1.
Opt Lett
; 47(5): 1085-1088, 2022 Mar 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35230297
ABSTRACT
A new, to the best of our knowledge, type of acousto-optic Q-switch was developed using slow shear acoustic mode in potassium yttrium tungstate (KYW) crystal. Two Q-switch configurations were created: one for vertical and one for horizontal light polarization, both providing over 50% diffraction efficiency at a wavelength of 2.1â µm and an RF driving power below 8â W. The laser-induced damage threshold of the KYW crystal was found to equal 650â MW/cm2. Operation of a nanosecond periodically pulsed Ho:YAG laser emitting 15â mJ pulses at 2.1â µm with the KYW Q-switch is reported.