The compact laser head consists of a flashlamp-pumped gain element packaged in a ruggedized aluminum housing, which has dimensions comparable to a shoebox. In the most common configuration the gain element consists of one flashlamp pumping two laser rods, typically Nd:YAG or Nd;YLF. One of the rods is used to make a Q-switched oscillator, while the other is used as an amplifier. The resonator mirrors of the oscillator are hard-mounted to the housing, and cavity alignment is carried out by Risley prisms, similar to designs used in miltary solid state lasers. The housing contains room for second-harmonic generator or optical parametric oscillator modules. The compact head can also be used as a single stage amplifier, with a dual-lamp, single-rod pump pump cavity or a dual-rod, single-lamp cavity. A number of the heads have been constructed for use in pumping gain-switched Ti:sapphire lasers or as eye-safe sources (with the OPO) for lidar systems.
Below are block diagrams of some of the systems we have assembled with the compact laser head (CLH). The data shown is at 10 Hz, taken with Nd:YLF laser rods arranged as oscillator-amplifiers in the CLH. Pulse rates of 30 Hz and higher are possible with somewhat derated energies. The beam quality for the basic CLH is about 10x diffraction limited.
The CLH is powered by the Q-Peak-developed lamp driver, which uses a transistor-switched design to deliver nearly rectangular pulses to the flashlamp. We also have available a ruggedized, air-cooled, heat exchanger and pump to supply cooling water to the CLH. The SHG module consists of an angle-matched KTP crystal in a temperature-regulated oven, while the OPO module is a compact, ring-cavity design, also utilizing KTP, in this case non-critically phase-matched.
Photographs of the CLH in two views can be accessed by clicking below. Both GIF and JPEG images are available, the latter faster loading but lower in quality. The particular device shown includes the OPO module, but, for clarity, does not have internal plumbing or wiring in place.
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| Side view of CLH with ruler (in inches) for size indication |
End view of CLH with cooling and electrical connections shown |
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| Side view of CLH with cover off,showing pump cavity and OPO module |
Opposite side view of CLH with cover off, showing cavity optics and Q-switch |
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