pulse width is realized at 5 Hz, which corresponds to an energy extraction efficiency of 47% and a peak power of 1.59 MW. Additionally, the M 2 factor and laser spectrum are also measured in two modes. These results indicate that the LGS Q-switched 2.7 µm Er,Pr:YAP laser is a promising candidate for the mid-infrared pulse laser device.