Q-switching of an Er-Yb:glass microchip laser using an acousto-optical modulator

We present a compact Q-switched Er-Yb:glass microchip laser operating at the wavelength of 1.535 mum using an acousto-optical modulator. A Q-switched peak power of 325 W with a pulse-duration of 38 ns and a pulse-to-pulse jitter of less then 10 ns was achieved. Well-controlled pulses were obtained for repetition rates up to 10 kHz while the maximum pulse energy was 12 muJ. The experimental results are compared with theoretical analysis, which shows how to optimize the laser as well as fundamental limitations. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.